Known for its family-friendly attractions, scenic beauty, and Southern hospitality, it draws millions of visitors each year in search of fun and adventure.
| 300,000 Total Episodes Views | 4,000 Hours Watched |
| $713,000 Earned Media Value | 147,000 Social Engagements |
Basically, Pigeon Forge is Vegas for kids.
There’s no shortage of destinations billing themselves as family-friendly, but only one Pigeon Forge. Pigeon Forge wanted to connect with families in a fresh yet compelling way, highlighting the variety of experiences that make the destination stand out when families decide where to vacation. Rather than relying on traditional “things to do” content, a key goal was to bring the town’s personality to life in an authentic, dynamic, and fun way.
The strategy needed to be playful enough to entertain families, yet purposeful enough to drive measurable outcomes through engagement, brand awareness, and visitor numbers.
Building on the success of a previous Extreme Adventures influencer campaign, which drove millions in earned media value and strong engagement, Orange 142 took the influencer model one step further. This time, the influencers weren’t just individuals but entire families.
The Pigeon Forge Family Challenge was a five-week YouTube series designed to showcase the destination through the eyes of five unique families. Each family brought its own social media following and personality to the campaign. Every week, a new challenge was revealed—from pancake-eating contests at The Old Mill to outdoor adventures and dance-offs shot at iconic local attractions.
This episodic approach was a deliberate move to keep potential travelers engaged over time. The idea was to more than entertain, the team wanted to build sustained excitement and emotional investment. The weekly cadence encouraged viewers to follow along, root for their favorite families, and most importantly, imagine their families participating in the fun. It was a campaign designed to spark the magic moment when kids turn to their parents and say, “Can we go to Pigeon Forge?” The campaign strategy centered around:
Influencer-driven storytelling: Each family brought their own social media following and unique energy to the competition, giving the campaign an authentic and varied appeal.
Social-first content: Every episode included bite-sized, shareable moments to maximize organic reach and engagement across platforms.
Strategic partnerships: The campaign collaborated with local businesses and entertainers and even included a special video message from Dolly Parton herself, tying in a beloved local icon to drive deeper emotional resonance.
Running from February 6 through March 31, the Pigeon Forge Family Challenge captured over 300,000 episode views and more than 4,000 hours of total watch time, a remarkable level of engagement for any campaign. Other successes included:
| $713,560 Earned Media Value | 256 Total Content Pieces | 5.73M Total Impressions | 147,000 Engagement (Likes, Comments, Shares) | 201,081 Landing Page Views |
| 1.071M Video Views (Paid) | 216,628 Paid Clicks | 0.71% CTR | 503,671 Landing Page Views |
“When we found out we’d been selected for the challenge, we couldn’t wait to share the news with our audience,” explained Mom. Part of that joy was a love of the destination itself.
“We just keep coming back because Pigeon Forge has something magical about it. The Pigeon Forge Family Challenge was a great way to show our audience — and so many others — what the heart of Pigeon Forge is all about.”
Success begins with selecting the right strategy and influencer for your campaign goals. We can help you identify the perfect creator based on audience engagement, content fit, and alignment with your goals, as well as screen them to ensure brand safety and suitability. Your DMO has specific expectations and compliance requirements, which our team ensures are met. We structure agreements for the DMO and influencer, clarifying deliverables and payment. We can also manage contracts, billing, and commission structures to streamline collaboration.
Ensure your influencer has a game plan to create the content you need! We will develop curated itineraries that showcase key attractions and experiences and coordinate with local businesses, hotels, and attractions to secure accommodations, tickets, and VIP perks. We work closely with influencers to define deliverables, including videos, social posts, and stories. We take steps to ensure you receive high-quality content that resonates with travel audiences while maintaining brand authenticity.
Learn more by visiting Orange 142 Travel & Tourism Organic Marketing