From Maycation to
Permanent Staycation:
Reconnecting Washington Locals with MOPOP
The Context
Locals Missing from Their
Own Iconic Institution
Despite standing as a 25-year Seattle icon, MOPOP struggled with a paradox common to cultural landmarks—low visitation from the very locals who lived in its shadow. Washington residents, the potential year-round audience, remained an untapped market.
May historically represented a visitation valley between spring break and summer tourism, creating the perfect testing ground for a solution to both challenges.
The Process
Creating a Local Love
Letter
The Marketing team and the Earned Revenue Committee created a new concept a MOPOP Maycation. For the entire month of May 2024, Washington residents could snag and all-day museum ticket for just $24.
We created a campaign that spoke directly to Washingtonians' shared identity. We bypassed generic tourism messaging and instead created content that winked at local quirks and insider knowledge:
Socks and Birkenstocks? Check
Vitamin D supplements at the ready? Check
And absolutely. no. umbrellas.
Our integrated approach leveraged multiple channels:
Earned Media: Local press coverage highlighting the Washington-exclusive offer
Paid Channels: Targeted Meta campaigns, Performance Max optimization with geo-targeting
Owned Channels: Custom email journeys, featured newsletter placements, and organic social content built for sharing
The campaign voice captured the Pacific Northwest's self-aware humor while positioning MOPOP as a fellow local—one that gets the inside jokes because it's part of the community fabric.
Organic Social Content
The Outcome
From Month-Long Experiment
to Evergreen Success
What began as a one-month tactical promotion revealed something more significant. The campaign generated immediate traction:
Over 350,000 impressions across platforms with strong engagement rates
18% year-over-year increase in Washington resident visits
Exceeded segmented visitor goals for the test period
The success prompted a question: Why limit this connection to May?
Based on the campaign's performance, it was clear we should expand the concept. In January 2025, we launched our "Now + Forever" Washington Resident Discount—a permanent 15% off admission that has driven a remarkable 43% increase in local visitation to date.
The Maycation experiment evolved into a cornerstone of MOPOP's community engagement strategy, transforming how the institution connects with its home market.
WA Resident Campaign
Creative + Organic Social
Note: MOPOP went through a rebrand between the original Maycation campaign and the creation of the WA Resident program, which is why the creative looks distinctly different from the Maycation Campaign.
My Role: Concept to Implementation Leadership
I led the Earned Revenue Team to identify the strategic opportunity to target Washington residents during a traditionally slow period
Pitched the initial Maycation concept and partnered on creative development with distinctive local-focused messaging
Directed campaign planning and execution across paid, owned, and earned channels
Analyzed performance data that supported the business case for a permanent resident discount
Led the strategic expansion from limited-time promotion to year-round program