Find News from VisitNC and Destinations

RALEIGH, N.C. — Jazmene Craig and 5-year-old daughter Peyton expected a few firsts on their fall trip to the North Carolina coast. It would be their first visit to the state, their first time taking a trip together and the first time seeing the ocean. It would also be the first time being filmed for a national marketing campaign.

They embraced unexpected firsts, too. Their first time flying kites and paddling a kayak. Their first time climbing a lighthouse. Their first time reveling in the sense of freedom that comes from so living so fully in the moment that cell phones and notebooks were out of mind’s reach.

“Peyton and I could connect with each other without any phones or iPads,” said Craig, who serves in the Ohio Army National Guard. “We actually got to have a good time together without any distractions.”

With the April 2 launch of the “Firsts That Last” campaign, Visit North Carolina documents real-life travelers who come to the state for the first time to experience a first in their lives. The concept taps the power of firsts to create memories that last.

“Firsts are like magic in the way they stir our souls,” said Wit Tuttell, executive director of Visit North Carolina. “They create powerful memories. North Carolina is an endless source of experiences that add richness to a traveler’s life story.”

The public will first meet Craig and Peyton plus the other sets of travelers in print and digital ads and in 30- and 60-second spots, which will be shown on TV and in movie theaters. The ads also refer people to VisitNC.com to view two-minute films with a story arc.

The website also includes itineraries. Craig and Peyton journeyed to the Outer Banks to see the ocean, a trip that tightened their bond as they experienced other firsts — flying a kite, climbing a lighthouse and seeing wild horses that roam the beach. Newlyweds Chris and Andrea Beall, who are blending a family with five children in Auburn, Alabama, explored waterfalls and other wonders in forests near Brevard, Mills River and Saluda. New York musicians Zac Zinger and Tomo Akaboshi traveled to Chapel Hill, Benson and Saxapahaw for a moonshine experience in which they savored serenity at local farms and the fruit of the land at tables and tasting rooms.

The travelers, who were recruited through agencies that specialize in finding real people for projects that require authentic voices, bring essential truths about travel to life.

“With ‘Firsts That Last,’ the experience itself is just the beginning,” Tuttell said. “When you see the videos of Peyton and Jazmene and the other travelers, you appreciate the positive effects travel has on our lives. It satisfies a vital need to feel excitement or tranquility or closeness with those we love, and it helps us to discover things we never knew about ourselves. We want people to explore the many firsts they can find in North Carolina. The memories are sure to last.”

NOTE: Hi-res photos are available for download at NCPix.com. For automatic approval of your account, use “FIRSTS” as the registration code.

About Visit North Carolina:
Visit North Carolina is part of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC). The EDPNC is contracted by the North Carolina Department of Commerce to execute North Carolina's marketing and recruitment functions. The partnership serves to assist efforts in economic development, international trade, and tourism, film and sports development. For more information on planning a trip to North Carolina, go to VisitNC.com.

About Luquire George Andrews:
Luquire George Andrews (LGA), which created the campaign as Visit North Carolina’s agency of record, is one of the Southeast’s leading advertising, digital and public relations agencies, helping amplify opportunity for leading brands across a wide range of industries. Based in Charlotte for more than 30 years, LGA’s clients include major regional organizations and global Fortune 500 companies such as American Tire Distributors, Barings, BB&T, Bojangles’, Carolina Panthers, Coca-Cola Consolidated, National Gypsum, Piedmont Natural Gas, RSM and Visit North Carolina.

###

CONTACT:

Eleanor Talley
919-447-7783
eleanor.talley@VisitNC.com 

Stacey McCray
704-552-6565
smccray@thinklga.com