Ocala Marion County
Florida’s Best Kept Secret Finds Its Voice
From overlooked haven to sought-after destination: Ocala Marion County’s strategic shift in perception.
Background & Challenge
Ocala/Marion County, nestled in the heart of Central Florida, has long been famed for its thoroughbred horses and rolling pastures – so much so it proudly carries the moniker “Horse Capital of the World®”. Yet until recently, the destination’s branding did not fully capitalize on this renown nor reflect the breadth of experiences it offers. The tourism entity was known simply as Marion County, a name lacking the immediate recognition that “Ocala” commands. As a seasoned creative director and behavior-change marketing leader brought in to transform the destination’s image, I recognized a clear opportunity: unify the brand under a stronger identity, and reposition it beyond equestrian travel to a more dynamic, inclusive tourism appeal.
The challenge was two-fold. First, we needed to strategically rename and rebrand the destination from just “Marion County” to “Ocala/Marion County”, leveraging the city’s name for clarity and stronger recognition. This unified identity would bridge the gap between a well-known city (Ocala) and its county, eliminating confusion and imbuing the brand with a sense of place. Second, while embracing the area’s equine heritage as a unique selling proposition (USP) – Horse Capital of the World – we had to simultaneously broaden perceptions. Many prospective visitors saw Marion County as only a horse-lover’s haven, unaware of its springs, rivers, ecotourism, historic downtown, adventure sports, and family-friendly attractions. Our rebranding initiative set out to tell a more comprehensive story: one of natural wonders and diverse experiences, inviting travelers of all interests and ages, and encouraging longer stays including midweek getaways, not just weekend horse shows.
Brand Strategy:
Unifying Identity & USP
From the outset, our strategy was brand-first and human-centered – every decision anchored in what would forge a meaningful connection between the destination and its audiences. We introduced the new brand name “Ocala/Marion County” across all touchpoints, immediately clarifying geography and benefiting from Ocala’s name recognition. The tagline “Horse Capital of the World” was formalized under a registered trademark, celebrating the area’s equestrian leadership as a point of pride. This USP gave us a powerful hook in a crowded tourism market – a superlative no other destination could claim.
However, being the Horse Capital was just the start of the story we crafted. Brand repositioning workshops with stakeholders helped define the brand personality as warm, adventurous, and authentic – not only about horses, but about the love of discovery. We framed Marion County’s varied offerings under this umbrella of passionate exploration. The brand narrative expanded to include the crystal-clear springs and diving caves, encounters with gentle manatees, adrenaline-pumping zipline and mountain biking adventures, charming historic downtown Ocala, and serene forest trails. By doing so, we ensured that Horse Capital of the World became a broader promise: come for the horses, stay for all the wonders. This alignment of brand identity and USP set the foundation for the creative campaign and digital experience to come.
Campaign & Concept,
Connecting Passion to Place
To capture travelers’ attention and hearts, we centered our marketing on a universal human driver: love. We asked a simple, resonant question – “Do You Love…?” – and invited audiences to fill in the blank with what inspires them. This question became the springboard for an integrated campaign built around five passion pillars that our research showed Marion County could fulfill. We literally got people talking by finishing the question with five key themes tied to the destination’s diverse offerings. The number five was intentional – it not only showcased a variety of experiences, but also nodded to the five distinct cities and townships that make up Ocala/Marion County.
Do you love outdoor adventure? Do you love relaxing in nature? Do you love history and culture? These were the types of prompts we used to pique interest. Each was matched with imagery and activities from the area: a rider trotting along a sun-dappled horse trail for adventure, a clear kayak drifting over turquoise spring waters for relaxation, or a couple strolling Ocala’s historic downtown for culture. By starting the conversation with “Do you love…?”, we tapped directly into travelers’ personal passions and positioned Ocala/Marion County as the place that could satisfy them. This emotional, one-to-one messaging approach was core to our behavior-driven strategy – rather than generic slogans, we delivered highly relevant content that made individuals feel understood. Without an emotional connection, it’s impossible to create true brand advocacy, so we aimed to forge a genuine relationship between the destination and each potential visitor.
Digital Experience & Storytelling:
Personalized Planning
Rebranding is not just a logo or tagline change – it required a holistic overhaul of the digital experience to deliver on our brand promise. We launched a new, human-centered website for Ocala/Marion County that acted as a dynamic trip-planning hub and an extension of the campaign’s personalized approach. Every visitor to the site would be met with content tailored to what they loved. To achieve this, we built interest-based pathways: upon arriving at ocalamarion.com, users could identify their interests (e.g. “Outdoor Adventures,” “Equestrian,” “Family Fun,” “Relaxation,” etc.), and the site would respond by curating an experience to match.
The website featured an interactive itinerary builder at its core – a tool that allowed users to select attractions and events and plot out a custom trip with ease. If someone loved horseback riding, they could add a horse farm tour or a riding trail to their itinerary; if they loved water activities, they might add a day at Silver Springs or a kayaking tour. As they added items, the site’s smart system would recommend related experiences through predictive modeling, suggesting “If you love this, you might also enjoy that”. In this way, the digital platform mirrored a friendly local guide, anticipating visitors’ needs and revealing hidden gems. Each primary audience – from equine enthusiasts and leisure vacationers to sports event planners – had a section of the site they could call their own, populated with relevant content and insider tips. This one-to-one content strategy extended the campaign’s ethos into a tangible planning tool, making trip preparation feel personal and inspiring.
“Every digital touchpoint was thus a tailored story,
reinforcing that Ocala/Marion County has something special for you, whatever you love.”
Our digital storytelling didn’t stop at the website. We deployed innovative media to meet users wherever they encountered the brand. Augmented reality (AR) features in print ads allowed readers to scan our magazine spreads with a mobile app (Layar) and instantly watch the destination come to life on their screens – a galloping horse across a pasture or a diver exploring an underwater spring, all embedded in the ad. These immersive touches sparked curiosity and drove readers to learn more. Online, we invested in rich media and interactive ads that served custom messages based on users’ interests. For example, a person reading a travel blog about biking would see a Marion County ad showcasing mountain biking trails and an invitation like “Do you love adventure? Come zip through Ocala’s canyons.” Meanwhile, someone browsing equestrian gear sites might see “Do you love horses? Come visit the Horse Capital of the World.” We even created carousel-style display banners where users could scroll through different passion images and click on the one that spoke to them most. Every digital touchpoint was thus a tailored story, reinforcing that Ocala/Marion County has something special for you, whatever you love.
To keep the experience fresh, we ran continuous A/B tests on creative formats and messaging, optimizing for the highest engagement. Dynamic remarketing then re-captured visitors who had explored specific passions, reminding them of new itineraries and seasonal events. We also integrated user-generated content—real visitor photos tagged with our campaign hashtag—into our social ads, amplifying authentic voices. Finally, we measured every click, scroll, and share, using those insights to refine media placement and creative direction in real time.
Crucially, all these channels funneled back to the website hub for deeper engagement. Every touchpoint, interaction, and impression led visitors to the county’s site, where the content seamlessly aligned with what had piqued their interest in the first place. This closed-loop ecosystem – interest targeted ads to personalized landing pages – ensured a cohesive journey from the first ad impression to the final trip booking. The result was a digital experience that was not only cutting-edge in technology but genuinely welcoming and user-centric, echoing the brand’s friendly and inclusive spirit.
Phased Rollout & Execution
Executing the rebrand on a lean, timely, budget-conscious schedule, we split it into three phases. Phase 1 finalized the core identity—logo, tagline, visual style—and updated visitor guides, signage, and digital profiles to Ocala/Marion County – Horse Capital of the World. Phase 2 soft-launched the new website and itinerary builder to local stakeholders for feedback, then refined the UX and went fully live with a press announcement. Phase 3 rolled out “Do You Love…?” across digital/social drive markets, layered in OOH and AR-enhanced print, and finally expanded into national and niche channels once data confirmed top-performing messages.
This staggered media approach embodied our test-learn-scale philosophy: we monitored engagement in real time, doubled down on high performers, and reallocated budget away from underperforming segments—maximizing impact without overspending.
Throughout, strict timeline and budget oversight kept us on track. By tying each phase to key seasonal windows (for example, launching pre-winter to drive spring bookings) and maintaining agile flexibility—swapping themes, capitalizing on horse-show news, or promoting new flight routes—we ensured every dollar and every day drove the brand forward with high quality.
Results & Impact
In its first year, the “Do You Love…?” campaign delivered dramatic wins across key tourism and engagement metrics. Ocala/Marion County outpaced Florida’s average visitation growth by 236%, driving a 16.2% lift in hotel occupancy and more than doubling RevPAR from $30.83 to $68.08. Bed-tax revenues soared past $5.48 million on 1.17 million room nights, fueling community and tourism reinvestment.
Social and digital channels exploded with life: Facebook likes jumped from 2,060 to 124,000 (a 6,000% increase), while active reach climbed to 11.6 million (over 1,100% growth). Our rich-media ads delivered 6 million impressions and 102,000 engagements at a CTR of 0.17%—2.5× the industry average—driving a 339% surge in website sessions and a 372% boost in unique users.
Beyond the numbers, visitor feedback and surveys confirmed a lasting perception shift: Ocala/Marion County is now celebrated as a multifaceted destination, not just the Horse Capital of the World, but a place in which every traveler can fall in love.
Creative Credit Notice: All featured work was created by Christopher Coppola during his tenure at Evok Advertising. Full rights remain with Evok Advertising and their respective clients. This site serves as a personal showcase of professional contributions only.
