VisitLEX Tackles “Travel Regret” with Clever Campaign Against Short Stays
Travel regret is real, nearly every Lexington, Kentucky, guest will tell you.
The same jaw-dropping Bluegrass views that famously welcome visitors to Lexington can turn bittersweet on the way home after a two-day stay because those visitors realized too late that two days just wasn’t enough.
A new spring campaign from VisitLEX—produced by longtime AOR Cornett—aims to help travelers avoid this common mistake with some seemingly disparaging copy and a precise call to action. While traditional destination marketing tends to hype up the excitement of arrival, the unconventional VisitLEX campaign warns against the potential disappointment of an early departure.
Set over images of beautiful Lexington scenery as seen through car and plane windows, some of the misleading headlines read, “You’ll hate to go,” and “The saddest view of your life.”
Supporting copy clarifies, “Lexington, Kentucky, is a hard place to leave. Especially when you know you’ve left so much of the city unexplored. But that’s an easily avoidable mistake. Plan a three-day getaway at VisitLEX.com.”
“Our research showed that a lot of people view Lexington as a one-hit wonder,” said VisitLEX VP of Marketing Leslie Miller. “Guests typically book visits for less than two nights to experience our bourbon, horses, or a special event. But, they inevitably fall in love with the city and the stunning landscape and wish they had more time to experience some of Lexington’s more unexpected attractions like our incredible culinary scene and creative culture.”
The campaign runs through April 27, 2025, and encompasses paid-media placements in print, digital, social, and OOH—including a contextual billboard directed at departing travelers at Lexington’s Blue Grass Airport that reads, “It’s not too late to turn back. Visitors often regret leaving too soon. Don’t make the same mistake.”
You’ll love coming to Lexington, but man will you hate to go.
Take it slow in Lexington, KY
Stay awhile in Lexington, KY
Credits
Client / VisitLEX
- Mary Quinn Ramer, President
- Leslie Miller, VP of Marketing
- Martina Barksdale, Director of Communications
Agency / Cornett
- Natalie Wilks, Account Executive
- Whit Hiler, Chief Creative Officer
- Ginger Smithwick, Director of Strategy
- Jonathon Spalding, Creative Director
- Randy Steward, Sr. Art Director
- Coleman Larkin, Sr. Copywriter
- Ellie Kangur, Brand Strategist
- Caitlin Schile, Account Executive
- Peter Cook, Dir. of Interactive Strategy
- Daniel Boone, Digital Producer
- Pierina Galvez, UI/Web Designer
- Jonathan McLamb, Data Analytics Specialist
- Chris Finnegan, VP Director of Brand Connections
- Megan Dunbar, Integrated Media Specialist
- Emily Reitenauer, Integrated Media Associate
- Damon Vinyard, Head of Production
