This VisitLEX campaign’s World’s First Travel Review By Horses uses psychic testimonials from Thoroughbreds to reframe destination marketing— Clapboard's

Travel / Leisure

The World's First Travel Review By Horses - VisitLEX | Clapboard Ad Archive

Other Travel / Leisure Campaigns

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The World's First Travel Review By Horses - VisitLEX | Clapboard Ad Archive

VisitLEX’s The World’s First Travel Review By Horses, conceived with agency Cornett, boldly reframes travel promotion for Lexington, Kentucky by channeling the highly persuasive format of a testimonial into a format that sits squarely in Clapboard’s FORMAT#7—Presenter Testimonial category, swapping usual visitor praise for psychic transmissions delivered on behalf of the city’s Thoroughbreds via medium Carrie Kenady. Harnessing the insight that 83% of travelers consider reviews a central booking motivator, the campaign draws on Lexington’s foundational identity as the Horse Capital of the World and literalizes the phrase straight from the horse’s mouth, producing a witty yet credible layer to visitor recommendations—this time imparted through the purported thoughts and sensory impressions of horses residing and competing in Lexington’s bluegrass domain. The strategy elegantly fuses regional authenticity, playful supernaturalism, and an inventive twist on social proof, shaping a narrative in which Thoroughbreds weigh in on the merits of local scenery, the hospitality of residents, and the experiential richness afforded by world-class events like the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland and daily life at Mill Ridge Farm; responses such as preferring Lexington to Canada, admiring the landscape, and praising the friendliness of visitors are translated into Google Review-style graphics and distributed across Meta social channels, capturing both earned media attention and digital shareability. Instead of formulaic influencer advocacy or standard destination reels, the campaign leverages Kenady’s established credibility within the paranormal space to act as both presenter and interpreter, delivering the campaign’s central benefit with an irreverent yet authoritative tone that sidesteps cliché and signals both confidence and cultural self-awareness—the approach is squarely targeted at travelers seeking not generic touts but memorable, place-rooted experiences. In positioning, VisitLEX separates itself from competing local and regional tourism boards not with louder spectacle or higher-profile events, but by demonstrating a deep connection to local legend and lore while mobilizing a presenter-led creative device rarely adapted to this degree in tourism communications. The campaign earns 72/100 in Clapboard’s global creative archive. In a fast-evolving travel and leisure sector defined by review culture and travelers’ search for distinctiveness, this campaign underscores the category’s appetite for formats that creatively remix standard tropes while engaging audiences eager for a sense of place as much as destination.

Credits

Client

VisitLEX

Agency

CORNETT

Category Mind Map

48%

The campaign for VisitLEX leverages a unique brand proposition by positioning Lexington, Kentucky, as an authentic and compelling travel destination through an unprecedented angle: travel reviews delivered directly by horses. By tapping into the local identity as the "Horse Capital of the World," the campaign offers a trustworthy and novel source of endorsement from the perspective of Thoroughbreds themselves. This approach underscores Lexington’s appeal not only as a scenic and hospitable locale but also as a premier equine hub, thereby reinforcing the destination’s cultural and experiential value to visitors. The market strategy hinges on the insight that traveler reviews strongly influence booking decisions, with 83% of travelers relying on them as a critical factor. To cut through conventional marketing noise, the campaign employs a creative and narrative-driven tactic by enlisting psychic medium Carrie Kenady to psychically gather impressions from native and visiting horses at Mill Ridge Farm. This inventive storytelling integrates genuine elements of Lexington’s equestrian culture while delivering credible, metaphorical “reviews” that humanize the travel experience. Targeting discerning travelers interested in authentic, immersive encounters, the campaign extends across social platforms using Google Review-style graphics featuring the horses’ telepathic feedback, further enhancing engagement. The blend of metaphysical insight and regional expertise aligns with VisitLEX’s objective to attract springtime visitors seeking a distinctive and memorable travel experience grounded in the city’s heritage.

FORMAT#7 PRESENTER TESTIMONIAL — A person explains the product’s benefits directly to the audience. This campaign most closely matches the Presenter Testimonial format, as it centers on Carrie Kenady, a renowned psychic medium, who acts as a presenter to communicate the “reviews” of Lexington given by the horses themselves. Kenady serves as the mediator, relaying the horses’ impressions in a testimonial style—her direct-to-camera (or to audience) delivery delivers perceived benefits straight “from the experts.” Rather than showing a competitive contrast, narrative arc, or problem-solution framing, the campaign focuses on delivering authentic-sounding endorsements via a trusted “presenter,” using wit and novelty to differentiate. The campaign’s structure—collating quotes and “reviews” and disseminating them as graphics and video—further solidifies its adherence to the testimonial device, with the “testimonial” humorously coming from the horses, but ultimately voiced through the credible medium, Kenady. ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats

1. Kentucky Tourism – Positioned as the statewide gateway to authentic Kentucky experiences, it emphasizes bourbon trails, horse racing heritage, and scenic natural attractions, leveraging Kentucky’s rich cultural identity to attract diverse travelers seeking history, nightlife, and outdoor activities. 2. VisitLexington (local competitors) – Smaller regional bureaus within Kentucky competing on niche equine events and boutique rural tourism, focusing on personalized experiences, heritage farms, and family-friendly horse country adventures to appeal to specialized visitor segments. 3. VisitLex (Louisville CVB) – Competes by highlighting vibrant urban culture paired with Kentucky Derby fame, blending arts, entertainment, and horse racing, targeting travelers who want an energetic city vibe with rich equestrian traditions. 4. VisitMiddleTN – Though centered in Tennessee, it competes in regional horse tourism by promoting a blend of southern hospitality, equine events, and scenic countryside getaways, attracting travelers exploring multi-state horse country circuits. 5. Breeders’ Cup Organization – Focuses exclusively on high-profile horse racing events, capitalizing on global sporting prestige and elite competition to draw international visitors and horse enthusiasts seeking premium equestrian experiences and related luxury tourism.

Q: What is The World's First Travel Review By Horses about? A: The World's First Travel Review By Horses is a 2023 campaign created by agency CORNETT for VisitLEX, the Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau, targeting the travel and tourism market in the United States. The campaign centers on a novel concept: gathering travel reviews of Lexington, Kentucky, directly from Thoroughbred horses through the extrasensory abilities of renowned psychic medium Carrie Kenady. Filmed at Mill Ridge Farm, the campaign captures the telepathic impressions of both native and visiting horses, translating their feedback into Google Review-style graphics and a documentary-style video distributed across social platforms. Q: What creative device does The World's First Travel Review By Horses use? A: The World's First Travel Review By Horses employs the Presenter Testimonial format, as defined by Clapboard's 12-format classification system. In this approach, Carrie Kenady serves as the presenter, directly conveying the horses’ telepathic impressions of Lexington to the audience. The campaign relies on her credibility as a psychic medium to deliver authentic-sounding endorsements, using her direct-to-camera delivery to relay the perceived benefits of visiting Lexington. The structure of the campaign, which features testimonial-style quotes and reviews disseminated through video and social graphics, reinforces its alignment with the Presenter Testimonial device. Q: What is the campaign proposition for The World's First Travel Review By Horses? A: The campaign proposition for The World's First Travel Review By Horses positions Lexington as a uniquely authentic and compelling travel destination by leveraging its identity as the Horse Capital of the World. By sourcing travel reviews from Thoroughbred horses via psychic medium Carrie Kenady, VisitLEX aims to offer a trustworthy and unprecedented endorsement that resonates with travelers who value genuine, immersive experiences. The campaign targets discerning visitors seeking memorable encounters rooted in local culture, using metaphysical storytelling and regional expertise to differentiate Lexington from conventional tourism marketing in the travel and leisure category. Q: How does The World's First Travel Review By Horses rank in Clapboard's archive? A: The World's First Travel Review By Horses holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 72/100. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard's global ad archive. Q: Who are the competitors in VisitLEX's category? A: In the travel and tourism sector, VisitLEX competes with Kentucky Tourism, which serves as the statewide gateway to Kentucky’s cultural and natural attractions, and with local bureaus like VisitLexington, which focus on niche equine events and boutique rural tourism. VisitLex (Louisville CVB) emphasizes a vibrant urban culture paired with Kentucky Derby prestige, while VisitMiddleTN in Tennessee attracts travelers with southern hospitality and regional horse tourism. The Breeders’ Cup Organization stands out by drawing international visitors to elite equestrian events and luxury tourism experiences.