The Great New York State Fair

In 2016, the fair completed $50 million in redevelopments, including a magnificent new entrance, greater open space and a larger midway. Following this significant investment, Gov. Andrew Cuomo challenged the fair to increase total attendance to 1 million visitors.

It was important to understand more about the people who attend the fair. And just as important, why they do. DS+CO knew through market research that tradition and proximity were the two primary attendance drivers. To attract more visitors, we’d have to reach people in the outer-ring markets of Rochester, Watertown, Elmira/Corning, Binghamton, Utica, Ithaca and the Finger Lakes.

DS+CO distilled what we learned about our audiences and discovered a key insight: Every individual experiences the fair differently and finds their own great time. That guided the creative theme, and the dynamic “Find Your Great” campaign was built to tap into attendees’ individual experiences at the fair. Leaning further into the adventure the fair offers, we played up the thrill of discovery throughout the campaign. Starting in 2016, marketing efforts included digital, social, TV, radio, outdoor and print media, a new podcast series and earned PR initiatives. As the campaign evolved, we found new ways to reach our audience through robust content. Emphasis was placed on representing and increasing diversity and was central to the creative DNA.

For the next four years, attendance grew, more visitors came from outer-ring markets and diversity increased. DS+CO and the Great New York State Fair increased attendance 23% just in the first year of the campaign, exceeding the million-visitor goal. And attendance increased in each consecutive year, as well, building to a record 1.3 million people in 2019. Online ticket sales also expanded from $24,000 to nearly $400,000 during that time. First-time fairgoers increased from 1% in 2015 to 10% in subsequent years. And the strategy to attract visitors beyond Onondaga and adjacent counties proved spot-on: The effort culminated in 2018 when 30% of attendees traveled more than 100 miles.