West Virginia Tourism x Red Bull

Short & Sweet

The Ask: Find a product that helps fix a tourism problem within West Virginia, and fix it with an advertising solve.

The Problem: West Virginia is a popular drive through state.

The Solve: Red Bull sets up The Pit Stop - a rest stop designed to help travelers recharge with the goal of creating positive brand affinity with the state.

West Virginia Tourism

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Red Bull

The Ask: Find a product that helps fix a tourism problem within West Virginia, and fix it with an advertising solve.

*My mind continuously was stuck playing "Take Me Home, Country Roads," a song that has persisted throughout this project and even now, as I write this case study.

Initial Thoughts:

When my group was assigned West Virginia as our state, I wasn’t exactly thrilled. I’ve only driven through West Virginia once on my way to Kentucky, and I can’t say that the couple of hours spent in the state changed my perception of the state. I remember thinking how deserted everything seemed, and it was very dreary.

I was already aware of some of the problems surrounding the state so a quick Google search confirmed a few things.

My initial problem list looked like this:

Economic struggles

Pervasive stereotypes

Fear of locals

Political challenges

My Approach:

With any project, my first step is to always go to Reddit. I wanted to see if there were any other problems that went beyond what I had already found. I perused through r/WestVirginia, but I found some good additional problems in r/AskAnAmerican. For some interesting reason, people around the world are very curious about West Virginia’s reputation.

I added “Being overshadowed by neighboring states” and “Limited variety in activities, predominantly outdoor-focused” to my problems list.

My next step was to delve deeper into West Virginia's tourism. I combed through the tourism website and Instagram page. I was genuinely impressed by the effort put in by the tourism team, effectively and it shows off the state in a way that makes you rethink your opinion on West Virginia has to offer

When it came to selecting a brand to collaborate with West Virginia tourism, I latched onto Red Bull pretty early on in my search. Scrolling through West Virginia's Instagram, I stumbled upon posts about Bridge Day—an event where folks can base jump off the New River Gorge Bridge. This reminded me of Molly Carlson, a cliff diver I'd seen on TikTok, who is sponsored by Red Bull.

Browsing through Red Bull's digital presence, I recognized the synergy between Red Bull's extreme sports involvement and many of the activities available in West Virginia.

Transitioning from desk research to conversations, I began discussing West Virginia with people around me. During a shift, I asked the nurses about their perceptions and experiences in the state. Surprisingly, many had visited, yet our conversation transitioned towards how it was more likely that we would drive through West Virginia to reach other destinations.

The Finished Product:

We settled on a brand chosen and a problem—West Virginia's overshadowing by other states. We chose our insight because it became evident through our discussions that many treat road trips as a race, avoiding extended stops whenever possible.

Thus, our strategy emerged: "Let Red Bull reinvigorate your journey."

The creatives created the idea of the "Red Bull Pit Stop," akin to a regular rest stop but with more Red Bull and opportunities to recharge while enjoying breathtaking views of the West Virginia mountains. The aim was to foster a positive brand connection with travelers, encouraging them to perceive West Virginia as more than just a drive-through state.

The exterior was designed to resemble a standard gas station. The giant can of Red Bull on top lets travelers know that this is place is anything but ordinary.
A tap wall of all the different Red Bull flavors. Visitors can fill their travel mugs to their heart’s content.
A recreational area could have indoor skydiving, a mechanical bull, and other activities for visiting travelers that give them a chance to stretch their legs in a more Red Bull fashion.
I would argue road trip snacks are one of the best parts of traveling so the Pit Stop will have a variety of offerings.
The monitors in the back with showcase the variet of Red Bull media from their sports coverage to their YouTue conent.
A good view is a must, and gives travelers a chance to see something more than just a West Virginia highway.
Did you know the fall foliage in West Virginia last longest than other state?