NEW JERSEY DIVISION OF TRAVEL & TOURISM’S “LITTLE STATE, LOTTA WOW” CAMPAIGN EARNS GOLD AND SILVER HONORS IN 2024 TRAVEL WEEKLY MAGELLAN AWARDS

TRENTON, NJ, November 13, 2024 – The New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism (NJTT) has been awarded three 2024 Travel Weekly Magellan Awards, which honor the most outstanding services and campaigns in the travel industry. Following the fall 2023 launch of its “Little State, Lotta Wow” national marketing campaign, which showcases the diversity of traveler experiences throughout every region and county in the Garden State, Travel Weekly awarded NJTT with three top placements in the Magellan Awards’ “Destination Marketing” category:

• GOLD – Live Experience Activation – “WOW Experience”
• GOLD – Television Commercial – “Little State, Lotta Wow”
• SILVER – Advertising Campaign – “Little State, Lotta Wow”

The “Little State, Lotta Wow” campaign creates awareness about the abundance of tourism offerings available in New Jersey to audiences across all generations and life stages. The goal is to convey that while New Jersey may not be the largest state, it is bursting with personality, possibility and experiences for everyone.

“The ‘Little State, Lotta WOW’ campaign is designed to showcase not only New Jersey’s 1,034 diverse attractions, 463 historical landmarks, 130 miles of coastline and 418 cultural experiences, but also its incredibly large personality,” said NJTT Executive Director Jeff Vasser. “Since its launch, the campaign has significantly boosted New Jersey tourism with an expected 124 million visitors by year’s end. We’re elated to see the continued interest from visitors near and far, eager to explore the vast array of experiences our exceptional state has to offer.”

The Magellan Awards are judged by a one-of-a-kind panel of top travel professionals representing the best names and most accomplished leaders from the industry. NJTT’s winning entries include:

• Advertising Campaign – “Little State, Lotta Wow” (SILVER)
• From its launch in fall 2023 to spring 2024, this integrated campaign included digital, social media, radio, television and print advertising, as well as sponsorships, live activations and celebrity partnerships. The campaign also featured 450 advertising pop-ups in key markets, including Philadelphia and New York City. These combined efforts resulted in a 68% increase in site visits to VisitNJ.org and $34.3 million in messaged visitor spending from targeted feeder markets during the campaign’s first four months. More details can be found here.
• Live Experience Activation – “WOW Experience” (GOLD)
• Following successful digital and print ad campaigns, NJTT launched an immersive “WOW Experience” in spring 2024. This four-wheeled mobile marketing van hit the road to key markets, including communities in Philadelphia and New York, and met with thousands of potential travelers. Inside the WOW Mobile, participants could experience New Jersey’s lush landscapes, invigorating attractions and everything in between through an immersive video wall. Outside, they tested their smarts with state trivia, played “tic-tac-WOW,” and took snaps in a photo booth. Additional marketing bursts accompanied the WOW Mobile as it traveled, including wraps on local transit vehicles, digital displays and radio advertisements. More details can be found here.
• Television Commercial – “Little State, Lotta Wow” (GOLD)
• The “Little State, Lotta WOW” message was strategically crafted to convey the brand story that New Jersey may not be the largest state, but it is big on personality and “wow”, from the northern peaks of Mountain Creek to the southern shores of Cape May and everywhere in between. These commercials used a catchy, genre-specific soundtrack for each season, delivering a series of impactful moments that cut through the noise and drove the audience to take action. In fact, these ads received 87% market penetration during the launch phase, driving viewers to VisitNJ.org for vacation planning and ideas. Videos can be viewed here.

“The entries that are recognized in the 17^th annual Travel Weekly Magellan Awards demonstrate that the industry is more than up to the task of attracting consumer attention amidst a din of competing messages,” said Arnie Weissmann, editor-in-chief of Travel Weekly. “Once again, your peers have produced inspiring promotional campaigns and travel product designs. I’ve been involved in every Magellan program from its inception, and this year’s group has impressed me like none that came before.”

According to recent data compiled by NJTT in 2023, New Jersey reported a 5% increase in visitation year-over-year and a 4% visitation increase compared to 2019. Looking ahead, the state is forecast to welcome over 124 million visitors by the end of this year with a spending increase of nearly 5%.

For an overview on NJTT’s “Little State, Lotta WOW” campaign, click here. For more information about New Jersey tourism, visit www.visitnj.org.

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