Immerse Yourself in Middlesex County
Purpose of Project: “Immerse Yourself in Middlesex County” encapsulates the unique experiences available in Middlesex County for the diverse interests of visitors and residents. Winter and early spring are shoulder seasons in the county, and as most of our tourism assets are agri-businesses, they are weather dependent. The goal of this project was to highlight the appeal of adventurous and immersive activities that foster strong community connections with local businesses even when many other activities are in their off-season. The video displays the adventurous activity of archery, the peacefulness of yoga mixed with virtual reality technology, the in-touch connection with animals, and a Ukrainian cultural culinary experience.
Effectiveness / Meeting Objectives: The video displays a variety of engaging experiences across the county. This project has proven to be impactful for the County, reaching over 1300 page visits to the Immerse Yourself in Middlesex County website page, as well as positive results through social media attention. Organic social media reached 52,000 views, and paid social advertising accumulated 38,000 views.
Challenges & Changes Made: The video had a tight deadline in coordination with external production, where filming for all four businesses took place in only two days. This rapid production included a power failure during filming, relying on a backup generator during one recording session. While there were challenges in capturing the uniqueness of experience that could visualize immersion and availability all year round, we developed a specific focus on certain themes and matched businesses that could represent them well through video.
Target Audience: Target viewers included current residents, but also visitors to Middlesex County looking for an unforgettable experience in local communities. The demographics of our target fell between 25–45-year-olds, all looking for unique experiences for a staycation or a chance to refresh with friends and family. The project complemented a wide range of activities with the broad demographic of our audience, encouraging families, young adults, beginners, experts, to try unique activities that motivate involvement in local communities. The video is for curious and adventurous visitors and residents, who are looking to create unique and long-lasting memories.
Specifics as detailed in the Awards Categories: With exciting snapshots of four different recreational activities wrapped into a 40-second clip, the project represents themes of adventure, skill-building, novel technology, and rejuvenation that all promote the touristic scene in Middlesex County. This video reinforces Middlesex County community, as a central and welcoming presence that has something to offer for a variety of preferences and tastes.
Sustainability of Your Project: With the presence of agritourism in addition to adventure, the underlying message demonstrates the respect of local infrastructure. We intentionally chose experiences in different municipalities across Middlesex, featuring Strathroy-Cardoc, Middlesex Centre, and Adelaide Metcalfe. We also shared assets with the highlighted businesses and respective municipalities to continually circulate experiences in Middlesex. We are hoping to follow this project model with future campaigns, constantly highlighting new experiences to encourage participation in the immersive experiences extended to residents and visitors of Middlesex County.
Please see attached URL to the Immerse Yourself in Middlesex County YouTube Video:
