Poppy Awards 2022

CATEGORIES, FINALISTS & WINNERS

Best Overall Destination Brand Identity
An organization's brand is more than a logo or an ad or the design language for corporate identity – a brand represents the essence of a destination and is a reflection of a place’s unique character, lifestyle and assets. This category will honor destinations with the best integrated brand programming to support their region’s key iconic assets and businesses.

$1 Million and Up:

• Palisades Tahoe (Winner)
• San Diego Tourism Authority
• Visit Greater Palm Springs

Under $1 Million:

• North Lake Tahoe Marketing Cooperative (Winner)
• Visit Eureka, Eddy Alexander
• Visit Grover Beach

Best Recovery Campaign
The pandemic and other crises in the state like wildfires and oil spills have led to many industry-wide pivots. Best Recovery Campaign will showcase campaigns that were developed to drive visitation back to your destination after a crisis.

Businesses:

• Boreal Mountain California & Woodward Tahoe (Winner)
• Disneyland Resort
• Mulvaney's B&L (Winner)
• Terranea Resort

Destinations:

• Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau
• San Diego Tourism Authority (Winner)
• Visit Palm Springs, JNS Next

Best Content Marketing
Creating and leveraging content is what sets great organizations apart. This category recognizes the best marketing and outreach through a website, e-newsletters, blog, podcast, social media or printed materials.

Businesses:

• Palisades Tahoe
• River Fox Train
• The Pines Resort (Winner)

Destinations:

• Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau (Winner)
• San Diego Tourism Authority
• Visit Tuolumne County

Best Paid Social Media Campaign
This category recognizes the creative and effective use of paid advertising on social media channels – Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, etc. – to amplify a campaign or succeed as a stand-alone program.

Businesses:

• Choice Hotels International, MMGY Global
• Splash-n-Dash
• Terranea Resort (Winner)

Destinations:

• Incline Village Crystal Bay Visitors Bureau and Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, Noble Studios (Winner)
• Visit Anaheim
• Visit Morgan Hill, Noble Studios
• Visit Palm Springs, JNS Next

Best Cooperative Marketing
Cooperative marketing can stretch budgets, reach new audiences and redefine travel. This category recognizes marketing efforts in which two or more organizations partnered to promote travel to a region within California.

Businesses:

• Howard Johnson Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground
• Santa Barbara Sailing Center
• South Coast Plaza (Winner)

Destinations:

• San Francisco Travel Association (Winner) 
• Visit Modesto, Cultivar Strategies
• Visit Visalia

Best Public Relations Campaign
Effective PR puts storytelling front and center, supporting marketing initiatives with invaluable earned media. This category recognizes the best use of earned media and media activations to draw attention to destinations, businesses and special events.

Businesses:

• AutoCamp
• Hilton Santa Monica Hotel & Suites
• Napa Valley Wine Train
• Palisades Tahoe (Winner)

Destinations:

• Sonoma County Tourism
• Travel Paso
• Visit Eureka, Eddy Alexander (Winner)

Best Influencer Campaign
This category rewards the best use of influencer marketing — marketing that enlists individuals, groups or associations to help advocate for the brand or product to gain credibility and target consumers as a primary communication tactic.

Businesses:

• Howard Johnson Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground
• Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa
• Terranea Resort (Winner)

Destinations:

• Travel Costa Mesa
• Visit Concord (Winner)
• Visit SLO CAL

Destination Stewardship & Sustainable Travel Award
Even during the pandemic, some parts of California continued to see environmental and management pressure points due to large influxes of visitors in peak travel seasons. This category recognizes efforts to reset and create a more balanced recovery — one that continues to deliver economic benefits but also addresses negative environmental and socio-cultural impacts.

Businesses:

• Disneyland Resort (Winner)
• Terranea Resort
• The Ranch at Laguna Beach

Destinations:

• Sonoma County Tourism
• Visit Big Bear (Winner)
• Visit Truckee-Tahoe (Winner)