Protecting Sun Valley’s A Way Of Life
For years, Sun Valley ID has existed in relative obscurity – a tightly guarded secret among in-the-know tourists. That all changed with the pandemic. Almost overnight, Sun Valley became the place to be. and the Sun Valley Tourism Board was suddenly forced to shift priorities from attracting new guests, to protecting the local way of life from too many guests. What the Board needed was a campaign that reminded visitors how things are done in the Valley, and they looked to their creative agency of record, Two Things, to help.
Two Things started with a simple call-to-action – “Stay Sunny” – to reflect the optimistic spirt of the Valley. But they also needed a voice that felt honest and to the point. Each creative piece is informed by a pain point Sun Valley wanted to address – rude behavior, disrespect towards staff, disregard for locals, aggressive driving, etc. – using humor and light heartedness. Ads are being placed throughout Sun Valley with different messages for different locations.
Virtually every piece of Two Things’ campaign is being delivered through non-traditional media that gives back to the community of Sun Valley, and the money saved from not doing traditional media freed Two Things up to do more local collaborations and execute all production locally, helping to support local businesses at every level. In addition to chalked street messaging, murals, wild postings, local signage and bumper stickers, Two Things is arming local businesses with campaign messaging reminding tourists to Stay Sunny including “friendship chips” owners can hand out to customers, custom coasters, t-shirts, hats and posters. In addition, Two Things created “The Patience Portal,” for local restaurants where customers can scan a QR code to be taken to a mobile-first site with trivia games and Q&A fun to help pass the time.
“The mission of STAY SUNNY is to teach out-of-towners how they do things in the Valley. It’s a reminder that if you’re kind and considerate, you’ll be welcomed into the family. And if you’re not, you’ll likely be on the next horse out of town,” says Scott Cromer, Creative Director at Two Things.
“The mission of STAY SUNNY is to teach out-of-towners how they do things in the Valley. It’s a reminder that if you’re kind and considerate, you’ll be welcomed into the family. And if you’re not, you’ll likely be on the next horse out of town,” says Scott Cromer, Creative Director at Two Things.