West Virginia needed to convince potential visitors that despite many negative perceptions, the state is home to warm, down-to-earth people, an abundance of natural beauty and a way of evoking a sense of longing in those who have experienced it before.

Inspired by John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” the campaign used “Almost Heaven” as its tagline. Print photography had to convey an ethereal, mystical quality to the natural beauty found throughout the state. This would pay off “Almost Heaven,” painting a picture of a place that feels pure and unearthly. Headlines and copy hinted at universal concepts of heaven: peace, spirituality, revelations and transcendence.

In less than a year, West Virginia hotel occupancy has increased by 6.5% and revenue is up by over 14%. These are dramatic surges over figures achieved before BVK took over the business.