Digital Edge pioneered the first-ever meetings marketing campaign in collaboration with the Maine Office of Tourism, elevating the state’s status as a bucket-list meetings destination and sparking interest in its targeted economic sectors.
With its enchanting lighthouses, idyllic beaches and lush forests, Maine is a top destination on travelers’ bucket lists. But before the pandemic, the Maine Office of Tourism had not had a meeting or destination sales efforts to raise awareness about the state as a bucket-list meetings destination.
Maine needed a marketing campaign to create awareness among key planner audiences about its meeting offerings while overcoming the challenge of its economic capital, Portland, not having a convention center and the city’s largest hotel having 500 rooms on peak. In addition, there was an opportunity to let meeting planners know that the state is not as remote as they may think and that it is open year-round, with the shoulder season offering affordability.
The Maine Office of Tourism — along with Visit Portland, Greater Portland’s official destination marketing organization (DMO) — began working with Digital Edge in the fall of 2021 on digitally-focused strategies and campaigns targeting planners who are likely to host a meeting in the Northeast or fall under one of the state’s economic growth industries — including medical, agriculture and aquaculture — and building a deeper awareness of the meetings assets while creating interest in the state’s shoulder season.
Digital Edge helped develop a new brand leveraged toward planners and designed a customized state meetings microsite with a dedicated page to Portland’s meeting venues and hotels, group dining and activity options, and additional offerings that make the city a top-tier meetings destination.
Our agency’s key team members traveled to the state for an image and photo shoot to provide the imagery necessary to support the marketing efforts. The footage was pivotal to creating a video series for Maine to visually showcase the group side of the state and show planners what meetings are like in this bucket-list destination.
As our partnership continues, Digital Edge has been able to help Maine tell the “group side” of this bucket-list destination’s story.
Digital Edge has been able to serve as an extension of the DMO by providing resources for its team. Working together, Digital Edge, Maine and Portland have raised awareness about the state as a meetings destination and drive interest in events related to the state’s economic growth sectors, all while generating dozens of Requests for Proposals (RFPs).
Meetings Microsite Success
(January 2022–June 2023)