Santa Barbara isn’t a one-size-fits-all destination. From glamping under the stars to the charm of befriending a llama to the serenity of sailing glistening seas, it offers a broad mix of experiences. Still, many Southern Californians felt they had already seen everything the city had to offer. To shift that perception, we set out to spark fresh curiosity and inspire both new and returning visitors to explore the city in unexpected ways.
Travelers don’t come back just for the destination; they return because of how it made them feel.
We crafted a narrative around two unexpected travel duos—a grandmother and grandson, and a mother and daughter—each discovering their own version of Santa Barbara. Through four social-first storylines, their shared moments took viewers from ocean adventures to downtown explorations to peaceful retreats. The campaign offered a fresh perspective and invited audiences to see the city in a whole new light.
For the duration of the campaign, it drove strong engagement across the board. It delivered over 5.8M completed video views and brought more than 40,000 visitors to the Santa Barbara website. Nearly half of all traffic and interactions came from California audiences, showing the message resonated with the people we set out to reach.
