Visit St. Pete Clearwater outlines FY25 wins and early plans for 2026 brand campaign

Visit St. Pete Clearwater officials told the Tourist Development Council on Dec. 17 that marketing efforts in fiscal 2025 positioned the county to recover after summer storms and set the stage for a major brand push in 2026.

“Katie Bridges, director of advertising and promotions, said the immediate ‘Still Shining’ response helped reassure visitors after the storms, and the Ampersand campaign, launched in January, broadened the destination’s story to include arts, sports and nature alongside the beaches.”

Bridges listed four FY25 accomplishments: the post-storm ‘Still Shining’ campaign, the Ampersand consumer campaign, strategic partnerships with Tampa Bay professional sports teams, and the launch of the 2025–26 Gulf to Bay destination magazine (100+ pages, 500,000 print copies). She said the agency Envision It came on board in September and helped refresh creative for Ampersand while a new brand campaign is planned for rollout in May–June 2026.

Board members pressed for timing and details. Bridges said the revamp keeps Ampersand active until the new creative is ready: “We are aiming for early summer, so maybe May” for the new creative. On industry co‑op marketing, Bridges said roughly 30 destination partners participated in paid and owned opportunities this year and staff will work with the new agency to expand partner offerings and boost participation.

The presentation emphasized balancing immediate recovery messaging with longer‑term differentiation: sustained visibility through sports partnerships and a year‑round editorial presence, combined with targeted co‑op opportunities aimed at hotels and local partners. The council moved on after questions about agency rollout and partner involvement.