Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is a vibrant mountain resort city located in Sevier County, just north of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Known for its rich history and as a major tourist destination, Pigeon Forge attracts millions of visitors each year.
20.1M Completed Views |
$2.79M Earned Media Value |
14.9% Average Engagement Rate |
1.2M Total Engagement |
When most people think of Pigeon Forge, they think of Dollywood, a popular theme park owned by country music star Dolly Parton, featuring rides, shows, and seasonal festivals. But Pigeon Forge has a lot of great attractions, including WonderWorks, an indoor amusement park with over 100 hands-on exhibits, The Island in Pigeon Forge, which is shopping and entertainment, and Alcatraz East Crime Museum, which displays artifacts related to crime history in America.
There is another aspect of Pigeon Forge that many don’t know about, though could serve as a magnet for repeat visitors: Extreme Adventures.
Adventures range from roller coaster rides and rolling down a 1,000-foot hill in a gigantic ball at Outdoor Gravity Park to The Mountain Monster thrill rides at The Mountain Mile and
Pink Jeep Tours through Smokies.
The Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism is the official Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and a long-term Orange 142 partner. Its primary mission is to promote the city as a premier tourist destination, showcasing its diverse attractions, activities and events, and accommodations.
While Dollywood is a great attraction that creates loyal fans and repeat visits, the DMO wanted to promote the city’s growing line of amazing Extreme Adventures attractions. These adventures range from zorbing at Outdoor Gravity Park, the only one of its kind in the U.S., to racing down a mountain coaster at one of the many alpine coasters in town. For those seeking an even greater
adrenaline rush, Mountain Monster rides offer a triple-threat experience (not for the faint of heart), racing high-speed go-karts at Xtreme Racing Center, and riding the new coasters at The Island in Pigeon Forge, among many other experiences.
Despite the wide range of adventures offered for every type of traveler, Orange 142 identified an opportunity to increase visibility and awareness among potential visitors. Orange 142 recommended engaging influencers to showcase Extreme Adventures, but finding the right fit came with its own challenges. “It’s not just about follower count,' explained Jessica Kaplan. “We needed creators with substantial, engaged audiences who were genuinely passionate about extreme adventures and theme parks.”
Identify the right influencers
Identifying the right influencers requires more than just considering their follower count. “While reach is important, it’s only part of the equation. We wanted to find and work with influencers whose audiences were substantial, highly engaged, and genuinely interested in extreme adventures and theme parks,” Jessica explained.
Mitigate the potential risks of influencers
Orange 142 isn’t naive about the risks of influencers, and their history of posts on Pigeon Forge’s reputation. As a family-friendly attraction, any influencers must be carefully screened and past posts reviewed.
Need for strong buy-in from local businesses
Securing local business support was critical, especially as participation often required donated resources like accommodations or tickets. To succeed, businesses needed to understand the long-term value of these campaigns clearly.
Providing a consistent experience for the influencer
Ensuring influencers have exceptional experiences is non-negotiable. Any lapses in service or hospitality risk undermining the authenticity and impact of their content.
Logistics
The DMO serves as a bridge between influencers and businesses, and requires a lot of coordination and complex logistics to ensure that both parties’ expectations are met. However DMOs don’t have the time for the constant communication and alignment required to avoid misunderstandings or unmet needs.
The Orange 142 team brought in Jessica Kaplan, Orange 142’s social strategy manager, who has over a decade of experience in social media and influencer marketing, and has done everything from establishing playbooks or rules of the road for influencers who work with Orange 142 clients, to working with them to navigate brand partnerships and expand their reach.
Influencer Selection
Orange 142 cast a wide net in order to find the perfect influencers for Pigeon Forge. They looked at and vetted many candidates before identifying Dutch influencers Bryan Geraads and Lars Janssen, better known as the "Theme Park Explorers." The couple have over 3.7 million followers across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
As they had never visited Pigeon Forge before, this was the perfect opportunity to invite them into town to experience the Smoky Mountain attractions they knew (and didn’t know about). It was a good match for both parties to showcase a variety of adventurous activities, and Bryan and Lars enjoyed the experience tremendously. “We work with many partners and destinations, and it’s rare to find so many great attractions combined in such a convenient way. The businesses in Pigeon Forge were so fun and welcoming, creating an experience that was truly enjoyable for us all!,” said Bryan.
Curated Itineraries
The itineraries are carefully curated to appeal to the influencers' target audiences. For instance, this campaign focused on theme park enthusiasts, so the experiences included activities like Dollywood and extreme adventures unique to Pigeon Forge.
The Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism played a critical role in planning the itinerary, which included several each day to ensure Bryan and Lars visited a variety of places to share the range of experiences available in Pigeon Forge.
Each itinerary required collaboration with local businesses to provide attractions, accommodations, and unique experiences. This included arranging VIP experiences and ensuring businesses were prepared to deliver exceptional service during the influencers’ visit. Jessica maintained constant communication with influencers and businesses, ensuring smooth coordination at every stage of the trip.
Local Partnerships
“Building and maintaining relationships with local businesses takes time, but it ensures smoother execution of campaigns. The ability to call on businesses for support, often on short notice, stems from long-standing partnerships and mutual trust between My Pigeon Forge and its business partners,” explained Jessica. Thanks to that trust, the businesses in Pigeon Forge stepped up, providing:
• Accommodations. Dollywood provided hotel rooms and tickets.
• Experiences. Multiple businesses donated time and access to attractions, such as Outdoor Gravity Park and The Island in Pigeon Forge.
• VIP Services. Special perks, such as a tasting pass and personalized attention at Dollywood, were included. City-hosted forums and meetings played a vital role in helping businesses understand the value of participating in influencer campaigns.
Content Creation
Orange 142 worked closely with influencers to set expectations regarding the deliverables, including two contracted videos and additional Stories for Instagram, all of which would meet family-friendly standards.
Campaign Management
Orange 142 managed all aspects of the campaign, from vetting influencers to coordinating with local partners to ensure a seamless experience for everyone involved. Throughout the campaign, Orange 142 maintained constant communication with influencers, ensuring their needs were met and any issues were addressed in real time. Orange 142 also coordinated directly with the local businesses to ensure things went smoothly.
The Orange 142 team brought in Jessica Kaplan, Orange 142’s social strategy manager, who has over a decade of experience in social media and influencer marketing, and has done everything from establishing playbooks or rules of the road for influencers who work with Orange 142 clients, to working with them to navigate brand partnerships and expand their reach.
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