It's no secret that children love video games, and parents know that it's very difficult to take their eyes off the screen. With the motto “If you can’t beat them, join them”, one tourism brand has introduced a first-of-its-kind program that gamifies the IRL travel experience.
The Kentucky Department of Tourism has launched Great Big Kentucky Adventure, a video game specifically designed to keep kids occupied while vacationing in the Bluegrass State. The campaign aims to reimagine family road trips for the modern era by turning 12 of Kentucky's famous larger-than-life landmarks into a side-scrolling game.
Developed by long-time agency partner Coomer, the game includes attractions such as the famous Louisville Slugger baseball bat, Hopkinsville's Wheat Stalk sculpture and Shepherdsville's Forest Giants. We focus on kid-friendly attractions that can encourage day trips without straining parents' budgets.
Step into an adventure
Styled like the classic Super Nintendo games of the 1990s, Great Big Kentucky Adventure revolves around Zaza (@redcarpetgirlz), a 9-year-old Kentucky-based influencer. Zaza's channel will highlight her experiences traveling through Kentucky with her family.
A vertical video asking parents, “What would you do if playing the game was a good thing?” Along with the campaign. Capitalizing on Zaza's passion for gaming, this short sees her step into a real world re-envisioned with classic pixelated challenges and rewards.
“We invite families to experience the joy of exploring Kentucky's iconic giant attraction and immerse themselves in an unforgettable adventure,” Visit Hopkinsville Executive Director Amy Rogers said in a statement. . “This campaign highlights our commitment to showcasing Kentucky’s diverse and accessible offerings and providing unique travel experiences for families to treasure.”
The agency's CEO, David Coomer, said inspiration for the project came from consumer insights as well as the creators' own lives. He and his wife, Ana Maldonado-Coomer, the agency's creative director, took their young sons to Italy last year, “where they visited Milan, saw the Statue of David in Florence, and walked the Rialto Bridge. “I was hoping they would be excited to walk around in Venice,” he said.
