The Corpus Christi Convention and Visitor’s Bureau is working on a multimillion-dollar ad campaign to draw in tourists and fight the stigma that the city was torn apart by Hurricane Harvey. It wasn’t. Photo by JoAnna Kopp
Dramatic, sweeping shots of Corpus Christi’s major attractions in blazing sunlit color will soon premier on TV screens in major Texas cities. It’s all part of a $1.7 million advertising campaign to tell tourists that Corpus Christi was not devastated by Hurricane Harvey, the Category 4 storm that blew through the Coastal Bend last August.
“We’re at category five resilience and open for business,” says a voice-over as the camera scans the city’s beaches, the Texas State Aquarium, the USS Lexington, marina and seawall.
Called “Rediscover Corpus Christi,” the city’s new ad campaign includes newspaper and magazine advertisements, billboards, social media outreach and, of course, TV commercials. All are designed to let people know that Corpus Christi was spared major windstorm damage when Hurricane Harvey shifted northward and zeroed in on Port Aransas, Rockport, Fulton and Aransas Pass.
The ad campaign is necessary, said Paulette Kluge, CEO of the Corpus Christi Convention and Visitors Bureau, because the city has seen a sharp decline in tourism since the storm.
“We’re really hitting it hard in our feeder cities with remarkable ads,” Kluge said. “There are definitely people who believe Corpus Christi has more damage than it does. It’s not everyone, but even if it’s one person, they’re not going to come visit.”
The CVB teamed up with local ad agency Pettus Advertising to turn around the perception that the city is suffering. The campaign was launched in Austin, Houston and San Antonio, all major markets for tourists.
“We’re putting ourselves out there and trying to get to as many people as possible,” Kluge said.
The hefty price tag for the campaign is more than the CVB would normally spend in a year, but the return on investment should be worth it, Kluge said. Hotels, restaurants, attractions and shopping venues are expected to reap the most benefits. Money will return to the city and the CVB through an increase in the amount of Hotel Occupancy Taxes collected from the increased number of tourists filling beds.
“We want to get back to normal,” Kluge said. “The hotels, restaurants and attractions are waiting. We’re open for business, and everything’s fine for vacation.”
