Hear the Music: Owensboro, Kentucky

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.

Kristen
Branscum, commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Tourism, said Thursday was
a time "to celebrate another feather in Owensboro's cap."

The
community's bourbon, bluegrass and barbecue promotion is something authentic
that tourists -- foreign and domestic -- are looking for, she said.

Bluegrass
music, Branscum said, "is a calling card for Owensboro and the entire
state."