Visit Plano took home the bronze at the 65th annual Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Adrian Awards gala March 30 in Boca Raton, FL.
The internationally renowned awards competition honors best practices, innovation and community in hospitality, travel and tourism marketing. “The HSMAI Adrian Awards recognize important work done by the industry to empower recovery in 2021,” said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHBA, president and CEO of HSMAI.
Visit Plano won Bronze in Digital Marketing for its “Taste of Plano Foodie Pass” a mobile foodie experience with a twofold purpose – to broaden consumer awareness of the city’s many diverse and delicious dining options and to bolster restaurant business as the COVID-19 pandemic continued. “Visit Plano has always supported our restaurant partners through a variety of programs, but going through the pandemic, we knew they needed our help more than ever,” said Mark Thompson, Executive Director of Visit Plano. To help drive traffic, Visit Plano, along with their agency of record, The Atkins Group, partnered with the respected technology company Bandwango to create the mobile-friendly program, which ran from Feb. 24 – May 24, 2021.
The program featured a “passport” showcasing 90+ Plano eateries. To participate, consumers simply went to a landing page and received a link on their mobile phone, which opened the passport and directed the user to add the button icon to their home screen for easy access. They could then browse the list of restaurants for a tempting variety of food available for dine-in or pick-up as well as special offers. After 15 check-ins, they received a “I’m a Plano Foodie” t-shirt, courtesy of Visit Plano. The program was such a success that it has recently relaunched for 2022, with more participating restaurants, a tiered prize structure, and a longer time window to enjoy the many food offerings across the city.
Pictured: Millerann Moya, Visit Plano (right); Amanda Lundblade, The Atkins Group (left).
