When it comes to family-friendly entertainment, few film franchises resonate as deeply as Ghostbusters—especially in New York City. The latest release in the series, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, which premiered in theaters March 2024, returned the action to where it all started, offering the perfect opportunity for New York City Tourism + Conventions to create branded content inspired by the film.
The objective of the Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire x NYC Tourism collaboration was to leverage the cultural significance of the Ghostbusters franchise to promote New York City as a must-visit destination. By capitalizing on the film’s release, the campaign aimed to inspire potential visitors to book trips to the five boroughs, highlight iconic filming locations, and celebrate the city’s unique character.
The collaboration enabled us to look at NYC through a paranormal lens by creating a content hub on a dedicated landing page with custom Slimer cursor and film-inspired content, highlighting the real-life locations of memorable moments from the series via an interactive map, and promoting Slimer’s favorite eats—a collection of restaurants preferred by the series’ signature green ghost, among others. A key highlight was the emphasis on FDNY, with a feature article and a mini documentary about the real FDNY heroes of Ladder Company 8, the Tribeca firehouse that’s been Ghostbusters HQ since the original film in 1984, a real-life firehouse central to the franchise.
The campaign was a dynamic collaboration that blended film nostalgia with destination marketing to drive engagement and tourism interest. The strategy revolved around leveraging the global appeal of the Ghostbusters franchise to spotlight New York City’s cinematic and cultural significance, transforming the film’s release into an opportunity to promote real-world travel experiences. All individual elements were aimed at a family audience, so that even casual fans—or their friends and relatives—could take part in the fun.
The campaign’s core strategy was to harness the excitement of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire to engage potential visitors and encourage them to explore the city. Key initiatives included:
Digital Content & Landing Page – A dedicated Ghostbusters hub was created on NYC Tourism’s website, featuring immersive content such as an interactive digital map of locations significant to the franchise, custom Slimer cursor, promotion of the film’s various activations, and an exclusive interview.
Location-Based Promotion – Highlighting iconic NYC locations featured in the franchise, including the New York Public Library, Washington Square Park, and Hook & Ladder 8, to inspire visitors to experience the city.
Culinary Tie-Ins – A curated restaurant carousel with Slimer’s favorite eats, a beloved franchise character, which added a playful touch to the campaign, integrating NYC’s diverse dining scene.
Exclusive Interview – A feature article on “Things You Didn't Know About FDNY’s Ladder Company 8” which added depth and authenticity to the storytelling.
The campaign was executed through a multi-channel approach, ensuring a broad reach and high engagement:
Out-of-Home Advertising – Digital bus shelters, Taxi TV, and LinkNYC screens
Social & Digital Engagement – A mix social media content across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn
Digital Media – Co-branded run of site digital banner ads
Email Marketing – Targeted email campaigns across dedicated emails and newsletter inclusions
Earned Media & Press Coverage
Partner Promotion Channels – Social media, email newsletter, activation & experiential event, private screening
This campaign stood out because it wasn’t just a movie promotion—it was an integrated cultural moment that aligned NYC Tourism’s brand with the legacy of Ghostbusters. By blending nostalgia with real-world experiences, the campaign effectively drove foot traffic to key NYC locations, promoted local businesses, and reinforced NYC’s identity as a top-tier entertainment and travel destination.
In a time of limited budgets, when visitation still hasn't recovered to pre-pandemic levels, the reach provided by the franchise allowed us to reach fans worldwide and focus attention on the City’s starring role in the film.
The campaign exceeded expectations successfully leveraging the film’s release to drive tourism engagement and highlight NYC’s cultural and cinematic significance generating over 155 million total impressions, with 46 million from out-of-home ads, 2.7 million social media impressions and 240k social engagement. Notably, the mini-documentary “Things You Should Know About FDNY Ladder Co. 8.” on social media garnered 649k reel views and 17k shares. This partnership earned us nearly 500 new followers on Instagram.
Website engagement saw a 187% increase in page views compared to previous film collaborations, demonstrating strong audience interest. The dedicated landing page, featuring the interactive map with film-inspired itineraries and iconic locations, kept visitors engaged, with an average session time of 93 seconds.
Email marketing played a crucial role, reaching nearly 500,000 recipients with a 42% open rate, far exceeding industry benchmarks. Additionally, earned media coverage across 25+ publications, including CBS News and The Independent, amplified the campaign’s reach to a global audience.
Moreover, with zero paid media budget, the campaign’s success relied on creative content, strategic partnerships, and organic amplification, proving the power of cultural storytelling in destination marketing. The result was a highly effective, deeply engaging initiative that not only celebrated a blockbuster film but also positioned NYC as the ultimate backdrop for adventure, nostalgia, and discovery.
