The Fully Integrated Campaign was Awarded Best of Show for both Design and Copywriting
The 2024 New Orleans tourism campaign, created by local New Orleans ad agency Brand Society for New Orleans & Company, was a big winner at the 2025 American Advertising Awards show held at the Civic Theater in New Orleans.
Sponsored by the American Advertising Federation (AAF), the “Your Town, Deep Down” campaign garnered a total of seven awards, including a Best of Show Design for an Integrated Brand Identity Campaign and Best of Show Copywriting.
The campaign also received three Gold ADDYs for Integrated Brand Identity Campaign, Copywriting, and Logo Design, as well as two Silver ADDYs in the Elements of Advertising category for Cinematography and Music With/Without Lyrics. The Best of Shows and Gold winners will move on to judging at the AAF District 7 Awards show which includes work from Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and all of Louisiana. New tourism campaign brings local talent to shine a bright light on the city
The multi-media campaign was created in partnership with several local entertainers and industry stars, designed to attract visitors in a highly competitive global tourism industry, create jobs and propel New Orleans and Louisiana’s economy forward.
In creating the campaign, Brand Society Associate Creative Director/Copy Chief Lori Archer-Smith wrote in the brand manifesto, “New Orleans has been the influencer of everything since 1718. She may be inside this country but is outside the imagination. She’s a place where you don’t just sight-see, you sight-feel. You don’t just travel here, the mysteries of life unravel here. Although she’s filled with history, New Orleans never gets old. Before there was America, there was her cool big sister, New Orleans. She’s your town, deep down. Once you visit New Orleans, you’re part of New Orleans.”
With the theme, the campaign also unveils a new logo for the city’s name featuring a waxing crescent moon which symbolizes growth, positive energy, optimism and abundance. The new logo was on display at the NewOrleans.com Stage at this year’s French Quarter Fest.
“The seven awards of excellence reinforce that our partners at Brand Society have done a tremendous job showcasing the things that make New Orleans one of the most remarkable and unique cities in the world, from our wonderful restaurants and music venues to our inspiring museums and attractions, our iconic and historic landmarks and of course the residents that make the city a welcoming place for all,” said Walt Leger III, President & CEO of New Orleans & Company. “A robust tourism economy does not just happen on its own, it takes consistent, concerted effort to inspire, promote and encourage travel to our city by a dedicated team of professionals. New Orleans & Company and our partners are motivated every day to celebrate the city regionally, nationally and internationally for the economic, social and community benefit of New Orleans and its people.”
The work was developed under the direction of New Orleans & Company’s Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Mark Romig and Vice President of Marketing and Special Projects Jeremy Cooker. It was created by Brand Society Partner/Chief Creative Officer Mike Rainey, Associate Creative Director/Copy Chief Lori Archer-Smith, Senior Art Director Gage Burke, Art Director Tyler Trobert, and Art Director Meghan Deist. The project was managed by Odette Ieyoub, Director of Account Services at Brand Society.
“Making a big difference in our native city has been a career-long mission. So, the honor of being selected by New Orleans & Company from amongst our peers has allowed our team to shine even brighter and help impact tourism, our biggest economic engine, positively,” said Brand Society Partner/CCO & Executive Creative Director Mike Rainey.
The campaign featured an iconic list of local talent, including a voiceover by 2024 Grammy Award-winning star Tarriona "Tank" Ball from Tank and the Bangas as the voice of New Orleans. It also showcases Treme vocalist, songwriter and trumpet legend James Andrews, drummer Derrick Freeman and members of Soul Brass Brand, 2022 NEA National Heritage Fellow recipient Shaka Zulu, and the N’awlins D’awlins Baby Dolls. The TV spots were directed and produced locally by Tempt Films. They feature music by Galactic, arranged and composed by saxophonist, harmonica player and producer Ben Ellman. Images for print and digital advertising were captured by local photographers Justen Williams and James Collier.
View The New Orleans Tourism campaign:
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Brand Society was founded in the Central Business District of New Orleans in 2014. The firm’s mission is to be the most agile and nimble ad agency in the region, while never losing sight of the promise to deliver groundbreaking, innovative, and highly effective creative advertising campaigns aligned with on-target media placement. In the last five years, Brand Society has earned 17 Best of Show Awards from the American Advertising Federation. The agency’s client portfolio includes brands across several trades including financial, healthcare, higher education, industrial, consumer goods, technology, hospitality, tourism, event activation, and museums. Learn more at joinbrandsociety.com.
New Orleans & Company is the official destination sales and marketing organization for New Orleans’ tourism industry. Founded in 1960, our mission is to inspire, promote and encourage travel to our city for the economic, social and community benefit of New Orleans and its people. Our vision is to ensure New Orleans remains the most remarkable, unique, and welcoming city in the world. For more information, visit us at neworleans.com or on social media @VisitNewOrleans or @Neworleansandco.