MEET MINNEAPOLIS
See What ALL the Fuss is About
The Situation
In 2019, Minneapolis was gaining momentum as a tourist destination attracting major events such as the NCAA Men’s Final Four, CONCACAF Gold Cup matches, ESPN’s X Games and the USA Taekwondo National Championships. It also began to secure events further out such as the 2020 U.S. Paralympic Team Trials, the 2021 NHL Winter Classic and the 2022 Gay Softball World Series. However, like many other destinations once the pandemic hit its tourism industry was decimated. Since 2020, there had been a sharp decline in the number of visitors to Minneapolis, which had been slowing the economic and employment recovery of the city. When the United States began to reopen for tourism, many destinations like Chicago saw quick spikes in demand (recorded 86% increase in tourism in 2021 compared to 2020). Meet Minneapolis had hoped at the time to see a similar lift in demand eventually, but they were unprepared for their city to be put on a global stage for all the worst possible reasons.
Following months of unrest, Minneapolis faced a critical challenge: a barrage of negative global headlines depicting it as an unsafe, deserted hellscape that never stopped burning after the protests over a series of police brutality incidents. News pundits, politicians, and even those who lived within driving distance of the city would frequently trash talk about what life was like here which continued to devastate the tourism industry. However, for many that lived happily within the city there was a drastic disconnect between the narrative and the reality on the ground.
Once a vibrant tourism destination known for the proximity between city life and nature, Meet Minneapolis Tourism struggled to attract both new and returning visitors as the city of Minneapolis lost control over its own narrative. The new campaign had to not only improve perceptions, but also re-establish Minneapolis as a desirable travel destination that locals could feel proud about. They knew other cities like NYC and Chicago were able to shake off the negative commentary plaguing their tourism industries, but Minneapolis had often been too humble about telling its own story in a compelling way that could compete on a national stage.
The Solution
Minneapolis was perceived through a lens of negativity, overshadowing its rich culture and community spirit. It had become a punching bag for pundits & politicians (including a former president) and people who’ve never set foot into Minneapolis to say that the city had been burned down. However, actual locals were the biggest defenders for the city often challenging the false narrative on social media in comment sections and by sharing picturesque photos / videos of their so-called “hellscape”.
The insight was drawn from local pride—residents and frequent visitors knew the city's true value, which was starkly different from its media portrayal. We had identified our opportunity: How do we tap into the fierce pride of Minneapolis to show that it’s a destination worthy of reappraisal?
A constant theme we experienced in our own research and social listening was how surprised visitors where when they experienced a real trip to Minneapolis. Whether it was the vibrant art scene, award winning dining and bars, no shortage of music venues, and the accessibility of nature – every person we heard from had their expectations blown away. Many told us that they felt like they ran out of time after arriving and needed to jot down things to continue exploring for their next visit.
Minneapolis has always thought of itself as a humble destination that couldn’t compete on the same stage as other powerhouses like NYC, Chicago, Miami and LA. However, we knew that it was time for the city to start bragging about how wherever visitors come from, they always leave with their expectations blown away. From there, we landed on our path forward — reintroduce Minneapolis as the city of exceeding expectations. We believed that with a proper introduction, we could be the next in-demand destination.
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