“Talk Duluthy to Me”
Summary
Duluth was ready for a destination marketing restart. “Talk Duluthy to Me” turned local language into a statewide campaign, using bold creative, strategic media, and cross-channel storytelling to reintroduce the city with humor, heart, and edge. From the Minnesota State Fair to inboxes and headlines, the campaign met Minnesotans where they were and gave them a reason to see Duluth in a whole new way.
Client
Visit Duluth
Scope
Agency of Record
Campaign Title
Brand Campaign
Results
6.3M+
impressions from the Twin Cities media takeover
58K+
website sessions in September
40%
YoY increase in sessions and active users
38%
increase in new users and pageviews
1K+
lodging outbound clicks
144
article highlights earned
in September through
media coverage
13%
year-to-date growth in email subscribers during the campaign
A Fresh Direction for Duluth
After a break from traditional tourism marketing, Duluth needed a fresh approach. We built a strategy focused on in-state travelers—turning name recognition into real visitation through bold creative and statewide connection.
Turning Identity into Impact
Rooted in existing brand language and built to move fast, the “Talk Duluthy to Me” campaign was born. Guided by four tonal pillars, the creative direction embraced Duluth’s personality and turned local lingo into a flexible, full-scale platform that could grow with the city and resonate across traveler types.
Connecting Across the State
To reach Minnesotans where they were, we launched a bold, statewide media push centered around the Minnesota State Fair. From bus wraps to a buzzing on-site booth at the fair, Duluth’s new voice showed up everywhere and was reinforced through a strategic mix of paid media across search, social, display, and streaming.
“Working with the Madden Media team on the Talk Duluthy to Me brand campaign has been incredibly energizing. The creativity they’ve brought to this work is bold, thoughtful, and deeply aligned with who we are as a destination. Seeing the campaign come to life across channels has been amazing — and it feels like we’re just getting started. We’re excited to keep leaning in and building on this momentum together.”
– Haley Hedstrom, Executive Director, Visit Duluth
