Visit Philadelphia and PHLCVB Launch First-Ever Joint Destination Marketing Campaign to Drive Visitation

Visit Philadelphia and PHLCVB Launch First-Ever Joint Destination Marketing Campaign to Drive Visitation

“Come For Philadelphia. Stay For Philly.” Focuses On Philly’s Unexpected Side

PHILADELPHIA – Visit Philadelphia^® and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB) today announced the launch of their first-ever joint destination marketing campaign, “Come for Philadelphia. Stay for Philly.” This fun, lighthearted campaign puts the city’s confidence and attitude at the forefront as it aims to drive visitation to the region across all travel segments — leisure, business and group — in 2023 and in the lead up to 2026, when the city will host major activities around America250, the FIFA World Cup and the MLB All-Star Game.

The campaign is the next step in a series of collaborative initiatives that Visit Philadelphia and the PHLCVB have embarked upon in recent years. The two groups currently commission shared research and continue to increase content-sharing and -development functions.

Why Launch A Joint Campaign Now?:

“Emerging from the pandemic, we recognize that travel has changed and the best way to reach our goals is to rally around one message for Philadelphia,” said Joe Heller, senior vice president of marketing and communications, PHLCVB. “Plus, as we prepare to welcome the world in 2026, we know the strength that comes in offering a cohesive, in-sync invitation to all potential visitors to our great region, and we have landed on one that we are confident will be appealing to leisure, group, local, national and international markets.”

The Research:

People expect a handful of things from Philadelphia: the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Rocky and cheesesteaks. But what they find when they get here is so much more. According to research, 79% of leisure visitors come back to visit Philadelphia again — that’s 27% more than the U.S. average — and more than 70% of convention business returns too. (Sources: Longwoods International, IPSOS and PHLCVB)

This research lays the foundation for a campaign that highlights Philly’s lesser-known attributes in a major way.

The Creative:

Developed by Philadelphia- and Boston-based agency Allen & Gerritsen (A&G), “Come for Philadelphia. Stay for Philly.” pairs lines that are funny, clever, confident and sassy (think of any Philadelphian) with bold, vibrant, compelling photography that shows off the spirit of the place and its people.

“This campaign is a call to action for visitors to come for the Philadelphia they expect and to stay for the unexpected gems just waiting to be discovered. Philadelphia represents our credentials, and Philly shows off our under-the-radar side,” said Neil Frauenglass, chief marketing officer, VISIT PHILADELPHIA. “Our aim is clear: We want to make Philadelphia an unskippable destination for all travelers, and with our new campaign, we think we can do just that.”

Initial lines for the campaign include:

• Come for the Bell & the Hall. Stay for the Citywide Special.
• Come for the Founding Fathers. Stay for Tattooed Mom.
• Come for the Brotherly Love. Stay for the atty-tude.
• Come for Rocky. Stay for Rodin.
• Come for a convention. Stay for the unconventional.
• Come for the history. Stay for the adventure.

Visit Philadelphia’s Media Approach:

The campaign will kick off in Philadelphia in February to help build civic pride among locals, who often host visiting friends and relatives. It will extend out to the region in March, before debuting in key drive markets (New York, Washington, DC and Baltimore) in April just ahead of the busy summer travel season. The media mix will include out-of-home advertising, digital display ads, social media executions, print ads, radio and more.

PHLCVB Campaign Implementation:

“Come for Philadelphia. Stay for Philly.” will serve as the core message for marketing efforts aimed at recruiting new meetings, conventions and events to Philadelphia, and help build initiatives for events coming in 2023. The new tagline and messaging will be featured in trade and business publications, on digital media platforms, in destination collateral, and at trade shows across the globe.

About the PHLCVB:

The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB) creates positive economic impact across the Philadelphia region, driving job growth and promoting the health and vibrancy of our hospitality industry by marketing the destination, the Pennsylvania Convention Center, and attracting overnight visitors. The PHLCVB’s work engages our partners, the local Philadelphia community as well as culturally and ethnically diverse regional, national and international convention, sporting event and tourism customers. The PHLCVB is also the official tourism promotion agency for the city of Philadelphia globally and is responsible for growing the number of overseas leisure visitors who come to the region each year. To learn more, visit DiscoverPHL.com.

About VISIT PHILADELPHIA:

VISIT PHILADELPHIA® is our name and our mission. As the region’s official tourism marketing agency, we build Greater Philadelphia’s image, drive visitation and boost the economy.

On Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website, visitphilly.com, visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages. Compelling photography and videos, interactive maps and detailed visitor information make the site an effective trip-planning tool. Visitors can also find loads of inspiration on Visit Philly’s social media channels.

Note to Editors: For high-resolution photos and high-definition B-roll of Greater Philadelphia, visit the Photos & Video section of visitphilly.com/mediacenter.