Visit Philadelphia aims to attract Latinos with its ‘Filadelfia - You Gotta Feel It’ campaign

Salsa and reggaetón might be more common in cities with big dancing scenes such as New York or Miami. But what does it feel like to dance on the Rocky steps or at Penn’s Landing?

In a summer-long marketing campaign, Visit Philadelphia aims to woo Latinx travelers for an overnight stay by highlighting the sights, sounds and smells of the city’s outdoor and nightlife scenes.

The agency launched the campaign in June with TV ads on Telemundo and social media postings by East Coast Latinx influencers touting Philadelphia’s assets. But it also expands its messaging to the mainstream, by placing ads in public spaces such as New York’s Penn Station, metro stops and highways to funnel visitors to the 38th Annual Hispanic Fiesta, the Latin Alternative Music Conference, or Salsa at Spruce.

Jeff Guaracino, president and CEO for Visit Philadelphia, describes it as a “bold” marketing effort that aims to reach two million Latino travelers with its Spanglish messaging — “Pero there’s so much more" — that Philly is diverse and a good fit for all.

“We are building an emotional relationship with people who want rich and memorable travel experiences around the energy and excitement we find in Philly,” Guaracino said.

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According to Forbes, the U.S. Hispanic market has $1.7 trillion in purchasing power, while Philadelphia is the second-largest city on the East Coast and geographically centered — and within ground transportation distance — from 45 million residents.

The campaign is an appeal to the senses: what it can taste, smell, or sound like to be in Philly for a weekend, whether it’s the city’s art, history or food offerings.

In addition to the network ads and the billboards dominating ground transportation systems between Hartford, Conn., and Washington, the campaign includes a five-part video series featuring Latinx influencers from Florida to New York discovering Philly for the first time. In an Instagram story incorporating selfies and video, Sebastián Gómez and Esperanza Hernández from Miami sample Shofuso, the Philadelphia Museum of Art (inside and out), cheesesteaks, and Penn’s Landing, among other places.

“I really like the culture and especially the food,” Sebastián writes with one post of him crossing South Broad Street.

Past campaigns by Visit Philly have targeted African Americans and members of the LGBTQ communities, and the agency continues developing marketing tailored to these populations.

Luis Liceaga, 60, who owns Loco Lucho’s Latino Kitchen in Reading Terminal Market, said he’s excited that the campaign is highlighting the diverse Latino-owned businesses here, especially what he says is a food scene that provides a “true-to-their-roots” experience in family-owned kitchens and restaurants.

“Latinos who come from places like Baltimore and Virginia travel here in packs because they are very family-oriented and can’t get their food there,” the Philly Puerto Rican said.

Liceaga has noticed that Philly’s Latino athletes seem to attract more Puerto Rican, Dominican and Venezuelan travelers in the summer, especially if the Phillies are on the field.

Javier Suárez, Visit Philly’s chairman for the Latino Advisory Marketing Committee, said the campaign wants to show that Philly is “on the move," and sees it as an opportunity for local residents to be a part of the effort.

“Philadelphians are natural-born ambassadors to the city," Suárez said, "and they will find ways to share their experiences.”