BELLE FOURCHE, SD—Brand USA, the destination marketing organization for the United States, has launched United Stories, a mobile content creation lab that will travel the United States, capturing warm and welcoming stories told from local perspectives.
This content is designed to inspire international travelers to visit the U.S. Accomplished content creators, storytellers and influencers will visit various points of interest, events and attractions across the country in visually arresting vehicles branded with #UnitedStories.
To successfully execute this storytelling strategy, Brand USA has partnered with Beautiful Destinations, the world’s largest tourism community on social media and a global media brand dedicated to capturing best-in-class travel content.
To kick-off the campaign, Brand USA is collaborating with French street artist Etienne Bardelli to create a high-impact design for the content creation vehicles. Inspired by iconic American graphics such as state flags and vintage National Park posters, the compelling pattern creates a uniform design instantly identifiable with United Stories as the mobile content creation lab makes its way through the country’s plains, mountains, valleys, deserts and cities, according to the organization.
“As a nation, we want to share our stories with the world and invite them to experience our people and destinations firsthand. United Stories will help travelers understand places more deeply, meet real people and uncover local perspectives to activate their wanderlust,” said Tom Garzilli, chief marketing officer of Brand USA. “Global travelers are increasingly looking for local experiences that can’t be found in travel brochures. This campaign is an open invitation to visit the U.S., experience the warmth of the American people, and engage with the vast diversity of our destinations. A trip to the United States is perpetually new.”
United Stories launches here in South Dakota; the town of Belle Fourche is the geographic center of the United States.
To further amplify the narratives of South Dakota, United Stories has teamed up with six travel influencers who collectively reach an audience of more than seven million social media followers worldwide. They include the following:
- Jack Morris, from the U.K., @doyoutravel
- Lauren Bullen, from Australia, @gypsea_lust
- Jacob Riglin, from the U.K., @jacob
- Jordan Hammond, from the U.K., @jordhammond
- Max Muench, from Germany, @muenchmax
- Alyssa Lynch, from Canada, @alyssalynch
