Port O'Connor, Texas Tourism Board
As a core member of the Chamber of Commerce in Port O’Connor, Texas, Raby Creative developed the advertising and promotional product designs for Port O’Connor’s tourism campaigns.
The Challenge
Finding impactful advertising design in rural communities can be challenging. Often, billboards and magazine ads fail to break through the noise. The situation was compounded in 2014 by an oil spill and red-tide bloom, which posed a threat to tourism in Port O'Connor. With tourist season fast approaching, the Port O'Connor Chamber of Commerce sought a campaign that would leave a lasting impression on visitors, capturing the essence of peace, wildlife, and nostalgia synonymous with touring this gem in the heart of the Texas coast.
The Process
Our journey commenced with my standard process, meticulously tailored to suit the unique needs of the Port O'Connor Chamber of Commerce. We started with a general campaign targeting Port O’Connor tourism and later expanded to included experiential techniques like festivals, paddle trails, and guidebooks:
Strategy and Research & Development
Thorough research into the demographic landscape.
Identify key audiences, affinities and their communication channels with empathy maps
Define clear goals and parameters for the campaign.
Craft a rough campaign outline grounded in data-driven insights.
Establish a communication hierarchy tailored to each channel and target audience.
Ideation
Once the Chamber and I established project parameters, demographics, goals, and essentials, we transitioned into the ideation phase, which involved:
Curating 3-4 mood boards that vividly portrayed the proposed design movement, aesthetic, type treatments, and key stylistic elements.
Crafting 3-4 rough sketches of the key art, accompanied by detailed explanations of how the art translates across various sizes, formats, and channels.
Recapitulating the project goals and demonstrating how each direction aligns with and fulfills them.
Production
After careful deliberation, the Port O'Connor Chamber selected the direction featured above. The mid-century tourism ad style exuded a timeless sense of nostalgia, reminiscent of a bygone era when the fishing waters were pristine. This particular ad leaned heavily on photography, strategically targeting birding tourism and enthusiasts of non-motorized water sports such as kayaking and paddle boarding. The design, meticulously rendered in Adobe Illustrator, was subsequently adapted to multiple ad formats, including print versions for local magazines and newspapers, digital web ads, email campaigns, and paid social media ads.
Additional Experiential Approaches
"Cast & Explore Adventure Tours":
Partnering with local fishing charters, “Salty Dog” and Dolphin Kayaks, we created immersive "Cast & Explore" tours.
Offered tourists the opportunity to experience the thrill of fishing in the Port O’Connor’s biodiverse wetlands, led by experienced guides.
Enhanced the experience with educational components, such as marine ecology talks and fishing technique workshops.
The POC chamber sponsored the development of educational field guides and booklets that also included coupons to local business and hotels.
Promoted the tours through supplementary targeted social media campaigns, highlighting the unique beauty and abundance of marine life unique to Port O’Connor.
"Port O’Connor Crawfish Festival"
Organized a culinary festival celebrating the town's rich seafood heritage.
Collaborated with local restaurants, seafood markets, and chefs to showcase a variety of fresh, locally sourced seafood dishes.
Created interactive cooking demonstrations and workshops, allowing visitors to learn about traditional fishing and culinary techniques.
Incorporated live country music, artisanal craft vendors, family-friendly activities, and sustainable waste management solutions.
Booked roaving clown beach babes to ride on skateboards made to look like crawfish.
Advertised the festival through regional food and travel publications, enticing food enthusiasts to visit and indulge in the town's culinary delights.
Several of the same techniques were applied to the “Labor Day Beach Bash”
The OUtcome
Tourism in 2014 defied odds, maintaining a healthy trajectory despite the looming environmental challenges. Though traditional print and billboard advertising poses challenges in terms of measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), the resounding success of this campaign resonated far beyond metrics.
Receiving glowing commendations from the Chamber, tourists, and local residents alike, the campaign left an indelible mark on the collective consciousness. Its impact transcended quantitative measures, fostering a renewed sense of pride and admiration for Port O'Connor's inherent beauty and charm.
The Chamber's continued collaboration with Raby Creative for design and advertising underscores the enduring legacy of this transformative endeavor. It is a privilege to have contributed to the elevation of my hometown, Port O'Connor, Texas, through innovative design and strategic marketing initiatives. I am profoundly honored to have played a role in shaping the narrative and fostering growth within my community.
"Port O’Connor Paddling Discovery Trail":
Developed a self-guided paddling trail that highlighted the bays rich biodiversity, maritime history and ecological landmarks.
Partnered with Dolphin Kayaks to secure rentals of kayaks, paddle boards, windsurf boards, and GPS trackers for the campaign.
Partnered with Texas parks and wildlife to install interactive signage at key points along the trail, providing historical context and engaging storytelling.
Collaborated with local field guides, historians, artists, and community members to curate a diverse range of experiences, from visiting historic landmarks to exploring lighthouse museums.
Offered guided tours led by knowledgeable guides, sharing fascinating anecdotes and insights into the town's rich heritage and ecological uniqueness.
Promoted the trail through Texas Parks and Wildlife, social channels, tourism websites, and regional travel guides, inviting visitors to embark on a journey of discovery through Port O’Connors bayous, bays, and beyond.
