Media events and FAM trips had to rapidly evolve during the pandemic. But there were still creative (and even fun) ways to reach journalists and influencers in the virtual space. Case in point: a recent National Cheese Day online event that TURNER put together with our partners at Travel Wisconsin and the Dairy Farmers of America — the Destination: Cheesecation Experience.
More than 30 media, representing 90+ outlets, received a curated Cheesecation delivery, before virtually arriving at Destination: Cheesecation from their at-home setting for an elevated cheese tasting tour. The mailing included a selection of Wisconsin’s best cheeses, pairing accoutrements in a branded Cheesecation travel pouch, custom “Cheese is Life” t-shirts to wear during the tour and an original 12-page Wisconsin Passport to Pairings Guide, showcasing the different cheeses and Wisconsin regions.
Tour guides, Wisconsin Cheese and Travel Wisconsin virtually transported media to coveted cheese caves, beautiful dairy farms and meetings with expert cheesemakers and more.
Interactive surprises were featured throughout the “trip” for optimal engagement. Polls, custom video footage, and a souvenir gift shop experience transformed the virtual event into
Something truly memorable, showcasing award winning Wisconsin cheese and key tourist attractions across the state. To conclude, media attendees proudly showed off their completed Wisconsin cheese boards during a “Say Cheese!” tour group photo moment.
After the event, media were sent their choice of Wisconsin souvenir (including cocktail kits, candles and tea towels) as a follow-up and thank you.
Attendees included representatives from Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, USA Today, Good Morning America, the New York Times and many more. These members of the media loved sharing their Cheesecation experiences on social media both before, during and after the event, generating 1.3 million impressions, 68 Instagram story frames and eight in-feed Instagram posts.