Whatever you want in a vacation, there’s a Missouri for how you operate. The catch: MO isn’t the only state touting variety. Enter Mo — a genial, welcoming guide who can pair any visitor with their perfect travel M-O.

SITUATION

In 2019, the Missouri Division of Tourism (MDT) was at a crossroads. The state’s long-running campaign wasn’t attracting enough new visitors and longstanding negative to mediocre perceptions of the state weren’t improving.

With surrounding states promoting a similar “something for everyone” message, Missouri needed to reach new audiences and overcome negative perceptions — in a way no state has.

INSIGHT

To increase visitors to the state and make a bigger economic impact, Missouri needed to expand its reach to new audiences and get them to consider MO as a viable destination.

Testing showed travelers saw Missouri as an easygoing and affordable destination with a variety of things to see and do.

SOLUTION

Meet Mo. A genial, welcoming guide who personifies the state of Missouri and can pair any visitor with their perfect M-O.

The “That’s My M-O” campaign introduces a different version of the Mo character for every travel “M-O” (modus operandi), guiding prospective visitors to information about destinations and attractions based on their unique travel interests. Want to go hiking? Meet Outdoor Mo. Fine-dining connoisseur? Grab a table with Foodie Mo. Looking to broaden horizons? Let us introduce Culture Mo.

The question became “Could Mo help bring visitors back AND attract new visitors?” We believed she could, and we were right. Incremental trips and visitor spending for 2021 exceeded 2019 and as far back as 2016, as did metrics for campaign recall and key attribute association.