As the Iowa caucus spotlight shines on Des Moines, video shines spotlight on seasonal events
DES MOINES, Iowa (December 19, 2019) – What do a drooling bulldog, a butter cow, KISS, lederhosen, and awkward ice skating have in common? They’re all featured in a new seasonal video created by Catch Des Moines, the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau, as part of its “The S’s Are Silent” campaign. The video focuses on highlighting the region’s iconic seasonal events and attractions in irreverent and memorable ways. The seasonal video debuts as the Des Moines region prepares for the national spotlight shown during Iowa’s first-in-nation caucuses.
“Greater Des Moines is building a reputation as one of the premier event cities in the Midwest,” said Greg Edwards, President & CEO at Catch Des Moines. “Whether we’re hosting families for the Iowa State Fair, sports fans for the Drake Relays or thousands of worldwide media for the Iowa Caucuses, we love to play host. This video features a few of those events and demonstrates that there are dozens of reasons to come to Des Moines no matter the season—even in February.”
The video feature local actor Scott Siepker, known for his work as the “Iowa Nice Guy,” showing off some of Greater Des Moines’ seasonal attractions. He attempts to ice skate at Brenton Plaza, stretches on Drake University’s Blue Oval, tries to climb into a racecar at the Iowa Speedway, and makes a bid to stop a hockey puck as a goalie for the Iowa Wild. Siepker rose to prominence with his “Iowa Nice Guy” video, which used humor to challenge misperceptions about Iowa before the 2012 Iowa caucuses.
Besides three other “S’s Are Silent” videos, a series of eight videos called “Des Best,” features authentically Des Moines flavors and things to do, such as Steak de Burgo, Crab Rangoon pizza, and the Pappajohn Sculpture Park. The videos have been viewed over 250,000 times and are targeted through social media to future visitors from Kansas City, Minneapolis, Omaha, and throughout Iowa.
“We’ve featured over 50 regional locations so far, and we’re now at the point where partners are coming to us, asking how they can be part of the series,” said Ben Handfelt, Director of Creative and Communications at Catch Des Moines. “These videos embody the voice of the campaign, but also the spirit of the region. Self-aware yet fiercely proud. I hope these videos change the question from ‘Why would I go to Des Moines?’ to ‘Why haven’t I gone to Des Moines?’”
View the seasonal video here: https://youtu.be/h-MFpP2HRTA. View all the "S's are silent" videos at www.catchdesmoines.com/videos or www.youtube.com/catchdesmoines.
About Catch Des Moines
Catch Des Moines is the official destination marketing organization promoting and representing Greater Des Moines to leisure travelers and meeting/sports planners. Our focus is to increase visitors to the metro and elevate the visitor experience to drive economic success and enhance the quality of life in the 15 local Greater Des Moines communities we represent. For more information, visit catchdesmoines.com.
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