The Challenge
Columbia County, one of Florida’s most charming and outdoorsy tourism destinations, is situated at a crossroads of two major interstate highways. That makes it the perfect spot for road-weary travelers to relax and breathe in the sweet southern air.
The destination’s offerings shifted over the years, with the tourism product changing as well. Its parks and waterways remained desirable, unique experiences for visitors. However, music festivals became less prominent, while downtown Lake City saw a revival with new businesses and attractions. It was time to retire old branding efforts (like Florida’s Suwannee River Valley, Visit Columbia County, SpringsRUS.com, and Florida’s Gateway) and build something that would last.
The Solution
Create a new brand that aligned with the destination’s vision of being “the most visited outdoor escape in the southeast.” Paradise was retained as AOR to create a comprehensive brand marketing strategy to reposition the county to evolving audiences as a colorful, charming, and authentically Floridian travel destination. After a six-month process led by research and partner, community and resident engagement, the new Lake City, Florida’s Springlands brand was brought to life in the following ways:
- Brand Identity Rebrand
- Website Redesign
- Paid Media Strategy
- Public Relations
- Social Media
- Visitor Center
- Social Media
The Results
(from June 2022 to May 2023)
- +51% Website Sessions
- +48% Website New Users
- 6.4M+ digital advertising media impressions
- $1.4M Public Relations AVE (advertising value equivalency) and 115M Audience Reach
- National Public Relations coverage in Travel and Leisure, Boston Globe, Southern Living, Narcity, TravelAwaits, Best Life, and more.
- $54k + OTA Gross Bookings and 5.9 OTA Campaign ROAS
- $175k Direct Economic Impact from programmatic media campaigns
- $2M+ FY22 Tourism Tax Collection (met the 2026 tax collection goal in 2022)
This is your kind of place.
