The Experience Economy Has Grown Up: 18 Types of Experiential Travel Reshaping Tourism
It used to be that travelers would choose a destination and then decide what to do there. Now, they choose the type of experience first, and then find the destination that offers it. This inversion of the old rules is known as experiential travel, or experience-driven travel. Here at Watauga Group, we have studied how […]
A Smarter Way to Buy Streaming Audio: Do’s and Don’ts
Streaming audio has become a standard line item in modern media plans. Yet for many brands, it remains one of the least understood channels in the mix. The problem isn’t access. It’s approach. Too often, streaming audio is planned and evaluated using the same logic applied to search, social, or display — channels built for […]
How Brands Should Rethink Awareness Media in a Performance-Obsessed World
Over the past decade, marketing has become more measurable than ever. Performance media now offers unprecedented visibility into what’s working, what’s not, and how marketing dollars translate into tangible outcomes. That progress was necessary—and valuable. Greater accountability has helped marketing leaders justify investment, optimize spend, and move faster. But what began as a welcome era […]
Planning for Olympic Attention: How Brands of All Sizes Show Up Strategically
The Winter Olympics remain one of the few moments that still capture sustained, global attention. But while the scale of Olympic viewership has remained remarkably durable, the way audiences engage with the Games has fundamentally changed. Olympic viewing is no longer confined to a single broadcast window or device. Instead, attention now unfolds across live […]
Integration of AI in PR Part 4: Personalized Messaging
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 This four-part series is coming to a close, so if you haven’t explored the first three posts, covering AI trends and strategies, AI-driven analytics, and AI task automation as they apply to public relations, you can click on those links above. In this final post, we’re addressing […]
Integration of AI in PR Part 3: Automating Routine PR Tasks
[Part 1] [Part 2] So far, this series has focused on the implementation of AI in public relations and how it’s being used to enhance data analytics. If you missed the first two parts, you can return to them using the links above. Part three of this series focuses on the power of artificial intelligence […]
Integration of AI in PR Part 1: Trends and Applications
Over the years, public relations (PR) strategies have evolved significantly, transitioning from a traditional media-focused model to a dynamic, digital-first approach that focuses on authenticity and real-time engagement. Key shifts have included the rise of social media and other digital platforms, a tidal wave of influencers, a focus on data analytics, and now, the adoption […]
Embrace AI: Transforming Content Marketing for Travel & Tourism
AI is bound to have an impact on the travel and tourism industry. The way people discover and learn about travel experiences is changing. And so is the booking experience. You need to be ready to adapt. Working in the travel industry, you know the positive impact content marketing has on business isn’t changing. But […]
Sustainable Tourism Marketing: A Balanced Strategy
A recent study revealed that places like Portugal experienced a 226% increase in visitors in 2022 compared to 2010. These alarming indications of overtourism occur everywhere, from Asia’s 316 million visitors to Europe’s 747 million visitors in 2024. While there were only 66.5 million visitors to the US in 2023, many North American destinations face similar problems. […]
‘Creative Comes Second’: A New Strategic Formula & Mantra for Marketing Success
In the realm of advertising, particularly for outdoor brands, destinations and attractions the mantra “creative comes second” is a phrase that Watauga Group uses with our clients to strategically guide and direct the timing and development of creative materials and campaign advertising. This strategic formula begins with first building an overall marketing or advertising strategy […]
