Brand USA and Travel South’s Partnerships Optimize Global Reach

Staci Mellman, Senior Vice-President of Integrated Marketing at Brand USA, discusses travel shifts in the international traveler, brand refresh efforts underway by Brand USA, road tripping  through the South, and opportunities to amplify your messaging. 

1. Welcome to Travel South USA. Tell us a little about yourself and your role with Brand USA.

Hello. I’m Staci Mellman, Senior Vice-President of Integrated Marketing at Brand USA. I drive our international marketing efforts and lead the teams responsible for integrated marketing, global markets, product and technology, global communications, research and analytics, as well as marketing operations and special projects

I am originally from Texas (Hook ‘Em) and have been working passionately in the travel and tourism industry for over 13 years, most recently as Chief Marketing Officer at VISIT FLORIDA.

I’ve been at Brand USA for about nine months and I love it. We are in a new era of travel where people are prioritizing vacations and travelers want to explore new destinations and have new adventures and transformative experiences. I feel lucky to work with passionate and creative people who are constantly coming up with innovative ideas to keep the U.S. a top destination for international travelers.

It really is a privilege to represent and promote the entirety of the USA.

2. What are you working on? What are Brand USA’s new campaign efforts for the next 12 to 18 months?

For many consumers, travel has shifted from a nice-to-have to a priority. Which means that the travel marketing landscape has become more competitive and people are expecting more out of their travel experiences. They want to immerse themselves in a destination, connect with local communities, and have experiences that make a positive imprint on their lives. With such high expectations for travel, we must work harder than ever to ensure that travelers believe that the USA can deliver. That this country is the right place for them to spend their precious time off and their tourism dollars. In order to remain competitive, we are ushering in a new era of marketing at Brand USA. 

To start, we just kicked off a brand refresh project and are currently in the research and discovery phase. We are doing deep dives into how traveler motivators and behaviors have changed and how they feel about the USA. We are also looking inward by soliciting feedback from U.S. stakeholders about the opportunities and challenges they believe the U.S. has as an international travel destination. We hosted a series of roundtables at DI’s annual convention in Dallas and will be doing so at ESTO in Savannah this week. These conversations are a critical part of the process because we want to make sure that whatever changes we make to our brand platform that they can represent all the incredible destinations that make the USA the incredible place that it is.

While brand refresh work is important to maintain long-term desirability for the USA, we must continue to drive travel demand now. In April, we launched a consumer campaign ‘This is Where It’s At’ in 11 international markets. Running through September, the campaign outlines our promise to the international visitor that whoever you are and whoever you want to be, and whatever experience you long for, it’s more than just a possibility here in the USA. The creative is tailored to five different traveler personas (luxury travelers, families, outdoor experience seekers, cultural explorers, and those travelers looking for a sense of excitement) and showcases the multitude of experiences that can be enjoyed across the country, emphasizing that the USA really has something to offer to everyone. The campaign also conveys a sense of urgency and encourages travelers to live their best lives by booking that trip to the U.S.

In the fall, we will launch market specific campaigns focusing on iconic American experiences. We will be leveraging the NFL’s presence in the U.K. and Germany by pairing consumer activations around the games to generate excitement and desire to experience the USA firsthand.

3. Travel South USA and Brand USA are long-time partners with a great history. Our mandate, as well as yours, is that partnerships must exist on all levels. Given our past successes, where do you envision the next generation of campaigns?

I agree that partnership must exist on all levels. While we can, of course, run independent marketing campaigns there is so much more power in our collective voice and through shared messaging. Collaboration is a core principle of mine; it is how I approach leading a team and creating strong marketing campaigns.

The next generation of campaigns must speak to travelers who are more sophisticated, more resilient and more responsible than they have ever been. As travel rebounds, we are seeing that a new generation of travelers want to do better for the world and visit destinations that offer experiences which benefit both them as the traveler, and the local community. We need to curate campaigns that give destinations the opportunity to be unique and show off the diversity they offer as part of the holistic USA experience.

4. Being the destination marketing organization for the US and given the co-op style of our organization versus other countries, what are some obstacles and opportunities that you see moving forward?

Budget and the level of investment is undoubtedly a consideration. In order to make a meaningful impact in the mind of a consumer, a significant financial investment is required to reach them multiple times during a campaign. But, this is also where we have an opportunity to work together because with shared messaging, we can combine our investments and extend our reach and frequency.

Co-ops cannot be created in a vacuum. We must understand the varying objectives our partners have and find where our objectives and their objectives align. For some, it is about building brand awareness while for others it is about driving bookings, and we can thoughtfully build cooperative marketing programs to achieve those things, just not all at the same time.

Part of our brand refresh process is to create a platform where a shared brand landscape can exist. Where any destination who wants to be a part of our creative campaigns can as part of that brand platform. I believe that this collaborative approach will strengthen the perception of the USA as a travel destination in the minds of international travelers.

5. Regarding Europe, Asia/Pacific, and North and South America, where do you see the biggest opportunities for increased visitation for the South?

The opportunities are abundant. As travel returns with force, we are seeing that travelers are curious to discover what lies beyond our coasts. This represents a huge opportunity for Travel South.

Culinary experiences, films and music are significant motivators to travel, and this is where the South can really shine. From barbecues to gumbo and bourbon to rum, the South has strong culinary credentials. Travelers are willing to spend more and travel further to have authentic foodie experiences that not only taste great but also helps them better understand and connect with locals.

Films and TV shows have propelled people from their couches to the destinations that provide the backdrops of their favorite shows. From Australia to the U.K., travelers want to see the vast beaches portrayed in the Outer Banks or explore the State Parks where Kya roamed the marshes in Where the Crawdad Sings.

Increasingly, travelers are taking fewer but longer holidays and Travel South can increase visitation by capitalizing on the romanticism on the great American road trip, especially as this will be very much on the global radar when Route 66 celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2026. There is no better way to enjoy the South than on a road trip taking in the diversity of landscapes, experiences and people.

6. Is there anything else that you would like to communicate to the Travel South USA partners?

We are here to be a resource for you, whether you want to simply explore what international marketing looks like for your destination, partner with us on an integrated campaign, or bring an exciting idea to the table which we can help bring to life.

We take great pride in being the nation’s storyteller and if you have stories you want to share with a global audience, we have a number of channels through which we can amplify your messaging. We curate a quarterly release for international journalists called ‘What to See and Do Across the USA’ spotlighting new flight routes, latest hotel openings, cultural happenings and events across the country. Please send your submissions to [email protected] for potential inclusion.

We have an industry-focused podcast, called ‘Brand USA Talks Travel’. There are over 100 episodes featuring industry leaders and topics that are relevant for everyone working in travel and tourism. If you are doing something different or innovative that the industry should know about, we would love to have you as a guest.

Our TV channel, GoUSA TV is now available in over 50 countries around the world and is an effective tool to drive travel internet. Viewers are twice more likely to consider a USA holiday in the next 12 months. Our content ranges from road trips to outdoor adventures and city escapes. If you have television quality content, send it to us to feature on GoUSA TV.

We really believe that your success is our success, so we would love to keep finding ways to collaborate.