Partnering with local influencers

In 2019 I started a partnership with Cincinnati’s local Yelp Elite community manager, Tyler Minton. As a Yelp elite member myself, I know the power these VIP events have.

Together we planned a special event for the grand opening of one of our newest concession options - Moerlein Lager House. This coincided with the release of our Moerlein beer partnership, so we were hitting two birds with one stone.

Influencers arrived for happy hour and received gate passes that enabled them to clear security and get the full “travel experience”. They were then escorted out to the restaurant location by an airport employee, who gave them a brief tour of our facilities and brought them up to speed on airport current events.

Once they arrived at the restaurant, everyone received a complimentary beer (with an etched pint glass) as well as small bites showcasing the restaurant’s menu. We tapped into our ArtsWave partnership and had a live musician playing and Moerlein’s brew master was on-site to speak with the Yelpers and answer questions. Finally, we played some airport trivia and raffled off $500 in airfare.

The Yelpers wrote glowing reviews of the event, which you can find here.

Overall, this was a huge hit and the airport’s first foray into influencer marketing.