Brand USA Collaborates with Four U.S. Destinations to Showcase America’s Music, Food, and Film at The Cambridge Club Festival
Brand USA’s sponsorship of The Cambridge Club Festival, held June 7-9 in Cambridge, England, was part of our ongoing mission to increase destination awareness and build positive brand perception for the United States and our partner destination marketing organizations. In partnership with Visit California, Kentucky Department of Tourism, Travel Texas, and Visit Austin, our bespoke activation aimed to highlight the tastes, sounds, and spirit of the USA, targeting the festival’s sophisticated and affluent audience.
By engaging festival-goers through multiple touchpoints, we aimed to inspire travel, drive bookings across the USA, and offer valuable opportunities for direct engagement between DMOs and trade and media professionals.
This year’s Cambridge Club Festival provided the perfect stage to showcase U.S. destinations through a fusion of music, food, film, and interactive experiences. Club USA, the VIP hospitality area sponsored by Brand USA, played a pivotal role in engaging festival attendees and connecting them to the allure of American travel.
Throughout the weekend, VIP festival-goers were treated to a culinary journey across the United States. Kentucky and Texas BBQ took center stage, as renowned pitmasters teamed up with popular U.K. cooking hosts to deliver smoky, authentic flavors. The USA Speakeasy also offered a true taste of America, featuring exclusive tastings of California wines and Kentucky bourbon.
Austin native Henry Invisible brought a dose of Texas funk, energizing the crowds with his eclectic musical style. The integration of U.S. music, food, and drink immersed visitors in a slice of the USA, offering an authentic experience that resonated across all touchpoints of the festival.
Our family-friendly activation, inspired by Visit California’s latest campaign, “The Ultimate Playground,” gave families an interactive space to explore. This play area became a hub for fun and adventure, capturing the essence of the Golden State’s appeal for travelers of all ages.
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Club USA didn’t stop with music and food; it also offered a quiet retreat with the USA Outdoor Cinema. Festival attendees were invited to sit back, relax, and enjoy 10 iconic U.S. films, including fan favorites like Elvis, Dirty Dancing, Pretty Woman, and Top Gun. The cinema also served as a platform to promote U.S. travel, showcasing our “America’s Musical Journey” film, our “Experience It All” campaign videos playing between films and a special Travelbag video encouraging attendees to book their next trip to the USA.
Brand USA’s activation at The Cambridge Club Festival also included a luxury travel agent training event at the Amazing Grace music venue in London, which included a panel featuring the partner destination marketing organizations and an exclusive Henry Invisible concert. The festival wrapped up with an exclusive brunch for the VIP trade attendees.
In addition, to promote wider destination messaging and drive bookings to the USA, Brand USA ran a consumer campaign in the lead up to and during the festival, driving consumer traffic to a landing page with bookable itineraries through our trade partner, Travelbag. The objective was to reach consumers during a key planning window, pique their interest and curiosity, with activity live in June and a follow-up of re-targeting activity in September.
This targeted approach, combined with a sold-out weekend that attracted over 30,000 attendees, ensured high-impact engagement with both affluent consumers and travel trade experts.
Overall, the weekend was an exciting blend of culinary, cultural, and entertainment experiences that left festival-goers with lasting memories—and a stronger desire to visit the USA.