The coronavirus pandemic that arrived in early 2020 upended tourism marketing plans everywhere. It also created a sudden urgency to transition students from in-classroom attendance to distance learning. In Georgia, the Jekyll Island State Park and its famed Georgia Sea Turtle Center made a swift shift to online instruction, posting a free daily series of experiential videos about coastal wildlife.

Butin deftly pivoted in step with our Jekyll Island partners. Getting the word out about Jekyll’s new interactive resource would keep the island top of mind with families at a time when travel and tourism were coming to a screeching halt—and just as spring break was approaching. We summarily blasted out news far and wide about “Scute’s School” (named after the Sea Turtle Center’s mascot) and its entertaining digital content, which included virtual field trips to Jekyll Island’s coastal habitats.

Our quick, collaborative response paid big dividends. Coverage by the likes of the Associated Press, USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, and The Florida Times-Union reached 100MM+. And we were in good company, getting Jekyll included in roundups that mentioned other prominent attractions offering similar experiences—including the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, the White House, the National Park Service, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, and even the Great Wall of China.