2023 Spring Training And Tourism

Campaign

Every March, baseball fans from Ohio flock to Goodyear Ballpark, the Spring Training home of the Cleveland Guardians and Cincinnati Reds. But the City of Goodyear has a lot going for it beyond baseball as well: beautiful resorts, championship golf, outdoor adventure, elevated dining, and more. In other words, there are plenty of “extra innings” activities for visitors to enjoy. We needed to tell the whole story.

Leading up to the spring of 2023, the agency executed a very successful Goodyear Tourism and Spring Training video campaign. For 2024, we were looking to reimagine and expand both the creative executions and media efforts. Our goal was to highlight not only the fan experience at the games but also inspire visitation and exploration of the surrounding Goodyear area. So, we set out to position Goodyear as a holistic destination for fun.

Adding to the excitement, Goodyear Ballpark was also celebrating its 15th Anniversary, and this amazing milestone needed to be celebrated!

What We Did

STRATEGY

ACCOUNT PLANNING

MEDIA

Digital

Creative

Solution

ANDERSON’s strategy centered around how best to highlight the ballpark’s rich history, community impact, and the significance of the 15-year milestone. Our goal was to engage both loyal fans and new audiences while positioning Goodyear as the destination for both baseball and travel fun.

DIFFERENTIATING GOODYEAR

The truth is that visitors have many choices when it comes to Spring Training and tourism options in the Valley of the Sun. So, how could we help Goodyear stand out? By highlighting what makes Goodyear a better all-around experience: Here, fans get a laid-back, welcoming, family-friendly adventure—which is in stark contrast to some of the more “party-forward” stadiums in Scottsdale and Phoenix. Additionally, the views at Goodyear Ballpark are infinitely better thanks to the beautiful Estrella Mountains towering beyond the stands. Fans even get one-of-a-kind experiences like wiffle ball, craft beer tastings, and food that caters to Midwest tastes: Skyline Chili Dogs and Bertman’s Mustard among them.

Beyond the ballpark, Goodyear offers an extra innings escape with spirited dining, relaxing accommodations, and nearby outdoor adventures, ensuring that every visitor’s stay is as memorable as the game itself. This holistic approach helped us position Goodyear as not just a destination for Spring Training but a standout spot for immersive, all-encompassing experiences in the heart of Arizona.

ELEVATED STRATEGY

While Spring Training baseball was a major draw, our goal was to connect ballpark excitement with the broader appeal of Goodyear, leaning into sunshine and good times. ANDERSON crafted a strategic approach to showcase this vibrant city in two ways: first, by igniting the spirit of baseball enthusiasts, and second, by encouraging visitors to escape the cold of the Midwest for outdoor activities and experiences. We aimed to elevate Goodyear as a competitive destination within the Valley, driving awareness through a “day in the life of” perspective that highlights firsthand perspectives and experiences, enticing visitors to explore all that Goodyear has to offer.

REFRESHED CREATIVE

Working with existing video footage only, ANDERSON overhauled the previous year’s creative for both Tourism and Spring Training with new concepts, scripts, graphic treatments, voiceover, and music. The result was a reinvention of the videos and an open invitation to come to experience the joy of spring baseball in sunny Arizona.

Taking advantage of Arizona’s scenic backdrop at the stadium, we curated a collection of imagery that highlighted palm trees, mountain vistas, and vibrant moments that travelers could imagine enjoying in Goodyear. ANDERSON paired a lively color palette and complementary fonts with playful baseball-themed language to categorize and connect the experiences both inside and outside the ballpark.

Tourism Video

Play Video

Spring Training Video

Play Video

BRANDED ANNIVERSARY MARK

Because Goodyear Ballpark’s 15th anniversary was such a notable milestone, we immediately recognized the importance of designing a special mark celebrating the occasion. The mark incorporated Goodyear Ballpark branding, Arizona appeal, and an equal representation of both MLB teams who call the ballpark home. This versatile mark was featured prominently on every piece of marketing communications:

Giveaways
Ballpark branding & signage
Digital in-game graphics
Staff apparel
Social media
All materials that feature baseball as a reason to visit

INTEGRATED MEDIA

Here, we leveraged a funnel strategy to guide the target audiences from awareness (tickets are on sale and your favorite teams are in Goodyear) to decision-making (buy tickets and travel to Goodyear). Both the Tourism and Spring Training campaigns launched simultaneously in late November to build interest and give people time to make travel plans before Spring Training began. Tactics included Multi-screen video, YouTube, Meta, and Cross-device Display, all focused on Goodyear’s team markets of Cleveland and Cincinnati with specific interest-based targeting layered in.

Our robust social media and digital marketing strategy extended the creative messaging across sharable platforms, ensuring it could be viewed, liked, loved, and shared by fans and travel enthusiasts alike.