Ad campaigns drive top-shelf results for Louisville Tourism

Between legendary horse racing, culinary excellence, and a vibrant cultural heartbeat, Louisville, Kentucky, sits in a prime spot in the American South. Years of successful brand storytelling have established it as Bourbon City, a name known across the country.  But that strength has also created an awareness challenge for the city's broader identity — with many travelers viewing Louisville through a single lens: bourbon.

Recently, shifting travel demand, climbing airfare prices, and softening spirits sales have made it clear that Louisville needs to stand out in a crowded landscape. Destination marketing organization Louisville Tourism knew it was the perfect moment to expand the city’s story.

Enter: a creative campaign to show Louisville as a destination where bourbon is just the beginning.

To help travelers see Louisville in a new light — and explore everything the city has to offer — Louisville Tourism partnered with Expedia Group Advertising’s E Studio to launch a strategic, multi-platform campaign designed to put the city’s full spirit on display.

“The recent campaign aimed to showcase our entire brand,” said Louisville Tourism’s marketing director Michael Fetter. “This included neighborhoods and culinary aspects, with bourbon just as one component.”

Through onsite and offsite display advertising, social media activations across Meta and Pinterest, and a customized landing page serving as an inspiration hub and booking gateway, the campaign aimed to increase brand awareness, draw in more leisure travelers, and inspire them to choose Louisville for their next vacation.

The multi-channel creative campaign turned inspiration to action, driving strong performance and high engagement. High-impact onsite and offsite advertising placements led to significant returns on investment, generating more than 81:1 ROAS from onsite ads alone.

Millions of impressions across Meta and Pinterest introduced new audiences to the full spirit of Louisville. The campaign fueled a 98% lift in travelers visiting the city — and once they arrived, they stayed 17% longer. The results were clear: Destination demand for Louisville goes far beyond a signature pour.*