Brand USA takes Owensboro Kentucky to world stage

Brand USA takes Owensboro Kentucky to world stage

Owensboro tourism moved to the international stage Thursday night with the launching of Brand USA's "Hear the Music, Experience The USA" campaign locally.

Brand USA, the marketing agency for American tourism, selected Owensboro as one of its Top 10 American music cities last year.

And a short video about Owensboro has already drawn more than 4.1 million views -- and 22 million impressions, the number of times the website is opened -- worldwide.

That's more than any other city in the campaign, Tom Garzilli, chief marketing officer for Brand USA, told a crowd gathered at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum.

Mark Calitri, president of the Owensboro-Daviess County Convention & Visitors Bureau, called the promotion "a beautiful opportunity for Owensboro."

It's time, he said, for the area to capitalize on its music heritage.