Visit Idaho
Travel With Care Campaign
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Situation
After a record-shattering year in 2022, the state was on every traveler’s radar—from seasoned adventurers to road-trip rookies just learning how to lace their boots. And while the surge in tourism brought energy, joy, and economic wins, it also stirred up something else: growing pains.
Too many visitors. Too few people prepared to explore responsibly. Fragile trails bearing the weight of newfound fame.
So, what do you do when the thing you’ve been working so hard for—more visitors—starts to challenge the very place you’re inviting them to see?
You change the conversation.
Visit Idaho didn’t want to push people away. They wanted to invite them in—just with a little more intention. That’s where Madden stepped in.
Approach
Travel With Care.
Three simple words. A powerful idea.We built this campaign on a foundation of care—not rules, not finger-wagging, not lectures. Just care. For Idaho. For yourself. For the people around you.
- Care for Idaho said: treat the land like you’d treat your grandma’s wedding china. Gently, and with reverence.
- Care for Yourself whispered: pack snacks, wear layers, don’t trust that “easy” trail.
- Care for Others reminded everyone: kindness counts—especially when your barista’s on her third double shift and there’s still a line out the door.
Visually, we broke away from the typical. Instead of sweeping drone shots and serious PSAs, we leaned into bright illustrations and light, witty language. The tone? Think best friend who hikes and also carries bear spray just in case. Friendly. Warm. Disarming.
The result was a sub-brand that slipped effortlessly into the Visit Idaho ecosystem—but carved out its own voice, one that could anchor future messaging around sustainability and stewardship.
Results
Sometimes you launch a campaign. Other times, you start a quiet movement.
With 21 million+ impressions and over 109,000 clicks, Travel With Care didn’t just raise awareness—it changed behavior. It reminded people that traveling well isn’t about doing everything right. It’s about doing better, together.
Because a trip through Idaho should feel wild and free—but that freedom only lasts if we care enough to protect it.
INVITING VISITORS TO TRAVEL WITH CARE
To help Idaho manage record-breaking visitation without losing its wild charm, we launched a sub-brand for Visit Idaho focused on stewardship. The “Travel With Care” message used friendly illustrations and a warm tone to remind travelers to care for the land, themselves, and the locals—turning responsible travel into an invitation, not a lecture.
sub-brand development
Idaho needed a message that nudged folks to explore with a little more care—and a lot more heart. “Travel with Care” became more than a sub-brand—it became a statewide call for conscious adventuring, woven right into the soul of the main campaign.
Media buying
We mapped media to match the traveler’s mood—from wanderlust scrolls to “let’s book it” clicks. With custom placements and data-fueled buys, we skipped the fluff and sent meaningful traffic straight to Visit Idaho’s door.
Volunteer event
Some campaigns talk about giving back. This one rolled up its sleeves. We teamed up with Visit Idaho and local champions to host a volunteer event that turned visitors into community contributors—because caring isn’t a tagline, it’s a movement. Volunteers repaired fencing, scraped graffiti, and removed weeds in the high-traffic park, which is crucial to maintain its usability and preserve its beauty.
