Tourism campaigns usually beg you to plan everything down to the hour. But Cornett and Visit Dublin Ohio are making the case for not planning at all. Their new campaign, “Don’t Plan a Trip to Dublin, OH,” flips the script on vacation messaging—offering a confident wink to families who are tired of the mental load. As Visit Dublin Ohio’s Sara Blatnik puts it, “It’s not just a fun and quirky headline. It’s rooted in research.”
That insight: the people they want to reach are maxed out on logistics. The solution: ditch the to-do lists and lean into ease.
A city that works whether you plan it or not
The campaign’s short videos are a study in lightness and clarity—quick, upbeat cuts of waterfalls, sculptures, and warm bowls of something tasty, overlaid with the core message: Don’t plan it. Just go to Dublin, Ohio, and count on it. It’s a rally cry for families who don’t want to spend two weeks spreadsheeting a three-day weekend.
Familiar friction, flipped
Jason Majewski, Group Creative Director at Cornett, calls out the underlying tension: “Planning a family trip can feel like work.” Instead of hiding from that truth, the team built the campaign around it—treating spontaneity not as a risk, but as a reward. The creative subverts traditional calls to action like “Book Now” or “Plan Your Visit” with a message that’s punchy, human, and yes, scroll-stopping.
A follow-up with real momentum
This new message follows the success of “The Other Dublin”, a cheeky campaign that invited residents of Dublin, Ireland, to visit the Ohio namesake—offering free beer in exchange for the long journey. It worked. Ten curious travelers crossed the Atlantic, and the stunt earned over 120 million media impressions and a Bronze Adrian Award for Integrated Innovation. Visit Dublin Ohio and Cornett are continuing their push to challenge the tired templates of tourism marketing by making bold, human decisions.
Distributed like a travel tip from a friend
Running across YouTube, Meta, and TripAdvisor, the campaign is aimed squarely at short-hop cities like Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Indianapolis. The tone isn’t pressure-filled or overly polished. It’s relaxed, like someone texting you, “Just go, it’s worth it.”
Not planning is the point
Tourism often markets perfection. This campaign markets possibility. It trusts the audience to figure it out—and trusts Dublin, Ohio, to deliver when they do.
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