The tourism bureau still turns to the independent shop for bold creative ideas 13 years after the original indie shop.
After a competitive pitch, tourism bureau VisitLEX The company has decided to continue its successful relationship with CornettAfter 13 years, the independent shop will continue to be its official agency. Cornett continues to be the lead agency for strategy, creativity, media planning, digital strategy and execution.
VisitLEX achieved sustainable, long-term growth in the city of Lexington over the past few decades. This includes reaching a record-breaking $1.7 billion in economic impact from travel in 2024 and formal recognition from Condé Nast as one its Top 5 Best Small Cities in the U.S.
Leslie Miller is the VP of VisitLEX’s Marketing. She says that Cornett has played a key role in getting people to think and talk about our brand. “Through our long-term partnership with Cornett – who appreciates and values what makes Lexington so special – we have created a successful collaborative relationship that benefits the brand as well as the entire community, the economy and the region.”
Cornett is the creative force behind VisitLEX’s viral moments. These moments have been widely praised for their unconventional ability to promote Lexington. VisitLEX’s 2017 campaign featured an ad that was filmed by horses. This helped demonstrate why Lexington, Kentucky is considered to be the horse capital of world. Cornett worked with the bureau to showcase the city’s world-class hospitality on numerous occasions. This included launching a Queen’s Gambit hotel room in 2020 and the first plant friendly hotel in 2022. In 2024, the team sent an advertisement into space, encouraging aliens in the future to visit Lexington. Fast Company called it “so clever and so wacky that it might just break through all the noise.”
VisitLEX, Cornett and their shared goal of changing the way the world views Lexington and the bureau are reflected in each campaign. The work also reflects a client-agency partnership that fosters bold thinking, and encourages smart risk-taking. VisitLEX is now one of the most talked about destination brands around the world.
Christy Hiler owner and CEO at Cornett said: “Our partnership with VisitLEX is one of our biggest success stories.” “Sneakers on horses. A field party for aliens Knights in the ceiling. We are proud of the work that we have done together and can’t be more excited to see what’s next for our brand and city.
