You Belong At The Beach, Myrtle Beach, That Is

There’s a brand-new Myrtle Beach.

With Covid-19 restrictions loosening across the United States, Visit Myrtle Beach is  launching a new brand and marketing campaign.

The refreshed brand, The Beach, and corresponding marketing campaign, “You Belong At The Beach,” are designed to drive safe and responsible travel with new and repeat visitors.

Karen Riordan, president and CEO, Visit Myrtle Beach, explained: “While the pandemic has had a profound impact on tourism, Myrtle Beach is well positioned for a strong recovery in 2021, which makes this the right time to really leverage the new brand architecture and creative elements.”

Riordan noted as well that: “Visit Myrtle Beach will continue to drive economic impact for the destination, and The Beach brand will reflect the welcoming, vibrant and modern classic experience that our visitors and residents are so passionate about.”

“You Belong At The Beach,” the initial marketing campaign to fully integrate The Beach brand, will showcase a multi-faceted effort with a data-led approach to targeting and optimization for key audiences.

The campaign will feature paid media elements including television spots, paid search, paid social media and out of home; public relations; social media; co-branded partnerships; and more. It will be supplemented by specific efforts to support non-stop air service markets as well as meetings and groups audiences.

And as part of the National Travel and Tourism Week celebration, Visit Myrtle Beach announced the destination’s 2020 economic impact, which included more than $842 million in gross lodging sales.

Stuart Butler, chief marketing officer, Visit Myrtle Beach, said: “We are exceptionally thankful for the many community partners who worked tirelessly to support the Myrtle Beach visitor experience and made the many adjustments needed, such as new safety protocols, during the past year.”

Butler observed that: “Tourism is the economic lifeblood of Myrtle Beach, providing $7 billion in economic impact throughout our 14 communities in the Grand Strand. The Beach branding will ensure we continue to invest in increasing our tourism market share and leverage our competitive advantage for years to come.”

The previous branding for Visit Myrtle Beach was utilized for more than 10 years and supported significant industry growth for the region.