Visit St. Pete Clearwater reports Atlanta activations drew local artists, influencers and $676,000 in earned-media value

Jessica Morrow, marketing project manager at Visit St. Pete Clearwater, presented the results of two Atlanta activations on Oct. 15: a two-day presence at the Piedmont Park Arts Festival and a four-day presence at Atlanta Food & Wine.

Morrow said the Piedmont Park activation showcased arts and culture with three local artists brought to Atlanta in partnership with Creative Pinellas; the artists sold roughly $1,500 in work during the event and reported additional promotional value from exposure to an estimated 60,000 annual attendees. The activation included an interactive color wall and a sweepstakes to drive interest.

At Atlanta Food & Wine, Visit St. Pete Clearwater fielded a 30-by-40-foot footprint and added a chef’s tent featuring local restaurants. Crabby Bill’s family brands and the Bon Appetit team provided culinary sampling; staff estimated about 2,000 samples per day based on a recommended serving plan and said attendance at the event was roughly 10,000 across four days. Two Atlanta-based influencers with a combined following of about 640,000 joined the activations, and the group reported an estimated $676,000 in earned-media value from the efforts.

Morrow said about 700 people entered the combined sweepstakes, creating a marketing contact list for future outreach. She and council members emphasized the value of bringing destination representatives — artists and chefs — to out-of-market activations to provide authentic experiences and spur earned media and partner relationships.