Inviting aliens to visit - gimmick or genius marketing move? đź‘˝

3 travel marketing takeaways from Lexington's latest campaign

Author

Alex Jeffries
January 14, 2024

We all dream about being able to make it to far-away places with bucket lists that span the farthest corners of the globe. As travel marketers and tourism professionals, it’s also our work to inspire those dreams in others.

But why settle for just reaching tourists on the other side of the Earth?

Lexington, Kentucky is aiming to catch travelers’ eyes from the farthest corners of the universe.

Their new campaign, “Hey, Aliens! Look at Lexington!" is a charming way of integrating astrophysics with tourism. Rather than just make it a purely marketing gimmick with a website or social media post, the VisitLEX team collaborated with scientists and researchers at Cornett University to send an actual infrared laser message was beamed from the Kentucky Horse Park towards the TRAPPIST-1 solar system, located 40 light years away.

Among the details in the message? Come visit Lexington for the bluegrass, the horses, and the bourbon!

Now, while Lexington will have to wait a short 80 years for a return message to be received (TRAPPIST-1 is a mere 250 trillion miles away), the humans among us here on Earth are hearing that message loud and clear.

While the original concept may have seemed gimmicky, it’s the execution that sets the idea apart (working with scientists to actually beam the message), as well as the authenticity of the message (promoting what makes Lexington great).

What do you think? Would you risk inviting aliens to visit your destination in 80 years?

⚡️ Travel Marketing Tips ⚡️

Inspired by Lexington’s campaign? Here are three ways you can apply the concepts behind this campaign to your own travel marketing efforts:

  1. Integrate Science Into Tourism - Often destinations have untapped resources, including educational experts and scientific wonders. Like Lexington did with its local researchers, consider how to integrate a scientific approach not only educates but also adds depth to the visitor's experience.

  2. Creative Collaborations - Collaborate with local artists or scientists to create new tourist experiences. For instance, if your area is known for natural beauty, partner with a local astronomer to offer stargazing tours, linking the natural landscape with celestial themes. You could then organize a night of stargazing and storytelling, where an astronomer explains the stars while you tie it to local folklore.

  3. Think Beyond Traditional with Futuristic Storytelling - Develop marketing materials (like brochures or social media content) that envision your destination in the distant future. How would a futuristic traveler describe your tours? This approach can generate interest among a younger, tech-savvy audience and set you apart from competitors.

To watch the 3-minute film and learn more about Lexington’s “Hey Aliens, Look At Us” campaign, click below to see our new post.

Thanks for reading this issue of Travel Marketing Sunday, a weekly publication from Passport Creative. Our goal is to bring you the best travel marketing examples from around the globe to inspire your own travel and tourism marketing efforts.

Questions about this campaign? Need help with your own travel brand’s marketing? Reply back and let’s chat!

Sincerely,
Alex