Statewide News

Vintage-style posters make Chicagoland debut

To increase consumer interest in traveling throughout Illinois, IBOT recently unveiled a series of vintage-style posters that bring to mind the golden era of travel. Rather than highlighting Illinois' grander, more expected destinations, the posters feature interesting lesser-known facts and destinations that aim to surprise and intrigue residents and visitors alike.

The first round of posters features Jane, the juvenile T-rex recently unveiled at the Burpee Museum of Natural History in Rockford; the birthplace of Robert Wadlow, the tallest man ever on record, in Alton; and the kitschy and fun "car kabob" in the Chicago suburb of Berwyn. IBOT is also finalizing a poster featuring the famed butter cow to showcase the upcoming Illinois State Fair in Springfield. Another poster in the campaign will be unveiled in late August and will feature a glimpse of the Illinois wine industry just in time for the September kickoff of the first Illinois Wine Month as designated by Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich.

The posters are currently featured on the sides of buildings in high-traffic areas around Chicago, on Metra and "L" train lines and in mall dioramas throughout Chicagoland. Posters also will be displayed on bus shelters, and free postcards featuring a scaled-down version of the posters will be available at restaurants, bars and clubs throughout Chicago.

IBOT gears up for the Illinois Great Rivers Ride

The Illinois Great Rivers Ride is quickly approaching and cyclists from more than 20 states have already registered. On September 11, in Rockford, cyclists will begin traveling 385 miles along the scenic Rock, Mississippi and Illinois rivers to Grafton. Each evening, at stops in Rock Falls, Rock Island, Big River Forest Preserve, Nauvoo, Quincy and Nebo, participants will be treated to a variety of activities and entertainment.

The Illinois Great Rivers Ride already has more than 150 participants and IBOT is working with CVBs along the route to attract even more interest. Participating CVBs are generating local enthusiasm and interest from the media through Illinois Great Rivers Ride marketing and press materials. If your organization is interested in receiving Illinois Great Rivers Ride promotional materials, contact Anne Dattulo at 312-240-2829 or anne.dattulo@edelman.com.

For more information on registration, call 877-GRR-7007 (ext. 217) or visit at www.illinoisgreatriversride.com.

Fall-O-Ween set to kick off in September

Though temperatures are still on the rise in Illinois this summer, it's not too early to start planning for the state's new and unique season, Fall-O-Ween. Running September 1 through October 31, Fall-O-Ween is full of rich autumn activities statewide, including pumpkin farms, fall festivals, haunted houses, corn mazes and winery events.

Fall-O-Ween was created to position Illinois as the best place to be in the Midwest for fall activities. And with so many opportunities statewide, we've created an incredible season to get the word out to visitors and residents.

In celebration of the new season, IBOT has partnered with AAA Living to produce a 20-page guide that promotes Fall-O-Ween festivals and activities throughout the state. The guide will be inserted in the September issue of AAA Living and distributed to 350,000 subscribers and to approximately 130,000 consumers in the Illinois Now! database. It will be used as a fulfillment piece and for media outreach.

To spread the word about Fall-O-Ween throughout the state, IBOT will distribute a Fall-O-Ween kit to all CVBs to help them brand this innovative Illinois season. The kits will include Fall-O-Ween press materials, key messaging, logo and decals.

All roads lead to the Illinois State Fair

From August 12-21, Springfield will again be host to one of summer's must-sees—the annual Illinois State Fair. This year's theme, "All Roads Lead to the Illinois State Fair," was chosen as part of a promotional campaign to reach residents who have never experienced the fair or those who have not traveled the road to the event in many years.

Fair favorites will be offered again this year, including the 400-pound butter cow and a wide choice of fair food such as pork sandwiches and Illinois wine. The Grandstand lineup for this year's fair is expected to appeal to all sorts of fairgoers, from those who like country to those who prefer rock 'n' roll. The fair will conclude with a free concert by the Illinois Symphony Orchestra.

Fairgoers can also enjoy a variety of activities, such as harness racing, amusement rides, and animal and specialty exhibits at the fair.

For additional information on fair highlights, an event schedule or to purchase Grandstand tickets, visit www.illinoisstatefair.info.

Illinoismediacenter.com continues to provide resources to media

IBOT continues to stay on the cutting edge of media relations by keeping its online media center fresh and relevant. The site, www.illinoismediacenter.com, offers numerous support services and resources for local, regional and national journalists.

The Illinois Media Center recently received a face lift when the bureau took www.enjoyillinois.com to a new level with countless enhancements and a dramatic new look. Understanding that each Web page should communicate a consistent look and feel, the Media Center now reflects the look of the home page and can be accessed directly from www.enjoyillinois.com by clicking "MEDIA."

The Illinois Media Center not only looks different, but will soon boast new content, including brand new summer images and information updates. By providing economic impact and visitor numbers and excellent photos and information on the bureau's numerous initiatives, this resource helps media representatives produce factual, timely and compelling stories. Additionally, downloadable press materials help pique interest in events and attractions throughout the Land of Lincoln.

Discovery's top two "Greatest Americans" hail from Illinois

Illinois has always enjoyed a prominent place in American history. Now, two of the prairie state's native sons — presidents Ronald Reagan and Abraham Lincoln — have been honored as the "Greatest Americans" by the Discovery Channel. Cited for his influence on the way we think, work and live, the Discovery Channel recently named Illinois—born Ronald Reagan the No. 1 "Greatest American" on the live finale of its "Greatest American" series. Abraham Lincoln came in a close second, as decided by 3 million viewer votes.

The fascinating figures of Reagan and Lincoln still resonate strongly with many people. To encourage exploration of the two presidents and their legacies, IBOT will issue a press release inviting summer travelers to experience the life and times of these American legends at the many Reagan and Lincoln landmarks across the state. Featured attractions from the Ronald Reagan Trail and the Looking For Lincoln Heritage Coalition will include the Ronald Reagan birthplace in Tampico and his boyhood home in Dixon, the Lincoln Home National Historic Site and the new Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield.

For full Reagan and Lincoln biographies, and to learn more about Discovery Channel's "Greatest American" series, visit www.aol.com/greatestamerican.

Traveling abroad to Illinois

IBOT is currently running consumer summer campaigns in both the UK and Germany to drive consumers to Chicago for a summer holiday break. IBOT is partnering with the biggest travel portals in the business — Expedia.com and LastMinute.com to reach these important international visitors. Both Web sites promote Chicago and Illinois through banners throughout their sites, driving consumers to the customized Chicago page, where they can book hotels, flights and combination packages. Additionally, the UK campaign features newspaper and print ads driving people to the LastMinute.com Web site.

The campaigns runs through early August, and preliminary results indicate an increase in Chicago packages booked through Expedia; LastMinute results are not yet in but are expected to be good news for Illinois tourism, as well.