Let's Play: The Ultimate Playground Campaign
California has always been a famously playful place. With a fun-loving, open-minded culture that embraces “you doing you” and an abundance of unique world-class experiences, California is THE ULTIMATE PLAYGROUND and a catalyst for pursuing playfulness in our lives.
Whether it’s exploring the outdoors, a cultural experience, or taco trail, recharging at a spa or traveling with family, California inspires people to pursue playfulness in their lives. We encourage the industry to embrace the spirit of play in your destination.
The Ultimate Playground positioning is brought to life through the newest campaign, “Let’s Play.” The hero video asset in the “Let’s Play” campaign is a beautiful, cinematic, music-driven spot that features a beach ball —invented in California – taking a journey through California in an impromptu game of "keep it up." The spot is set to the iconic song "Mr. Blue Sky" by Electric Light Orchestra, a cross-generational hit, which is lively, feel-good and up-tempo with a great beat to move to as the ball travels from region to region.
Industry partners can ride the momentum of this campaign by embracing the spirit of PLAY that is unique to your destination. Consider sharing the various ways to play in your destination through content creation, participate in the leveraged media co-op program, host a playful press trip or familiarization tour, or amplify the “Let’s Play” campaign by reposting Visit California’s assets on your owned channels.
Background
In March 2024, Visit California launched an integrated global initiative, deployed across paid, owned, earned and travel trade channels. “Let’s Play” is the first campaign bringing the new Ultimate Playground positioning to life.
The “Let’s Play” campaign includes video assets of varying lengths to accommodate a wide range of media placements, along with a well-rounded digital display campaign and library of image assets featuring many iconic and also hidden gems of California. The $32.8 million paid media campaign launched globally on March 4, is expected to garner over 2.5 billion impressions. The media buy includes national linear TV, online TV and digital partnerships paired with high impact OOH activations across key markets in the U.S., U.K. and China. Creative was also localized in three global markets: China, Mexico and South Korea. Media partners for the campaign include Netflix, YouTube TV, Hulu, Paramount+, Spotify and more. Visit California sought out publishers that can offer playful ad placements across their networks including Buzzfeed, Kargo, Peacock and more.
To reach users already engaged in play, sports are a key part of the media buy. "Let’s Play” commercials will be featured all the way through the Final Four March Madness tournament as well as during the NBA round one and two playoffs. Audiences can watch their team play from anywhere, with ads featured across mobile, desktop and connected TV. While Visit California has moved away from celebrity in its hero spots, celebrity are incorporated into media plans through custom integrations with The Jennifer Hudson Show and podcast reads with Conan O'Brien, Rob Lowe and more.
In addition to paid media, the campaign launch has extensions across the owned, earned, and trade channels that help to reinforce the importance of play and California as The Ultimate Playground. In January Visit California released its 2024 Visitor’s Guide, which featured an article on 58 Reasons Why California is the Ultimate Playground. Visit California also worked with its Global Influencer Advisory Board to curate "Play Your Way" in California content ahead of the launch. A cornerstone of the program is the research paper “The Power of Play: Losing and Finding Ourselves through Everyday Play," developed by the National Institute of Play, on the importance and benefits of play. Through owned channels, Visit California is promoting playful short form videos and imagery to inspire travel to California. Consumers can also identify their unique play style through a Play Quiz on the refreshed website. The new branding and “Let’s Play” creative will be unveiled in the trade space at IPW 2024 in Los Angeles.
Internationally, Visit California is elevating play through integrated brand partnerships, trade education, influencer campaigns, press trips, content creation, and more. Across the globe, Visit California is leaning into how play manifests in each market with its own distinctive approach, whether that be sports and entertainment, family play and more. Notable partnerships include embracing sports in Australia through GameDay or family play in Mexico with a Kinezis Activation.
INSPIRE YOUR VISITORS TO PLAY IN CA
- Participate in the International Leveraged Media Co-op.
- This program provides industry partners access to deeply discounted rates on digital platforms including Expedia, Trip Advisor, Sojern and Adara.
- Industry partners can select desired media channel(s) and desired regional target segments in California to promote their own playful message.
- Amplify the "Let’s Play" campaign on your owned channels.
- Share the OTV spots.
- Direct your audiences to find their play style and customized itinerary options: Play Quiz.
- Tag Visit California and use the hashtag #TheUltimatePlayground in your posts, for content that calls for it. Our main hashtag will remain #VisitCalifornia:
- Facebook: @VisitCalifornia
- X: @VisitCA
- Instagram: @VisitCalifornia
- TikTok: @VisitCalifornia
- Threads: @VisitCalifornia
- Spread the word and encourage your community to participate by sharing through your website, blog, e-newsletter, interviews and PR activities.
- Download the Brand Toolkit for Industry.
- Download the Public Relations Toolkit.
For questions about "Let’s Play" contact Brand Marketing Manager – Global Creative Ashley Abney.
