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With holiday activities returning to Greater Philadelphia in a major way in 2021, VISIT PHILADELPHIA® today announced an all-out marketing push to ensure that the most festive season of the year is a busy one for the hotels, attractions, restaurants and shops hit hard by COVID-19. Already underway, the marketing effort includes advertising, paid content distribution on social media and event partnerships, including naming rights on two brand-new offerings: the Visit Philadelphia Holiday Parade, celebrating all of winter’s holidays; and the Visit Philadelphia New Year’s Day Fireworks Spectacular, adding first-ever booms to the New Year.
“The holidays are a magical time of year in Greater Philadelphia, and we want people to know that not only are the holidays back in a big way, but also that it’s really easy to have an enjoyable, festive and fun experience here,” said Neil Frauenglass, chief marketing officer, VISIT PHILADELPHIA. “Our invitation to visit is going out locally and regionally in key drive markets, so that we can really spur the day and overnight visits that our destination missed out on last year.”
Marketing Initiatives:
- Advertising & Social Media: Running now through December 31, 2021, the advertising blitz features TV, radio, print, digital and out-of-home marketing that touts the ease of holiday experiences in Greater Philadelphia and encourages people to do their holiday shopping at the Black- and Brown-owned businesses hit hard by COVID-19. Ads will appear locally in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Metro, The Philadelphia Tribune, Chestnut Hill Local, El Sol and many other neighborhood publications, and in digital placements on Kayak and other sites in key feeder markets. A TV spot is running on Comcast throughout the holiday season, as are paid ads on VISIT PHILADELPHIA’s popular Facebook and Instagram accounts. And radio messaging is airing through the iHeart network.
- Event Partnerships: VISIT PHILADELPHIA is partnering to ensure that several new and traditional holiday to-dos take place in Philadelphia this year. Among them: the 6abc/Dunkin’ Thanksgiving Day Celebration, the oldest parade of its kind in the country; the Visit Philadelphia Holiday Tree, a magnificent tree adorning the north side of City Hall (lighting December 2, 2021); the Visit Philadelphia Holiday Parade, an all-new parade that celebrates Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day and the Chinese New Year (December 4, 2021); and the Visit Philadelphia New Year’s Day Fireworks Spectacular, offering Philly’s first-ever fireworks display on New Year’s Day.
- Love + Grit Sweepstakes: Just in time for the holiday season, the Love + Grit Sweepstakes returns for a second year, giving people a chance to win a $2,000 prize package with more than 20 gifts curated from some of Philly’s best Black- and Brown-owned stores. A component of the Love + Grit Storefronts Project, a citywide exhibition featuring original creations by 12 QBIPOC artists that highlight Black- and Brown-owned businesses, the sweepstakes complements the City of Philadelphia’s Shop Black Business Friday initiative, taking place each Friday in December. Participants can enter the contest at visitphilly.com/storefronts or through the QR code featured on each of the store windows through December 30, 2021.
VISIT PHILADELPHIA® is our name and our mission. As the region’s official tourism marketing agency, we build Greater Philadelphia’s image, drive visitation and boost the economy.
On Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website and blog, visitphilly.com and uwishunu.com, visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages. Compelling photography and videos, interactive maps and detailed visitor information make the sites effective trip-planning tools. Along with Visit Philly social media channels, the online platforms communicate directly with consumers. Travelers can also call and stop into the Independence Visitor Center for additional information and tickets. 6th & Market Streets, (800) 537-7676
Note to Editors: For high-resolution photos and high-definition B-roll of Greater Philadelphia, visit the Photos & Video section of visitphilly.com/mediacenter.