PLEASE, STAY SUNNY: A MESSAGE TO TOURISTS FROM SUN VALLEY TOURISM BOARD AND TWO THINGS
By thelaegotist / /
For years, Sun Valley, Idaho, existed as a tightly guarded destination among in-the-know tourists, heralded for its beauty and serenity. That all changed almost overnight with the pandemic, and Sun Valley quickly became the place to be, with tourists flooding the Valley hungry for an escape. As the local community and businesses tasked with catering to the tourists started to become overwhelmed, the Sun Valley Tourism Board had to shift priorities from attracting new guests, to protecting the local way of life from too many guests—a majority of who brought with them inconsiderate behavior, disrespecting both the land and the locals.
To shed light on the issue, and send a “friendly” message to tourists, the Sun Valley Tourism Board partnered with New York creative agency Two Things to remind visitors how things are done in the Valley. Together they launched “Stay Sunny,” a campaign and call-to-action to reflect the optimistic spirit of Sun Valley, and to encourage visitors to be kind and respectful during their stay.
Two Things used humor and light heartedness to turn unruly visitors into part of the solution. All campaign components were created in partnership with local Sun Valley production partners and are being delivered through non-traditional media that gives back to the community. In addition to chalked street messaging, murals, wild postings, bike trail signage and bumper stickers, Two Things is arming local businesses with campaign messaging reminding tourists to Stay Sunny, including “friendship chips” owners can hand out to customers, custom coasters, t-shirts, hats and posters. In addition, Two Things is launching “The Patience Portal” for local restaurants to help bring the calm to impatient patrons. While waiting at their tables for food, customers can scan a QR code to be taken to a mobile-first site ripe with trivia games and Q&A fun for the whole family to help pass the time until their food arrives.
“This community has a very specific vibe and a strong point of view which this campaign speaks to in a way that people can get behind. And by delivering the message in ways that support all the local independent businesses we are doing exactly what we are meant to do as an organization – support the local businesses and share our point of view with the rest of the country,” said Scott Fortner, Executive Director of Sun Valley Tourism Alliance.
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