Montgomery, AL (June 28, 2022) – Let your mind escape to Alabama through the Alabama Tourism Department’s Mind Trip, a campaign that is a new and innovative way to experience vacationing in the state. The buzzworthy promotional campaign presents relaxing experiential offerings with a distinctively motivating appeal to immerse visitors into the idea of slowing down and savoring unique Alabama moments, as well as a tongue-in-cheek hypnotic way for visitors to take their mind to Sweet Home Alabama.
Throughout the meditative journeys, a calm tone, stunning photography and descriptive language help create a deep, relaxing sensory experience that’s designed to be a respite from a world full of stress due to a pandemic, the war in Europe and rising inflation.
The sessions begin with a soothing, southern voice that says, “Welcome to this guided hypnotic trip to the sugar-white sands of the Alabama Gulf Coast,” the guide then begins taking visitors on a “mind trip,” catapulting them into a hypnotic state to virtually experience what it’s like to travel to Alabama. Visitors are asked to relax by imagining they are walking on the white sandy beaches along Alabama’s Gulf Coast. As they continue to relax, they hear the sounds of waves crashing along the shoreline and seagulls flying overhead. Visitors also see scenes of beachgoers lying on the beach or leaving footprints in the sand.
An alternative adventurous Mind Trip invites visitors to relax and imagine that they are being guided through a hiking experience in Little River Canyon. As they close their eyes, they hear the sound of their hiking boots on the nature trail with leaves crunching beneath them and the sound of the wind through the trees. Visitors can also hear the sound of waterfalls crashing down into the river, see what it would be like to splash the cool water on their face or see breathtaking views high atop the canyon’s overlook.
“These Mind Trips are a unique and innovative way for visitors to experience Alabama without ever leaving their homes,” said Lee Sentell, Director, Alabama Tourism Department. “We give them a small taste of what it’s truly like vacationing in the state with the hope that they take a trip to experience Alabama for themselves.”
After being awakened from the hypnotic Mind Trips, the hypnotist guides the visitors to think about experiencing Alabama for themselves by booking a trip to Alabama’s Gulf Coast or Little River Canyon.
The campaign was created by Intermark Group, the Alabama Tourism Department’s agency of record. The experiences feature a landing page with long-form videos of the hypnotherapist speaking directly to viewers and inviting them to imagine taking a “Mind Trip” from the couch. The paid portion of the campaign is running on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Pandora, and a programmatic online targeting consumers in states within a day’s drive. It will also run across the Alabama Tourism Department’s social channels as well as in email marketing campaigns.