Kentucky Tourism launched a new video game as a way to keep children entertained during long family vacations.
Developed by advertising agency Coomer, the "Great Big Kentucky Adventure" game recreates some of the state's most iconic landmarks into 2D levels in a side-scrolling game.
Some of the landmarks in the game include Dinosaur World in Cave City, Fork in the Road in Franklin, Wheat Stalks sculpture in Hopkinsville, and Forest Giants in Shepherdsville.
Styled like a 1990s Super Nintendo game, it features Zaza, a nine-year-old Kentucky-based influencer with a million followers on Instagram, as the main character.
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Zaza's channel will document her adventures traveling through Kentucky with her family, integrating her gameplay with real-world exploration.
Taking cues from the success of online gaming platforms like Twitch, Kentucky Tourism plans to use mobile-first video and influencer partnerships to reach a broader audience, promoting the game throughout the spring and summer travel season.
A Campaign Based on Personal Experience
The main idea for this project stemmed from the personal experiences of CEO David Coomer and his wife, Ana Maldonado-Coomer, who also serves as the creative director.
During a family trip to Italy, the couple noticed their young sons were more interested in video games like Mario Kart and Pokemon than in taking in the historical sites.
This inspired the creation of the travel-centric video game to make trips more fun and engaging for kids.
On top of being entertaining, the campaign also supports local businesses by promoting budget-friendly day trips to kid-friendly attractions.
"This campaign underscores our commitment to showcasing Kentucky’s diverse and accessible offerings and providing families with unique travel experiences they’ll treasure," Amy Rogers, executive director of Visit Hopkinsville, said in a statement.
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Editing by Katherine 'Makkie' Maclang
