No ordinary winter in NYC with new marketing campaign

LONDON — NYC & Company is inviting visitors to ‘Find a Winter Less Ordinary’ as part of its new year-round seasonal promotion, Unlock NYC.

Starting today on nycgo.com/unlock, the campaign offers tips including both daytime and nighttime experiences sharing insights from the following categories: Hidden Spaces in Iconic Places; Cinematic City; Eats, Treats & Secret Menus; Stores with Stories; and Broadway & Beyond.

Building on this first phase, the website will ultimately incorporate insights from tourism industry experts and social media influencers, and finally, a social media campaign will invite visitors and New Yorkers to be the expert and share their own insider tips about their winter in NYC experiences.

Sample highlights include:

“The Staten Island Ferry has enclosed seating, runs 24/7 and, best of all, is free. Take a night sightseeing cruise: grab a coffee or beer (sold on board), curl up by the big picture windows and watch the city skyline sail by. Disembark in St. George, and stay for a drink or a meal.”
“Zabb Elee, in Jackson Heights, Queens, earned a Michelin star, but for those in the know, the scene is at its downstairs sake bar. Order a drink and relax over beautiful small plates like the chili garlic pasta with shrimp tempura – just the sort of spice to warm you on a winter’s night.”
“As soon as you bite into a charred slice from a real Brooklyn coal oven, it hits you: you’ve never had pizza like this before. Three of the best places to savor the genuine article are Totonno’s, in Coney Island, and Grimaldi’s and Juliana’s, both in DUMBO. They only sell whole pies, so invite someone special along to share it.”

Tips will highlight quintessential and only-in-NYC experiences that will help visitors discover New York City during the winter months. In January, February and March, a typically slower period of travel, travelers can take advantage of the lowest hotel room rates of the year as well as NYC & Company’s signature dining and theater promotions. For more information on Unlock NYC, visit nycgo.com/unlock.

“This winter, we are giving visitors the keys to unlock a more accessible, affordable and intimate NYC,” said Fred Dixon, president and CEO of NYC & Company. “Whether it’s walking the Brooklyn Bridge as snow falls, skating on one of the outdoor ice rinks, or keeping warm in a world-class museum, we’re encouraging visitors to discover a different side of NYC.”

During the first three months of the year, the average daily room rate is approximately US$235, about 22% lower than the average for the rest of the year. Additional savings opportunities are available through NYC & Company’s dining and theater promotions. NYC Restaurant Week offers three-course prix-fixe lunches for $25 and three-course prix-fixe dinners for $38 (excluding beverages, gratuities and taxes). It runs Jan. 18 – Feb. 5 with reservations opening Jan. 6. Visitors and can also take advantage of two-for-one theater tickets to a selection of the best shows in town during NYC Broadway Week (Jan. 19 – Feb. 5; tickets on sale Jan. 7) and NYC Off-Broadway Week (Feb. 1–14; tickets on sale Jan. 19).

With an initial estimated US$7 million media value reaching 1.3 billion impressions, Unlock NYC is supported through an integrated multimedia plan through paid, owned, shared and earned media. The campaign was launched in London today with promotion during WTM covering 65 outdoor billboards and digital media. It also includes social media engagement using #UnlockNYC.