“PAID FOR BY THE COMMITTEE TO KEEP WACO THE BEST KEPT SECRET IN TEXAS.”

A little self-deprecation can go a long way toward endearing oneself to others. With this in mind, we want to warn people to stay a heck away from Waco if they know what’s good for ‘em. Well, sort of.

The concept here is to take on the guise of an anti-tourism campaign purportedly funded by locals who don’t want you to visit Waco because they don’t want you to ruin the good thing they got going on.

Executed loosely in the style of a political advocacy video, the narrated script takes an outrageously negative stance. (We’re told about how we’re wasting our time if we visit Waco.) However, the pictures tell a very different story. The visual narrative weaves together a series of unforgettable experiences families and friends can have during a trip to Waco.

SCRIPT EXCERPT: (in the voice of an old curmudgeon)

“If you’re looking for fun, don’t visit Waco. You won’t find any here. So don’t bother. And don’t think about bringing kids—they’ll be bored out of their heads...” (The video, meanwhile, is showing kids having the time of their lives at the Mammoth exhibit or Cameron Park Zoo or any of Waco’s family-friendly places.)

Then we end with a big, bold tag––again in the style of a political advocacy video––to drive the joke home:

PAID FOR BY THE COMMITTEE TO KEEP WACO THE BEST KEPT SECRET IN TEXAS.

Print & ONLINE campaign:

The print and online campaign would focus purely on Waco as the "best kept secret in Texas," with copy that speaks to all the wonderful things Waco has to offer, including specific suggestions for shopping, attractions, restaurants, and events depending on the ad placement, editorial calendar, and reader/user demographics.