St. Louis Debuts Celebrity-Fueled Marketing Campaign

Image: St Louis, Missouri skyline at dusk. (photo via CrackerClips/iStock/Getty Images Plus)
Image: St Louis, Missouri skyline at dusk. (photo via CrackerClips/iStock/Getty Images Plus)
Claudette Covey
by Claudette Covey
Last updated: 11:34 AM ET, Thu April 22, 2021

St. Louis is capitalizing on its hometown celebrities - including John Goodman, Sterling K. Brown, Jenna Fischer, Andy Cohen, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Jennifer Lewis, Becky Sauerbrunn and Ozzie Smith - in a marketing campaign to promote the city as a safe and compelling destination to visit in the wake of the pandemic.

In addition to promoting St. Louis, the campaign will also shine a spotlight on destinations located within 300 miles of the city, including Champaign-Springfield-Decatur, Memphis, Paducah-Cape Girardeau, Peoria-Bloomington and Springfield, Mo.

The initiative will run throughout the 2021 calendar year and include television ads, radio and online advertising.

"The campaign is funded by a CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant that was awarded to Explore St. Louis by The U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) to support the re-opening of the region's tourism economy," Explore St. Louis said.

Matching funds were provided by the Saint Louis Zoo, Six Flags St. Louis, Lodging Hospitality Management, Gateway Arch National Park and Saint Louis Science Center.

"This campaign will be a boost to the local economy as we inspire more people to re-explore all St. Louis has to offer," said Kathleen "Kitty" Ratcliffe, president of Explore St. Louis.

"We're very grateful to the EDA and our local partners for the support as we all work together to revitalize tourism in the St. Louis region."


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