Media Alert

Ohio Travel Association recognizes Ohio's top tourism marketing for 2006

COLUMBUS, OHIO - A little heavy breathing helped COSI Columbus win top marketing honors this year.

COSI Columbus was among the nearly two dozen tourism organizations recently honored by the Ohio Travel Association (OTA) for best tourism marketing in 2006.

COSI Columbus’ “Star Wars” campaign promoting their big summer exhibit propelled the science center to win more Ruby Awards than any Ohio tourism organization. COSI took home four Rubys for best radio spot, best TV spot, best newsletter and best general brochure, as well as Citation of Excellence for their “Star Wars” brochure.

Cedar Point took home seven awards for this year’s “Log off. Ride on” campaign. The theme park giant won Ruby Awards for best direct mail piece and best electronic media (budget more than $500,000), as well as Citations of Excellence for guide/planner, web site and print advertisement (budget more than $500,000), annual report and radio advertisement.

Delaware County Convention and Visitors Bureau’s redesigned advertising campaign “Discover the Wild Side of the City” netted the central Ohio organization multiple Ruby Awards for best print advertisement and best brochure (budgets less than $500,000). Other multiple winners included Canton/Stark County Convention and Visitors Bureau, CVB of Greater Cleveland, Geauga Lake & Wildwater Kingdom and Cherry Valley Lodge.

Several winning entries demonstrated how Ohio tourism organizations are reaching out to other important segments of Ohio ’s tourism industry beyond the leisure tourist audience. Awards were given for campaigns targeted at sporting event planners, local Toledo area community members, meeting planners and destination wedding planners.

Dayton/Montgomery County won for best marketing campaign (budget more than $500,000) for Southwest Ohio Sports Zone, a collaboration between five surrounding CVBs aimed at attracting sporting event planners to choose the Dayton/Montgomery area. The Toledo Zoo was honored with a Ruby Award for best print advertisement (budget more than $500,000) for their “I Love my Zoo” ads, which sought to remind community members of the Zoo’s contribution to the region’s quality of life. Mansfield & Richland CVB won a Citation of Excellence for the “You Can’t Meet Like This Just Anywhere!” marketing campaign (budget less than $500,000) targeted at meeting planners seeking unusual meeting sites. Hocking Hills Tourism Association won a Citation of Excellence for print advertisement (budget less than $500,000) for their Destination Weddings advertisement.

The Ohio Travel Association received nearly 11 dozen entries submitted by Ohio convention and visitor bureaus, tourist attractions and lodging facilities in various categories of OTA’s annual “Ruby” award competition.

Now in their ninth year, the Ruby Awards, which “Recognize Uncommon Brilliance,” honor the most innovative examples of marketing by Ohio tourism entities each year. Entries were judged based on impact, relevance, clarity, creativity and overall communication of the organization’s message.

“These awards represent the culmination of another successful year in tourism and all the hard work of Ohio ’s tourism industry professionals. The Ohio Travel Association is glad to be a part of it,” said Marc McQuaid, Ohio Travel Association executive director.

The Delegate’s Choice Best of Show honor went to Cambridge/Guernsey County Visitors & Convention Bureau for their print advertisement.

The 2006 Ruby Awards were presented October 12, 2006 during the Ohio Travel Association’s annual Conference on Tourism at the Holiday Inn French Quarter in Greater Toledo, Ohio.

 Founded in 1976, the Ohio Travel Association is the largest travel and tourism trade association in Ohio . It leads the tourism industry—the third-largest industry in Ohio —with legislative representation and professional development opportunities. OTA’s nearly 700 members include hotels, restaurants, attractions, convention and visitors bureaus and tour companies. For more information go to www.ohiotravel.org/pages/ruby.html

2006 Ruby Award winners for best tourism marketing

Cedar Point, Ruby Awards for direct mail and electronic media, (budget more than $500,000); and Citations of Excellence for guide/planner, web site and print advertisement (budget more than $500,000), and annual report and radio advertisement.

CVB of Greater Cleveland, Ruby Award for guide/planner (budget more than $500,000) and Citation of Excellence for marketing campaign (budget more than $500,000).

Cherry Valley Lodge (Newark, Ohio), Citations of Excellence for guide/planner and brochure (budget less than $500,000).

Athens County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Ruby Award for guide/planner (budget less than $500,000).

COSI Columbus, Ruby Awards for brochure (budget more than $500,000), newsletter, radio advertisement and television advertisement; and Citation of Excellence for brochure (budget more than $500,000).

Delaware County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Ruby Awards for brochure and print advertisement (budget less than $500,000).

Northern Cincinnati Convention and Visitors Bureau, Citation of Excellence for newsletter (budget more than $500,000).

Experience Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau, Citation of Excellence for annual report.

Canton/Stark County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Ruby Awards for annual report and promotional video/CD-ROM.

Sandusky/Erie County Visitors & Convention Bureau, Citation of Excellence for direct mail.

Greater Cincinnati Convention and Visitors Bureau, Citation of Excellence for print advertisement (budget more than $500,000).

Toledo Zoo, Ruby Award for print advertisement (budget more than $500,000).

Hocking Hills Tourism Association, Citation of Excellence for print advertisement (budget less than $500,000).

Geauga Lake & Wildwater Kingdom, Ruby Awards for television advertisement and web site (budget more than $500,000).

Cincinnati USA Regional Tourism Network, Ruby Award for promotional video/CD-ROM

Greater Licking County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Citation of Excellence for web site (budget less than $500,000).

Auglaize & Mercer Counties Convention and Visitors Bureau, Ruby Award for web site (budget less than $500,000).

Dayton/Montgomery County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Ruby Award for marketing campaign (budget more than $500,000).

Mansfield & Richland County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Citation of Excellence for marketing campaign (budget less than $500,000).

Marion Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Ruby Award for marketing campaign (budget less than $500,000).

Warren County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Citation of Excellence for electronic media (budget more than $500,000).

Clinton County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Ruby Award for electronic media (budget less than $500,000).

Cambridge/Guernsey County Visitors Bureau, Delegate’s Choice Best of Show.

For more information contact Ohio Travel Association Director of Communications Jennifer Poleon, 614-572-1931, ext. 2# .