Bringing Oxford's Stories to Life
Summary
Oxford, Mississippi blends small-town warmth with big cultural energy—from Faulkner’s literary roots to the rhythm of SEC game days and live music spilling off the Square. Visit Oxford needed a marketing partner to capture that full picture. As Agency of Record, Madden built an integrated brand and media strategy that celebrated Oxford’s mix of tradition and creativity, amplifying its identity and inviting travelers to experience one of the South’s most storied college towns.
Client
Visit Oxford
Scope
Agency of Record
Campaign Title
Agency of Record
Results
443%
increase in web visitors outside MS
144%
increase in organic engagement
1.3M
increase in Tiktok views
700K+
increase in Instagram reach
60M+
paid media impressions
CREATIVE STRATEGY
Our strategy for the “A Place to…….Your Story” campaign differentiates Oxford from other Mississippi destinations by acknowledging that the stories of Oxford are being written between the lines of the traditions residents hold and the bright horizon they’re marching towards. There’s history written on every corner, moments captured in every trophy, and a character glowing behind every welcoming smile. Through this new campaign, we invite target audiences to not sit still in Oxford but to come walk the streets rich in history, to dance to the music heard throughout the town, to move to the edge of their seat as the game clock winds down, and to find a story they can’t wait to make their own.
We conducted a three-day video and photo shoot, building new and intentional assets to best connect with our audiences while aligning with established marketing pillars: Literary, History, Arts, Culinary, Nightlife, and the University of Mississippi.
MEDIA STRATEGY
We developed a robust digital media plan designed to maximize reach, engagement, and visitor conversion. We partnered with prominent platforms such as Google, Meta, TikTok, and MobileFuse to create a diversified and robust digital marketing strategy.
We selected these platforms and tactics to leverage our extensive reach and precise targeting capabilities. Google and Meta were pivotal for search and social media marketing, allowing us to capture intent-driven audiences and foster engagement through visually appealing content. TikTok was chosen to tap into younger demographics with creative, short-form video content that resonates with their browsing habits, and MobileFuse provides advanced programmatic advertising solutions, enabling us to deliver personalized and timely ads to our target audiences across various digital touchpoints.
Using a mix of these media tactics, we ensured a broad yet targeted approach, maximizing our exposure while tailoring our messaging to align with audience interests and behaviors. This strategic combination of platforms allowed us to maintain consistent brand awareness, drive engagement, and boost visitation, ultimately achieving our campaign objectives.
INNOVATION FOCUSED
Our digital-first media approach leverages tactics like rich media to maximize reach and engagement. By integrating dynamic content across high-performing channels and utilizing geo-targeting technologies like MobileFuse, we ensure our messages resonate deeply with our key demographics.
The ads shown are examples of the rich media expandable. The banner cycles through the five “A Place to…” frames, the ad expands to full screen, handwritten word animates drawing into place as typewritten paper with the copy slides up from the typewriter. After a few moments, the typed paper slides up out of the typewriter and off screen. It is replaced by the next sheet of paper while a new focus word is written in.
THIS CAMPAIGN WON TWO AWARDS IN 2024!
2024 STS Shining Example Awards:
Best Marketing Award, Budget of $100,000-$499,999
2024 MS Governor’s Conference on Tourism:
Best Digital Marketing Award
