Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports & Tourism Launches

COLUMBIA, SC – August 12, 2008 – The Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports & Tourism (MACST) launched a new marketing campaign today to attract meetings and conventions, sports groups, and leisure visitors to Columbia.  The campaign is designed to raise awareness with meeting planners by positioning the city as a vibrant, surprising and exceptional destination for conventions and meetings.

The campaign is built on Columbia’s greatest assets—its happening nightlife, sizzling cuisine, fiery music and arts scene, and of course, heat.  An eye-catching logo captures the city’s essence:  Columbia, SC.  Famously Hot.  The new campaign slogan will be used in all MACST communication vehicles that promote Columbia.

The Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports & Tourism partnered with individuals, industry and community leaders, and ADCO, a local strategic, creative and interactive agency to work through a brand identity process from which the marketing campaign was developed.

Ric Luber, president/CEO of MACST states, “Columbia is Famously Hot.  So many people are unaware that we exist so when they come to our community they are pleasantly surprised at all the offerings of our great region.  It is our job to carry the message that Columbia is here and we’re going to be a major player in the conventions, leisure and sports events industry.  We are also going to aggressively attract the leisure travelers who, when they think of South Carolina, make a beeline to the coast.  We’re going to tell them – we’re here and we’re hot!”

For more information visit famouslyhot.com

The Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports & Tourism is the parent organization to the Columbia Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, the Columbia Metropolitan Visitors Center, and the Columbia Regional Sports Council.  The organization was founded in July 2001 for the purpose of marketing Columbia, South Carolina in anticipation of providing an avenue for generating an economic impact to the region.