The Arts District

overview

Based on qualitative and quantitative consumer research, it’s been proven that, while visitors still want to check-off the DC bucket list items like monuments and memorials, more and more travelers are seeking experiences that illuminate the real essence and culture of a city.

The Arts District is a five-part video campaign aimed at addressing these shifting traveler priorities and demonstrating that Washington, DC’s storied musical history, groundbreaking dance and theater offerings, world-class museums and diverse public artworks truly set the city apart as a destination.

This series and its companion digital content specifically targets “Eclectic Cultural Travelers”—those travelers interested in arts & culture offerings—in key markets: Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Richmond, Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles. To bring DC’s thriving arts scene to life, each video of the series is hosted by an active member of the local arts community. “The Arts District—Murals,” for example, is narrated by long-time resident and prominent mural artist, Aniekan Udofia. As locals who choose to make their life and their art in Washington, DC, these fives hosts serve as the perfect voices to lend authenticity to this story and show viewers a side of the District they may not expect.

This campaign connects to Destination DC’s ultimate goal as a brand, which is to prove that Washington, DC is more than the federal government and more than the National Mall—it’s a city full of artwork, outdoor activities, Michelin-starred restaurants, major-league sports, dynamic neighborhoods, and exciting nightlife.

Role: Ideation, Creative Direction, Video Direction

Performance

The Arts District campaign was distributed in a variety of different outlets, but predominantly through a partnership with Vox Media. The primary goal was to exceed Vox’s VCR (video completion rate) and RCS (reaction/comment/shares rate) benchmarks in order to drive consumers to relevant arts and culture content on washington.org. This video delivered on the goals with a completion rate of 5.93% and a RCS rate of .19%—12% higher than Vox’s short-form branded content benchmark and 22% higher than their social RCS benchmark.

Accolades

The Arts District campaign has won 9 awards—Gold Telly for Branded Content, Silver Addy for Online Video Campaign, Silver Muse for Travel Video, Silver Muse for Tourism Video, Silver Summit for Video Series, Brand USA Video Storytelling Award, Gold W3 for Travel Video, Silver W3 for Arts Video, HSMAI Gold Adrian for Digital Marketing Series.