BOCC July 14, 2025 Meeting🌿Item #8 — Visit Wakulla’s $300K Marketing & Sales Plan: Eco-Tourism Gets a Glow-Up

If you’ve ever wondered what a $300,000 love letter to nature tourism looks like, Wakulla County just mailed it. With digital ads storming timelines and influencer FAM tours set like safari expeditions, the county’s marketing machine is geared to turn manatees, marshes, and modest motels into headline material.

But behind the scenic facade, the county’s long-time marketing vendor BowStern orchestrates every pixel, post, and press pitch—offering a campaign that’s equal parts savvy and strategic. The plan touches everything from snowbird appeal to Google ad domination, all under the eco-tourism halo.

Still, some moves feel more rehearsed than revolutionary:

• Recycled media dressed up as fresh visuals

• Pre-approved fees that look like handshakes sealed months ago

• A creative campaign that leans heavily on audience personas like “young adventurers” and “affordable seekers” (aka, broke but outdoorsy)

Whether it’s the fervent defense or the polished deliverables, this plan isn’t just a marketing proposal—it’s BowStern’s brand showcase. With the county’s longtime marketing partner and occasional PR gladiator, the Tourist Development Council’s 2025/2026 campaign is packed tighter than a snowbird’s RV in February.

Campaign Goals:

• Increase website traffic by 30%

• Boost social media followers by 18%

• Generate 3M digital ad impressions per month

• Achieve a 6% click-through rate on Google ads (industry average is 4%)

• Host 8–10 journalists/influencers in-season

• Capture a 10% bump in Bed Tax Revenue

This isn’t just marketing—it’s a full-blown omnichannel conquest: Instagram reels, fishing ads, snowbird newsletters, influencer tours, SEO-drenched blogs, and two-day quarterly photo shoots for content.

Where They’re Pointing the Spotlight:

• Florida drive-in markets: Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Gainesville, etc.

• Georgia & Alabama crowd: Atlanta, Birmingham, Mobile—your classic “we miss trees and want seafood” demographic

• Niche tribes: birders, paddlers, RVers, hunters, football fans (hi FAMU/FSU), and families seeking nature without theme-park chaos

😏 Suspiciously Slick Moves:

• BowStern gives a $10K “in-kind donation” (nice touch, but also a bit of a PR deflector shield)

• Their marketing fees are $7,875/month… yet they show a “value” of $12,075/month. Generous on paper. Flattering in reports.

• They’re billing ahead of service—because nothing says confidence like preemptive invoices.

• The campaign reuses old content to cut production costs while claiming a “new campaign” feel. Clever, or just refreshed leftovers?