“Fun-Sized” ads started to gain publicity following quiet launch

February 1, 2018 2:26 pm

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — It has been a quiet, under the radar roll-out for a new advertising push tag-lining Rhode Island as “Fun-Sized.” The ads that were first launched in November are just now starting to gain attention in the media.

This is a very different approach from what we saw in 2016 when the then-new tag line and campaign “Cooler and Warmer” failed in the public spotlight almost instantly.

“It’s going very well,” said Governor Gina Raimondo. “Lesson learned, local firm, different approach, better results.”

There are currently seven digital ads circulating shot by Rhode Island agency Nail Communications. This time around, the Chief Marketing Officer for the Commerce Corporation Lara Salamano says they are seeing a lot of success.

“I think you do need to get out there and test things before you make them public,” said Salamano. “We’re seeing about 20 percent higher click rate on our videos than other videos.”

Salamano says there will be 18 short videos in total targeting travelers specifically the markets where Rhode Island has direct flights.

At this point the ads are digital only and could pop up on sites like Orbitz or Travel and Leisure.

Salamano was brought in after the Cooler and Warmer flop. She emphasizes that the state is constantly advertising and has been ever since that debacle.

In regards to this new effort, she is hoping it will continue to evolve and grow.

“We want to engage people, we want to stop them, we want to get them to our site VisitRhodeIsland.com to really understand what they can do in this state,” said Salamano.

So far, the new advertising push has cost around $650,000.