Case Studies, Funding & Advocacy, Research & Insights
George Zimmermann, Chairman of Longwoods International USA – Consulting for the State of Indiana
In 2019, the state of Indiana embarked on a dramatic shift in the marketing of Indiana for tourism, talent attraction and the retention of college students graduating from Indiana colleges and universities. The governor and legislature created a new public-private entity, the Indiana Destination Development Corporation (IDDC), to lead the charge in these marketing efforts.
Given his experience leading both Ohio tourism and Travel Michigan, including the creation, launch and expansion of the award-winning Pure Michigan campaign, the IDDC retained George Zimmermann to help guide the path forward for the IDDC. Since 2019, George has consulted on every major aspect of the agency’s development, led strategic planning sessions for the corporation and helped them find marketing agencies appropriate for their needs and budget. Using Longwoods quantitative and qualitative research, the IDDC team and their agency partners developed new branding for the state’s marketing efforts, the “IN Indiana” campaign.
Historically, the state of Indiana has had one of the smallest state tourism promotion budgets in the U.S, in recent years with around $1.5 to 2 million per year for marketing. One of the immediate goals of the IDDC was to garner adequate funding to be able to tell the Indiana story more effectively throughout the Midwest.
Federal pandemic relief funds allowed for an increase in the state’s marketing effort. Longwoods International’s Brand Health & Image Assessment, Advertising Effectiveness, and ROI research demonstrated both the improved image for the state from the “IN Indiana” advertising and the positive return-on-investment that advertising generated for the state treasury. With these results, the IDDC budget was increased to $20 million per year, the highest promotion budget in the state’s history.
“George is the consultant you want in your corner,” said Amy Howell, IDDC’s Sr. VP of Tourism, Marketing and Communications. “His experience and advice have assisted IDDC in uncovering new opportunities and problem-solving.”
The IDDC has retained George’s consulting services through 2025. He advises on all major programs and initiatives and serves as a member of the executive team with the IDDC and agency leadership. Additional information on the progress made by the IDDC since its launch can be found in this analysis published by the National Governors Association.
https://www.nga.org/updates/indiana-innovative-travel-tourism-and-outdoor-recreation-case-study/