Strategy, Not Spend: How a “Detour” Helped Gwinnett Compete With Bigger Markets

Explore Gwinnett entered 2024 with momentum but also with pressure. After investing in building demand ahead of the Gas South Convention Center’s multimillion-dollar renovation, the destination organization needed to solidify its meetings positioning and compete with larger, better-resourced destinations.

The challenge was not just awareness; it was perception. Gwinnett needed to broaden its destination story beyond comparisons to Atlanta, strengthen its credibility in the meetings space, and create a campaign capable of driving qualified planner engagement while supporting sales efforts on the ground.

At the same time, internal alignment mattered. Marketing outputs had to translate directly into sales enablement, trade show activation, and long-term lead development.

Our integrated campaign, Detour from the Default, reframed Gwinnett as a smart alternative to Atlanta and a destination where stepping off the well-worn path reveals richer rewards.

The strategy centered on three pillars:

1. Expand Destination Storytelling
Highlight Gwinnett’s distinct meeting cities, diverse venues, and inclusive, international character to position the county as more than an Atlanta-adjacent option.

2. Deliver Integrated Campaign Execution
Extend the campaign across digital media, social distribution, email, content marketing, trade shows, and refreshed sales collateral.

3. Strengthen Sales and Marketing Alignment
Equip the Explore Gwinnett sales team with updated banners, case studies, sales sheets, and a redesigned trade show booth activation strategy to ensure consistent messaging across every touchpoint.

Rather than running isolated tactics, the campaign was built as a coordinated, multi-year program designed to evolve with the destination’s goals.

The Detour from the Default campaign delivered measurable impact across visibility, engagement, and sales enablement.

• Digital campaigns and email outreach drove highly engaged traffic to meetings landing pages, generating more RFP opportunities.
• Refreshed sales sheets, booth materials, and case studies strengthened trade show activations and sales conversations.
• Increased returning users, up 49 percent year over year, signaled stronger audience retention and sustained interest.

Meetings and events such as the Georgia Association for Career & Technical Education summer leadership conference contributed to local visitation, spending, and job support, reinforcing the economic value of the strategy.

Most importantly, Gwinnett built a solid, scalable marketing foundation capable of sustaining competitiveness beyond a single campaign cycle.