Georgia Tourism Launches New Television Campaign

ATLANTA, GA – Only days after a bitter battle over a religious liberty bill ended, Georgia's Department of Economic Development has released a new TV spot designed to bring more tourism into the Peach State.

On Monday, Georgia Tourism announced the launch of its spring television broadcast campaign titled “Pretty.Sweet.” The department says the spots "showcase the beauty of Georgia and the many destinations that create a unique experience for visitors."

“This is the first time in almost 10 years that Georgia Tourism has had a television broadcast campaign, making this campaign even more exciting,” said Kevin Langston, deputy commissioner of tourism at the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “Our goal with this new campaign is to encourage visitors to Explore Georgia’s tourism offerings that make us so unique.”

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal announced on April 2 that he will veto HB 757, the controversial religious liberty/anti-gay bill that was approved by the Georgia General Assembly and would have allowed faith-based groups to refuse services or terminate employees based on sexual orientation.

The bill drew widespread criticism from local and national businesses, and generated fears that Georgia's profitable tourism industry would suffer as a result.

A similar bill passed in North Carolina has come under heavy fire, including lawsuits and news that rock legend Bruce Springstreen cancelled his Sunday concert in Greensboro, NC, in protest over the law.

The North Carolina law was passed after the city of Charlotte was set to enforce in April a new law protecting LGBT and transgender workers. It was framed as a fight against men in women's bathrooms and vice versa, as the Charlotte law would have allowed transgender people to choose which bathrooms they use.

Also, on Monday, singer Bryan Adams cancelled a concert in Mississippi, which has passed a law similar to North Carolina's.

The “Pretty.Sweet.” creative marketing campaign debuted in 2015 in print, radio, digital, social, outdoor and web platforms with the new spots being the first introduction of the campaign to television. Newly shot footage used in the campaign provides a broad look at Georgia’s tourism appeal through vibrant imagery, with a special emphasis on outdoor adventure, arts, and culture.

The spots highlight every corner of the state with scenes of iconic destinations and attractions from Georgia’s nine travel regions. Craig Miller Productions produced the footage for 9 new regional videos titled “We Are Georgia” which captures an epic road trip spanning 58 locations, 65 days and over 6,800 miles.

At the heart of the new commercials is the original song created to accompany the footage. Georgia Tourism has dubbed 2016 “The Year of Georgia Music” and has prominently featured the state’s unique music offerings through all of its marketing channels making this the perfect opportunity to utilize an original song during the music campaign. Mike Schatz, senior vice president and creative director at Blue Sky, Georgia Tourism’s agency of record, co-wrote and co-produced the song titled “Life’s Pretty Sweet.” with Novel, an Atlanta-based singer, songwriter and producer, who also provided vocals on the original song.

"You can be from anywhere in the country, and once you visit or move to Georgia, it still feels like home, said Novel. “I have travelled to many places, but Atlanta, Georgia is where I developed most as a songwriter and producer and it’s where I feel most comfortable. Life’s pretty sweet here."

Image: Philip Wages