Visit Jacksonville Announces New Agency Partners

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (January 9, 2023) – After a thorough request for proposal process, Visit Jacksonville announces new agency partnerships with Wingard and Madden Media. Jacksonville-based Wingard will be responsible for brand and advertising creative. Madden Media is the agency of record for media buying and placement, meetings and group marketing and public relations.

“The time is right for Jacksonville to take advantage of the momentum, new awareness and popularity of the destination,” said Michael Corrigan, President and CEO of Visit Jacksonville. “We selected the best agencies to help us continue to grow tourism, surpassing even the record setting numbers of the past few years. Both Wingard and Madden are experts at what they do, and we are excited to get to work with these talented agencies to show the world why Jacksonville is the place they should be visiting in 2023 and beyond.”

Wingard is a marketing and communications agency headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla. Founded in 2008 by David Wingard, the company specializes in design, communications and strategy services for clients in Northeast Florida and beyond. The agency’s portfolio includes branding and creative campaigns for cultural destinations and landmarks including the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, the Museum of Science & History (MOSH), the Memorial Park Association and the Beaches Museum; independent food and beverage destinations such as Cowford Chophouse and Intuition Ale Works; and civic organizations like The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, the JAX Chamber, Downtown Vision, Inc. and the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville. “Everything we do at Wingard aligns with our vision of realized potential: for our client partners, our community and our people. We are honored to have the opportunity to support Visit Jacksonville’s goals for continued growth by showcasing everything that makes Jacksonville a great destination to visit — and an even better place to call home,” said Russell Baker, CEO of Wingard.

Madden Media is a full-service destination marketing agency on a mission to spark imagination, nurture curiosity, and connect consumers to communities. The agency’s diverse team develops unique, collaborative, creative-driven solutions for destinations to open minds, remove biases, help strengthen communities, and lead to a vision of a better future. For 40 years, Madden’s destination marketing experts have delivered award-winning and effective work for hundreds of destinations and attractions across the country, including Florida, where many of the team working on the Visit Jacksonville account reside.

"We are thrilled to join forces with Visit Jacksonville to provide holistic destination marketing and public relations support that will bolster leisure travel while continuing to grow the meetings market," said Brett Gordon, Chief Revenue Officer of Madden Media. "Our data-driven strategies will open travelers’ eyes to the experiences hidden in plain sight in Florida’s Northeast, and show them that Jacksonville is home to well-developed cultural, dining, and outdoor experiences, as well as an ideal location for meeting and conventions. We look forward to a thriving tourism partnership with the passionate team at Visit Jacksonville and the community at large."

The selected agencies will deliver creative, original, and effective professional services working as collaborative partners in the development, implementation, and optimization of world-class marketing programs to further accelerate Jacksonville’s growth as a travel destination to state, regional, national and international markets. Contracts with Wingard and Madden Media are for three years, with the option to add extensions.

About Visit Jacksonville
Visit Jacksonville is a Destinations International accredited Destination Marketing Organization contracted by the Duval County Tourist Development Council (TDC) to champion the growth of business and leisure tourism in Jacksonville. For a closer look at all there is to see and do in Jacksonville, go to http://www.VisitJacksonville.com or contact 800-733-2668.

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