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Wisconsin Department of Tourism launches ad campaign ahead of summer tourism season

GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — The Wisconsin Department of Tourism is launching a summer ad campaign to encourage more travelers to visit Wisconsin ahead of the summer tourism season. The campaign, called “Here’s to Those Who Wisconsin", features ads with real families and friends discovering the unexpected in Wisconsin.

The campaign's in-state markets include Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay and Wausau, while out-of-state markets include Chicago, Minneapolis, Cedar Rapids, Duluth, Rochester, Davenport, Des Moines and Rockford.

Tourism plays a critical role in the state's economy. In 2020 tourism was still a $17.3 billion industry, welcoming 90.7 million visitor trips and supporting more than 157,000 Wisconsin jobs.

According to the department of tourism, this year travel sentiment has returned to pre-pandemic levels.

"We've been tracking travelers' sentiment since the beginning of the pandemic and right now it's as high as we saw it since before the pandemic, so about 90% of Americans are saying they plan to travel in the next six months," said Secretary-designee Anne Sayers.

Sayers says that due to rising gas prices, more travelers are planning to vacation close to home. This is allowing the department to capitalize on nearby drive markets like Minneapolis and Chicago.

"What we're seeing more and more is that folks plan to travel closer to home. In fact, we've seen an uptick in that sentiment in the last three months," Sayers said. "Across the nation road trips are actually up, so we are poised to take advantage of that kind of perspective right now."

While the workforce shortage is still a major concern for the tourism industry, Sayers says the workforce is in better shape than it was last summer. She says the boom in tourism that's expected this summer will go a long way to boost the state's economy as the industry recovers in the aftermath of the pandemic.

"Wisconsin's hospitality workers are going above and beyond to make sure that the visitors themselves are still feeling that Wisconsin hospitality that they've come to expect, what we're known for," Sayers said. "We're making it work and we are seeing more folks in the workforce this year than last."

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Legendary Williams Bay location part of Travel Wisconsin ad campaign

• Apr 7, 2023

Yerkes Observatory is part of Travel Wisconsin’s new ad campaign to promote the state as a vacation destination.

WILLIAMS BAY — An iconic Geneva Lake shore landmark features in a new ad campaign by Travel Wisconsin.

Yerkes Observatory shows up in TV and video spots for the marketing organization’s 2023 summer campaign, “Here’s to Those Who Wisconsin.”

“Here’s to stargazing, where Einstein once stood,” a voiceover announces during some of the video ads in the campaign. In the video, a camera swoops over the observatory, flying in through its dome to reveal a family inside Yerkes.

Tourism Secretary Anne Sayers said she is thrilled to see how the summer campaign inspires those who travel to Wisconsin.

“Travel Wisconsin champions the idea of ‘Here’s to Those Who Wisconsin’ as a recognition of Wisconsin’s celebratory spirit and welcoming nature,” said Tourism Secretary Anne Sayers. “Our summer campaign materials wonderfully capture this idea, from a family expressing joy during an awe-inspiring tour of Yerkes Observatory and friends making memories at a music festival to a picture-perfect day sailing on Lake Michigan.”

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Travel Wisconsin is the official destination marketing organization for the state of Wisconsin, operating under the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.

It is the fourth campaign under the “Here’s to Those Who Wisconsin” brand, which made its debut last summer.

Through TV spots and audio spots, videos, digital displays, social media ads, billboards and more, Travel Wisconsin aims to reinforce the state as a preferred vacation destination.

To understand the effectiveness of the 2023 summer campaign, Travel Wisconsin ran neuroscience research on the 30-second commercial and found it outperformed commercials from neighboring competitors when it comes to travel motivation.

“A data-driven mindset guides our advertising decisions, and we’re seeing impressive results because of that,” said Chief Marketing Officer Shane Brossard. “In such a competitive landscape, Travel Wisconsin leans heavily into our brand positioning to follow the data and show travelers Wisconsin has exactly what they’re looking for in a memorable vacation.”

In-state markets include Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay and Wausau, while out-of-state markets are Chicago, Minneapolis, Cedar Rapids, Duluth, Rochester, Davenport, Des Moines and Rockford.

These markets were selected using Travel Wisconsin’s Propensity to Visit Model. Combining datasets from several leading tourism research firms, the proprietary model identifies which target markets and audiences result in the highest value of visit.

Before each seasonal campaign, Travel Wisconsin further refines the Propensity to Visit Model and adjusts its advertising strategies in each market to maximize effectiveness.

The campaign is running now through July 9. In addition to running commercials on connected TV, the campaign will connect with potential visitors through digital advertising, online videos, audio streaming platforms, social media, paid search, billboards and TravelWisconsin.com .

For more, visit the Travel Wisconsin website.

Who's playing Elkhorn's DAS Fest USA this year?

Red hot chilli pipers.

The Red Hot Chilli Pipers: Friday, Aug. 4, 7:30 p.m., Oktoberfest Stage.

Alex Meixner

The Alex Meixner Band: Friday, Aug. 4, 4-7 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 5, 7-10 p.m.; and Sunday, Aug. 6, 3:30-6:30 p.m., Oktoberfest Stage. Meixner will also perform during the grand finale Aug. 6 at 6 p.m. on the Oktoberfest Stage.

The Gebel Girls

The Gebel Girls: Aug. 6, 1:30-3:30 p.m., The Backyard Stage.

Ed Wagner Brass Band

Ed Wagner Brass Band: Aug. 6, 1-2:30 p.m., Biergarten Stage.

Jenny Hundt

Jenny Hundt: Aug. 6, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., The Backyard Stage.

JFK the Band

JFK the Band: Aug. 5, 1:30-4 p.m., The Backyard Stage.

Copper Box: Aug. 5, 3:30-6:30 p.m., Oktoberfest Stage.

The Happy Players

The Happy Players: Aug. 5, 1:30-5:30 p.m.; and Aug. 6, 3:30 p.m., Biergarten Stage. The Happy Players will also join Alex Meixner for the grand finale Aug. 6 at 6 p.m. on the Oktoberfest Stage.

Dirndolls: Aug. 5, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Biergarten Stage.

Petty Union

Petty Union: Aug. 5, 4:30-7:30 p.m., The Backyard Stage.

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Look for a Milwaukee ad in Times Square this New Year's Eve

If you're planning to watch the ball drop in New York City's Times Square on TV or in person this New Year's Eve, keep an eye out for Milwaukee.

Not a Giannis jersey or a cheesehead — although you might see those, too — but a new video advertisement for the city that will be running on a billboard in Times Square.

A 15-second video ad from VISIT Milwaukee will air four times an hour from December 26 through January 1 on a 35-by-23-foot billboard at 1540 Broadway.

"We really wanted an opportunity to promote the National Geographic 'best of the world,' " Ian Thompson, senior communications manager for VISIT Milwaukee, said, referencing the travel magazine including the city on its October list of the best places to travel in 2023 . "Just getting that to the largest audience as humanly possible, we kind of found an opportunity with the Time Square billboards."

In addition to highlighting the National Geographic honor, the video ad includes shots of Milwaukee landmarks from the Hoan Bridge and Harley Davidson to the Deer District and the Milwaukee Art Museum.

Thompson said the Times Square ad is part of the organization's push to market Milwaukee in cities that have direct flights to Milwaukee that cost less than $400 — a price point that is appealing to travelers. For Milwaukee, that includes New York, Des Moines and Minneapolis.

He noted that the promotional focus on those cities is a product of not only those flights but also interest in Milwaukee within those cities. After the National Geographic list published, Thompson said VISIT Milwaukee saw a spike in web traffic coming from New York.

The billboard purchase is part of a handful of promotional plans the convention and visitor bureau has for 2023, including an expanded partnership with Bucks player Bobby Portis, who the organization featured as "Milwaukee's hype man" in an ad campaign this year ; "Good Things Brewing," a new television show set to air in Midwest markets beginning in February; and ongoing promotion of the Milwaukee Theater District , a new marketing and branding effort to increase awareness of and attendance at downtown arts venues.

The National Geographic nod was just the latest national recognition for the Brew City — no doubt partially sparked by the city winning the bid to host the Democratic National Convention in 2020. Earlier this year, The New York Times included the city's Bronzeville neighborhood on its list of  52 places to visit this year . Before the pandemic hit the U.S., Forbes named the city  one of the best to visit in 2020  and the Wall Street Journal included the city on its list of  10 places to visit in 2020  before everyone else does.  Airbnb  and  Thrillist  also included Milwaukee on cities-to-visit lists for 2020.

All that publicity seems to have helped attract more visitors to the city. After a rough 2020 when few people traveled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, visitor spending in Milwaukee was up 33% in 2021, according to VISIT Milwaukee.

The private nonprofit destination marketing organization, which has more than 700 dues-paying partner businesses in the area, helps drive those numbers through ads like the one appearing in Times Square. In 2021, the organization reported $2.67 billion in direct visitor spending in the Greater Milwaukee area, which generated $188.4 million in state and local taxes. The group spent 66% of its more than $5.9 million budget in 2021 on convention sales, marketing and communications, with 50% of its funding coming from hotel occupancy taxes and other public sources. Additional funding came from destination marketing grants, partner dues, program revenue and other sources, according to its 2021 annual report .

Contact Chelsey Lewis at  [email protected] . Follow her on Twitter at  @chelseylew  and  @TravelMJS  and Facebook at  Journal Sentinel Travel .

More: Popular Wisconsin tourist destinations draw 'insane' visitor numbers as summer of revenge travel continues

Packers' Jordy Nelson featured in new Travel Wisconsin ad

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson is featured in a new tourism ad for Travel Wisconsin, The ad, which plays off "The Wizard of Oz," shows Nelson dreaming of fall in Wisconsin. But that's not all! Below is a peek behind the curtain of the filming of this Travel Wisconsin commercial -- complete with outtakes and some fun facts along the way. Enjoy! The ad was directed by Wisconsin's own Jerry Zucker. He joined FOX6 WakeUp News on Friday, August 2nd to talk about his experience with Nelson.

Jerry Zucker talks about Wisconsin Tourism ad

Trump to campaign in Waukesha on Wednesday

• April 25, 2024

Home » Battleground Wisconsin » Trump to campaign in Waukesha on Wednesday

Donald Trump will be in Waukesha on Wednesday for his second trip to the state in the past month.

Trump’s campaign said he plans to deliver remarks in the early afternoon at the Waukesha County Expo Center. Following the Wisconsin stop, Trump will head to Freeland, Mich., for an early evening rally.

Though Trump is on trial in New York, the presiding judge uses Wednesdays to attend to other cases he’s handling. That opens up Trump’s schedule for next week’s campaign swing through Wisconsin and Michigan.

In announcing the stop, the Trump campaign said the former president would deliver “safety and affordability” to Wisconsin if elected and that together “we can Make America Great Again by securing the nation’s borders, reclaiming our place as a world leader, bringing peace through strength, and rebuilding our people’s wealth by driving down inflation.”

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden’s Wisconsin communications director, Brianna Johnson, knocked Trump for “spending the last few weeks dozing off and bragging about overturning Roe v. Wade,” adding he’s visiting Waukesha “in a desperate bid to do damage control on his record of ripping away women’s freedoms and encouraging thousands of rioters to try to violently overturn an election.”

Trump was last in the state April 2 for a rally in Green Bay.That was his first visit to Wisconsin since a Waukesha County rally in August 2022 for then-GOP guv candidate Tim Michels.

Biden has made 10 stops in the state since the beginning of his term — including an April 8 visit to Madison — and Vice President Kamala Harris has been here seven times — including a stop in La Crosse on Monday.

Trump to campaign in Wisconsin and Michigan next week during off day from hush money trial

F ormer President Trump will hold campaign events next week in Wisconsin and Michigan, marking the first time he will use a day off from his hush money trial in New York City to visit a battleground state.

Trump will head to Waukesha next Wednesday, where his campaign said he will deliver remarks “to contrast the peace, prosperity, and security of his first term with Joe Biden’s failed presidency.”

Trump is expected to highlight rising prices that have been a persistent issue for the Biden administration, as well as the surge of migrants at the southern border that has had ripple effects in nonborder states across the country.

“The bottom line is that the Badger State is suffering under Biden, and President Trump will once again deliver safety and affordability to Wisconsin!” Trump’s campaign said in a release announcing the event.

Following the Wisconsin event, Trump will head to Freeland, Mich., where he will deliver remarks at a rally that evening, his campaign said.

“After spending the last few weeks dozing off and bragging about overturning Roe v. Wade, Donald Trump is visiting Waukesha next week in a desperate bid to do damage control on his record of ripping away women’s freedoms and encouraging thousands of rioters to try to violently overturn an election,” Brianna Johnson, the Biden campaign’s communications director for Wisconsin, said in a statement.

“Wisconsinites know Trump has nothing to offer but resentment and division – and are keenly aware that his agenda would make the lives of families across our state worse,” she added.

Trump has repeatedly complained during appearances outside the courtroom in Manhattan that he is being kept off the campaign trail as he seeks a second term in the White House in a rematch with President Biden in November.

Trump is required to be in court four days a week as he faces charges over falsifying business records related to an alleged hush money scheme to keep quiet an affair during the 2016 campaign. Wednesdays are typically off days from the trial, and next week will mark the first time Trump will use that time to campaign.

The former president’s rally was scheduled for last Saturday in North Carolina, but it was canceled due to severe weather.

Biden, meanwhile, has hit the road aggressively in recent weeks, visiting Pennsylvania , Florida, New York and other states to tout his agenda and attack Trump over abortion and his economic positions.

Updated on April 25 at 1:35 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.

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Travel Wisconsin TV Spot, 'Donald Driver Celebrates Wisconsin'

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If you're wondering why former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver is always smiling, he'll tell you to come visit the state of Wisconsin to find out for yourself. WIth a festival for pretty much everything and an adventure around every corner, Donald's glad his playing days are over because it also means he can eat all the delicious food the state of Wisconsin offers.

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