Every summer, millions of people load into their minivans to visit amusement parks across the country. However, within the past few years, attendance has begun to decrease as people look to new entertainment options. Riding rollercoasters, once the most popular activity in the 1920s, is now competing with online experiences such as virtual reality and the metaverse. Additionally, we know that summer is the busiest season for Cedar Fair parks - and also the busiest time for consumers. Beach vacations, road trips across the country, camping, etc., are all great options for summer fun – but none compares to the drop of a rollercoaster.
Our goal was to fight through the myriad of entertainment options to put Cedar Fair parks at the top of the list and top of mind, reminding them of the fun and nostalgia that awaits them in the park.
Leveraging influencer marketing, “the Agency” set out to:
For the 2022 season, “the Agency” leveraged influencer marketing, knowing more than 90% of people trust influencers over brands. (Source: Nielson) “The Agency” executed a large-scale influencer program across Cedar Fair’s 11 parks across the United States. We worked with a variety of influencers from micro mom bloggers to macro foodies, ensuring each park leveraged the right influencers to reach the right target audience at the local level.
The target audiences were in three key demographics:
“The Agency” identified 30 influencers across these key demographics who had a proven audience that aligned with one of the key sets of “experience seekers.” Partnering with the local parks to coordinate visits and prioritize key messaging per park, influencers visited during specific times at each park to align with park initiatives like anniversary events or ride unveilings. Following park visits, influencers posted approved posts, stories, Reels and/or TikToks highlighting their experience and sharing key messages about the individual parks – ultimately encouraging their followers to visit the park.
In addition to organic content, “the Agency” leveraged in owned paid social and creative campaigns throughout the year.
The Cedar Fair influencer program set out to increase reach and awareness around the parks and offerings; drive traffic, ticket sales and season passes; and get new audiences to think about Cedar Fair parks differently.
Across 11 of Cedar Fair’s parks, 30 local influencers captured:
We were able to leverage the authority of influencers to:
The power of influencers to drive interest is evident - and drove real-world positive impact on park sales. But even more valuable is the creation of new memories and a new generation who know the magic of a day at a theme park. Now that's something to scream about.
