Seven cities have formed a marketing association with $750,000 in seed money from American Express, and have launched the association’s first international marketing campaign.
Dubbed America’s Greatest Cities, the association brings together convention & visitors bureaus in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle to target affluent U.S. and U.K. travelers.
The non-profit association also seeks promotional deals with brands.
“We are creating a new paradigm for U.S. destinations by working together for the common gain,” said association Chairman Michael Gallagher in a statement.
The board also has one member from each city’s convention bureau. Principal sponsor AmEx has pledged $250,000 per year over three years to support the association.
The cities first collaborated last year (before formalizing their association) on a joint promotion with Kellogg Co. for its AAdvantage Miles loyalty marketing program: An America’s Greatest Cities sweeps awarded 140 trips to the cities and put travel guides to top cities in 40 million cereal boxes. American Airlines and Marriott Hotels & Resorts also pitched in.
The cities formalized their association this fall with the support of American Express and CityPass, which sells booklets of discounted admission tickets to museums and other attractions in nine cities. Association Chairman Gallagher is CityPass president. Robert Barrett is association president; he had been senior VP-marketing for LA INC. He’ll work from the offices of tourism marketing firm Custom Marketing Group, Los Angeles, which also provides management support.
An eight-page travel planner runs in Travel & Leisure and USA Today in the U.S. and The Sunday Times and Essentially American Magazine in the U.K. this fall. Direct mail to 25,000 AmEx cardholders goes out this month. A second print flight is scheduled for May-June 2005.
The group’s Web site, Americasgreatestcities.com , touts Kellogg’s on-pack sweeps awarding trips to each city. AmEx cardholders get special offers when they book trips with their AmEx card. Amtrak, Westin Hotels and Hertz Rent-a-Car also have links to the assocation’s site.
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