D.C. Cool, Cherry Blossoms, and Tourism

Cherry Blossoms and the Jefferson Memorial - Destination D.C.

 

Washington, D.C. has a new tourism campaign under the theme D.C. Cool. I noticed one of its ads in a recent New Yorker issue, showcasing the National Cherry Blossom Festival, March 20-April 13.

Typically, photos of cherry blossoms are in color (like the one shown above, from the tourism site). The D.C. Cool ad caught my eye because it's in black and white--only the name Cherry Blossom is in pink, with two outlines of cherry blossom flowers.

The D.C. Cool campaign was announced on a hot day last August, with the target audience being adults who will enjoy not just historic sights but also restaurants, hotels, and more. School groups will always visit D.C. but they're not big spenders compared with tourists who check out the night life or dine out in style.

The overall campaign includes a themed hashtag, #itsdccool, a Twitter account, and a dedicated Facebook page. D.C. Cool is an umbrella for outreach activities by other marketers throughout 2014. As one example, the Four Seasons Hotel offers such D.C. Cool tie-ins as DC Hash, a new dish on the restaurant's menu, and cookies for guests who mention D.C. Cool at check-in.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival has its own Facebook page and Twitter account with news of blossom dates, parade info, and more. You can even download an app. The photo at left is from the Festival's press page. (Spoiler: Peak bloom period is projected to be April 8-12!)