Visit The Woodlands recently received a Gold and Platinum AVA Award, as well as two honorable mentions, in the 16th Annual AVA Digital Awards Competition. This international competition honors excellence in digital creativity, branding, and strategy, recognizing creative professionals responsible for the planning, concept, direction, design, and production of digital communications. 

Award entry categories include a broad range of digital work, including website development, digital campaigns, social media marketing, influencer initiatives, and more. Visit The Woodlands submitted award entries for three categories: "Digital Advertising Campaign", "Use of Influencer", and "Web Element - Microsite". 

Redefine Winter Chill Campaign

REDEFINE WINTER CHILL CAMPAIGN | GOLD WINNER

Visit The Woodlands' "Redefine Winter Chill" campaign won a Gold AVA Digital Award. For this campaign, Visit The Woodlands leveraged consumer data to create an actionable campaign focused in key cold-weather markets and targeted travelers ready to enjoy a warmer, chill vacation in The Woodlands.

This campaign featured digital advertisements across multiple platforms, including Instagram Reels, Digital Out of Home and Remarketing, Amazon CTV and Remarketing, and Prospecting/Remarketing Banners and Video Pre-Roll. The campaign launched in December 2022 and will run through early March 2023. Results from the campaign have been strong so far, generating a total of two million impressions and 8,200 click-throughs to learn more about The Woodlands. 

Sincerely Karin collaboration with Visit The Woodlands

AMBASSADOR PROGRAM | PLATINUM WINNER

Visit The Woodlands' Ambassador Program won a Platinum AVA Digital Award. This program encourages leisure visitors to experience The Woodlands through the voice of a social media influencer. After a careful selection process, Visit The Woodlands hosts influencers and bloggers to collaborate with Visit The Woodlands and create content on their social media platforms. In 2022, Visit The Woodlands contracted with a regionally-based influencer, @SincerelyKarin, to be the "Ambassador of the Year". This collaboration included monthly posts about The Woodlands created by @SincerelyKarin, which expanded brand reach, promoted leisure travel to The Woodlands, and kept The Woodlands top of mind for @SincerelyKarin's audience. 

Along with monthly collaborations with the "Ambassador of the Year," Visit The Woodlands collaborated with multiple regional influencers throughout the year to create content that promoted leisure travel to The Woodlands. Visit The Woodlands also collaborated with local influencers as "Local Guides" for The Woodlands, promoting things to see and do within the destination. The collaborations were successful and led to an increase in brand recognition and social media followers. 

Person looking at Visit The Woodlands Emergency Microsite

EMERGENCY MICROSITE | HONORABLE MENTION 

Visit The Woodlands' emergency microsite received an honorable mention from AVA Digital Awards. This microsite was developed as a resource for travelers during emergency situations, and included information on weather, COVID-19 protocols, and more. The microsite acts as a crisis communication hub, allowing Visit The Woodlands to direct visitors to one page for all relevant information about the emergency situation ensuring communications are timely.

#SOWOODLANDS MICROSITE | HONORABLE MENTION

Visit The Woodlands' #SoWoodlands Microsite also received an honorable mention from AVA Digital Awards. This microsite is the digital component of a new print publication from Visit The Woodlands, #SoWoodlands, that highlights the stories of businesses, events, and people in The Woodlands. The print publication of #SoWoodlands features shorter articles with a call-to-action to read more online and a QR code that links to a full-length article on the #SoWoodlands Microsite. This microsite gives Visit The Woodlands the ability to share the full article online (with photos) and further promote the business or event by linking to its listing on VisitTheWoodlands.com.