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Duluth Unveils New Branding and “Love It Like We Do”  Tourism Marketing Campaign

DULUTH, Minn. (April 11, 2022) – Industry trends show many travelers want to experience destinations like locals, immersing themselves in a destination’s unique, more authentic offerings. This sentiment, combined with a desire to showcase local pride, has inspired Duluth’s new tourism marketing campaign, “Love It Like We Do,” which was introduced to the city’s tourism industry leaders and travel audiences this spring. Debuting in key target markets, the campaign features a new logo, photography, videography, and a paid media strategy to inspire travel to Duluth.

The new branding and campaign were unveiled by the Duluth Tourism Collaborative, consisting of the City of Duluth, Visit Duluth and the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC), in partnership with Bellmont Partners and Lawrence & Schiller.

The People, The Pace, The Place

By highlighting off-the-beaten-path attractions, notable landmarks, and outdoor adventures, the campaign aims to not only bring new travelers to Duluth but to encourage them to stay longer, exploring the city’s unique districts. The campaign features photography of real Duluthians and travelers, capturing the people, the pace and the place of the city.

The city’s new logo is designed to be more inclusive, modern, unexpected and gives a nod to the north through incorporating a northern star, aligning with the new City of Duluth flag. The blue color and additional palette of greens, purples and earth tones used in the campaign are based on actual colors found throughout Duluth. 

“I am thrilled to share the new branding and marketing campaign with industry members and the general public,” Mayor Emily Larson said. “This new campaign speaks to our pride of place, why we love Duluth and why we think others will, too. This new look feels both dramatically different and very familiar and I am excited for visitors to discover it, and discover us.”

The new campaign launched at the end of March and features a series of video, audio, out-of-home (including digital billboards and gas station TV), print, digital and social ads in the Twin Cities, Fargo/Moorhead, Rochester, La Crosse/Eau Claire and Wausau markets, along with areas within a 400-mile radius of Duluth. Using audience data, the campaign will target primary groups like families, adventure seekers and those 55+, along with niche audiences who are passionate about outdoor recreation, food and drink, and arts and culture.

Elements of the new marketing campaign can also be seen on VisitDuluth.com and the Visit Duluth social media channels, in addition to ongoing media relations and content created since the beginning of the year. The campaign and branding will continue to be rolled out in all future media relations, digital content, paid media, and in physical locations such as the new Visit Duluth Visitor’s Center in Canal Park, opening in April.

To guide the campaign direction and determine the target markets and audiences, research was conducted to learn more about the strengths, challenges and opportunities for Duluth tourism, including discovery sessions with stakeholders, a visitor survey of 1,200 respondents from 10 states and two Canadian provinces, an industry survey of Duluth residents and industry members, and various meetings with local groups and associations. A competitive analysis was also conducted of locations with similar offerings, including Wisconsin Dells, Mackinac Island, Boulder, Co., and Lake of the Ozarks.

In addition to sharing the campaign elements and timing, the Tourism Collaborative announced a page on the Visit Duluth website, www.VisitDuluth.com/brand, where industry representatives can access the brand standards, logo, and photography, for their own marketing.

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Note to Media: To view elements of the campaign, visit VisitDuluth.com/brand.

Visit Duluth is a collaborative tourism initiative with the shared goal of increasing leisure travel, as well as conventions, events, and sports tournaments to the great port city. Learn about all Duluth has to offer at VisitDuluth.com or @VisitDuluth on Facebook and Twitter and @visit_duluth on Instagram.