Visit California
Building interest in tourism and boosting brand awareness with TopView
The objective
Increasing brand awareness by showcasing the beauty and playfulness of California
As a nonprofit organization, Visit California’s mission is to develop and maintain marketing programs in partnership with the state’s travel industry to inspire travel to, and within, California.
The team works hard to promote and market California as a premier tourist destination. From the mountains to the beaches, the redwoods to the deserts, and the vibrant metropolitan cities to unique small towns, they see it as their job to inspire travel to the amazing state, one visitor at a time. Knowing this, Visit California wanted to strategically position its brand on TikTok in a way that would captivate viewers and leave a lasting impression.
Having been an active TikTok advertiser since early 2022, Visit California leveraged TopView during Travel Tuesday in 2023 to maximize brand impact. They have also been active on their organic TikTok account for nearly three years, amassing over 250K followers.
The solution
Leveraging TikTok’s TopView to scale brand awareness
Visit California wanted to reach audiences at scale ahead of summer travel months, so they decided to pair their TikTok campaigns with other active media on April Fools' Day.
Using TopView, they tapped into the humor and vibrancy of California by playing on an April Fool’s joke: "tricking" scrollers into thinking giant beach balls were rolling across California. The goal here was to inspire users to plan a trip to the Ultimate Playground.
It is important to note Visit California competes with other states and nations to attract travelers, and they recognize that TikTok has a large, highly engaged audience that is actively being tapped into by other DMOs (Destination Marketing Organizations). By utilizing TikTok’s premium product, they successfully activated a TopView campaign to reach audiences in a cost-effective manner.
The results
Boosting brand awareness at scale
Activating a TopView during April Fools' Day led to 41.6M TopView views, surpassing expectations and driving strong engagement.
The campaign showcased California’s most recognized destinations through a playful and engaging lens, resulting in a 3.27% CTR (31% above benchmark) and 2.46M video views at 100% completion (213% above benchmark). The 5.88-second average watch time demonstrated how much users enjoyed the creative execution, making Visit California’s brand presence on TikTok stronger than ever.
Tips & takeaways
Leverage cultural moments: Align campaigns with trending topics or events, like April Fools’ Day, to maximize engagement.
Utilize premium placements: TopView ensures your content gets prime visibility, making it easier to drive strong impressions and engagement.
Incorporate interactive storytelling: Engaging and playful content, such as viral challenges or humorous twists, captures audience attention and increases watch time.
