“It’s an honor to be recognized by Shop America Alliance for our innovation and creative efforts on promoting the great state of Texas as a shopping destination,” said Chase. “We’re thrilled with the success of our long-running branding campaign and its outstanding results, and we look forward to continuing to build upon this momentum in 2010.”

“We are proud to have our work recognized with an SASI Merit Award,” said Drew Holmgreen, management supervisor for TM Advertising. “The state of Texas offers so many incredible vacation opportunities, and through our collaborative efforts with our partners at Texas Tourism, we’ve been able to create great successes in showcasing them.”

“TaxFree Shopping Texas,” one of Texas Tourism’s partners, also received a 2009 SASI Award for “The Power of Advertising to the International Shopper.”  This initiative capitalizes on the allure of Texas and the state’s provision to refund sales tax to international shoppers.  The Lone Star State is one of only two states that offers this business building tax arrangement.  “TaxFree Shopping Texas” highlights the state’s attractions, shopping venues, and tax free opportunities. The award was presented to Carolyn Petty, director of marketing for TaxFree Shopping, Ltd. for her work on the brochure.

For the complete list of SASI winners or more information on the conference, visit www.shopamericaconference.com. 

Shop America Alliance LLC is the exclusive travel trade organization representing more than 200 premier shopping tourism destinations, retailers, shopping centers, museum stores and outlets in North America. Founded in 1998, Shop America Alliance produces the annual Shop America Tourism Conference and SASI Awards, publishes Shop America magazine and markets more than 200 shopping, dining and cultural tours in 40 cities at shopamericatours.com, theculturaltraveler.com and through leading tour operators and travel partners. For more information visit shopamericatours.com or call 707-224-3795.

“We’re honored and humbled to receive three Adrian Awards for our Texas Tourism campaign,” said Sophie Reeds, account supervisor for TM Advertising. “With a rich history in Texas, TM Advertising takes tremendous pride in the work we produce for the Lone Star State. As Texas Tourism’s advertising agency of record for more than 12 years, we’ve successfully helped to change perceptions about Texas as a vacation destination, while showing vacationers the true Texas experience.”

This year’s awards competition attracted nearly 1,100 entries from around the world, with entries judged by top executives from all sectors of the industry.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with the success of our ‘It’s Like a Whole Other Country’ campaign,” said Julie Chase, chief marketing officer for the Texas Office of the Governor, Economic Development and Tourism Division.  “We’re honored that our work is being recognized and celebrated worldwide, and we continue to welcome Texas visitors and our residents alike to explore all that this vast state has to offer.”

In addition to celebrating TM Advertising’s award-winning work, the gala honors lifetime achievement and the “Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing.” All winning entries are accessible on the Adrian Award Winners’ Gallery online at www.adrianawards.com.

“We are honored that our creative work was selected as recipients of such distinctive awards, especially given the impressive creative done from all over the country,” said Julie Chase, chief marketing officer for the Texas Office of the Governor, Economic Development and Tourism Division.  “TM Advertising worked hand-in-hand with our team to develop a tremendously successful campaign for the Lone Star State. Everyone involved deserves to be recognized for their hard work and dedication to promoting the great state of Texas.”

The NCSTD Mercury Awards were created in 1985 by the U.S. Travel Association’s National Council of State Tourism Directors (NCSTD) to recognize members for excellence and creative accomplishment in state/territory tourism marketing and promotion; and to inspire by showcasing outstanding work and the continued development of imaginative and exciting marketing and promotion programs.

“We’re thrilled to take home two Mercury awards for Texas Tourism,” said Drew Holmgreen, management supervisor for TM Advertising. “Being a Texas-born agency, TM takes a lot of pride in the work for our great state and even more pride in what we’ve accomplished to change perceptions about Texas as a vacation destination, while showing vacationers the true experience.”

Texas Tourism’s latest advertising campaign, created by TM Advertising, Texas Tourism’s advertising agency of record, was launched in February 2008.  To view the entire integrated campaign, visit www.TravelTex.com/ads/allads.aspx.

Texas On Tour, developed by TM Advertising (Texas Tourism’s advertising agency of record), and managed by RedPeg Marketing, is a 53-foot interactive experience that is traveling across the United States again this year with 11 stops coast to coast, including a special stop in the Big Apple. New Yorkers will experience firsthand how to Texas two-step from the world-famous honky-tonk Billy Bob’s of Fort Worth, test their lasso skills with a real dude ranch trick roper from Bandera, Texas, hear a live concert by Will Sexton and get photos taken with Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. Families will learn how to build the ultimate sand castle by a sand castle sculptor, pose for a picture in front of the Alamo and meet unique animals from SeaWorld San Antonio. And Texas On Tour is bringing Asleep at the Wheel to the Seaport Music Festival stage on May 29.

Other highlights of the Texas On Tour experience include:

• Virtual Reality Kayak Adventure – Ride the Waterways of Texas.
Through a virtual-kayak simulator, riders will travel through the rapids of the Big Bend Country canyons to Austin’s Lady Bird Lake and continue on their journey to the serene Caddo Lake. The journey ends on the rolling waves of the Gulf of Mexico.

• Green-Screen Photo Experience – Picture Yourself in Texas.
Visitors will be transported to the historic Alamo, the grandiose scenery of the Palo Duro Canyon, adventure-filled SeaWorld San Antonio or glamorous skylines of a Texas metropolis. Through green-screen technology, visitors can take a piece of Texas with them.

• Virtual Beach Stroll – Stroll Along the Texas Coast.
Visitors are transported to the beautiful beaches of Texas’ magnificent coastline, stretching 624 miles along the sun-kissed Gulf Coast. The bountiful fishing, sparkling sands and major metropolitan areas such as Houston and Corpus Christi bring this virtual experience to life.

• Entertainment Stage
Featuring live entertainment, Texas musicians and interesting Texas trivia.

• Dome Projection Theater – Discover Texas.
Theater-style setting where consumers can view all sides of Texas, from waterways to nightlife to adventure. After a brief, informative and entertaining movie, visitors participate in a trivia game and have the chance to win prizes.

• Major Sponsors of Texas On Tour
Dallas/Fort Worth Area Tourism Council
San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau
SeaWorld San Antonio

Traditional and nontraditional advertising, guerrilla marketing and public relations anchor the effort, including Web and radio advertising, promotion and a viral e-mail campaign. Street teams dressed in Texas attire accompanied by cowboys on horseback will take to key spots throughout Manhattan to hand out refrigerator magnets with the “Come to Texas On Tour to Win a Free Trip for Two to Texas” promotion, which runs through October 2009.

“Texas On Tour is traveling to 11 destinations across the United States in 2009 to promote tourism to Texas and give potential visitors an opportunity to experience some of the sights and sounds of the Lone Star State,” said Julie Chase, chief marketing officer for the Texas Office of the Governor, Economic Development and Tourism Division. “New York City is one of the most diverse and unique cities in the world and, therefore, presents a tremendous opportunity for us to introduce Texas to a variety of people who may not be aware of the exciting experiences the Lone Star State has to offer.”

Texas Tourism’s latest advertising campaign launched in February 2008. To view the integrated campaign created by TM Advertising, visit http://www.traveltex.com/ads/allads.aspx.

“Our goal is to give potential visitors the ability to truly experience the sights and sounds of Texas,” said Drew Holmgreen, management supervisor for TM Advertising. “Texas On Tour nicely complements our advertising campaign for Texas Tourism and is designed to generate an emotional response from participants as they experience a variety of unique Texas attractions and adventures.”

Texas On Tour will be at the following fairs and festivals in 2009:

Joint Services Open House May 15–17 Andrews AFB, MD
NYC – South Street Seaport (stand alone) May 28¬–31 New York, NY
Riverbend Music Festival June 5–13 Chattanooga, TN
Summerfest June 25–July 5 Milwaukee, WI
Three Rivers Festival July 11–19 Fort Wayne, IN
AirVenture Oshkosh 2009 July 27–August 2 Oshkosh, WI
Chicago – Navy Pier (stand alone) August 14–16 Chicago, IL
Illinois State Fair August 20–23 Springfield, IL
Colorado Balloon Classic September 5–7 Colorado Springs, CO
Los Angeles County Fair September 11–20 Pomona, CA
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta October 3–11 Albuquerque, NM

For more information on all there is to see and experience in Texas, visit www.TravelTex.com or call 1-800-8888-TEX to order the Official Texas State Travel Guide and map.