Hint for Tourism DMO and regional marketing organizations: use images from your region . . .
or you run the risk of significantly damaging your credibility.
When the province of Alberta spent over 20 Million dollars on their advertising campaign, they didn’t ensure that the media company chosen for the project would use images from within the province.
As a result, images of Northumberland Beach in the U.K. are being used to promote Canada’s heartland province.
Alberta, a province with an international image that is as scarred as the Tar Sands that drive much of its economy has its image tarnished even further by this marketing strategy that clearly lacks of credibility.
What kind of a message does it send travel consumers when you don’t even use pictures from your own destination in your marketing materials?
Note to Marketing Agencies and Destination Marketing organizations about credibility:
Use images, video that best represent people enjoying time, events, attractions and landscapes within your region. In this Creative Commons era, it is important to spell out the requirement to “use only local images” in contracts with marketing agencies who are contracted to promote and market your region.
The story in the U.K.
