Maid of the Mist
B2C , Travel & Tourism
For 166 years, Maid of the Mist was the official Niagara Falls boat tour operator on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border. Its thrilling—and wet—adventures to the base of the falls count among the most enduring and iconic tourism experiences in America.
Like any successful family business, Maid of the Mist knows the value of working with people who understand each other’s strengths and vulnerabilities inside and out. Mower has been a trusted advisor to Maid of the Mist since 1989, and our knowledge of the brand, its markets and competitive challenges runs deep. So when faced with a series of obstacles—the loss of the Canadian side of the business to another operator in 2014; the arrival of high-profile, land-based attractions; stricter border controls and a distressed global economy—it was only natural that they turned to Mower for a tourism marketing recharge.
Following a social media audit and competitor research, and using KPIs to zero in on feeder markets, our tourism marketing pros landed on a bolder, theme-park-like approach to cement Maid of the Mist’s standing as the definitive Niagara Falls experience. We developed a comprehensive integrated campaign—one that could evolve to highlight new stories within the Maid of the Mist experience.
And evolve the campaign did, from “monumental,” equating Maid of the Mist with some of America’s great monuments, to “iconic,” with imagery of legendary celebrities digitally altered to sport the tour operator’s trademark blue rain ponchos.
The campaign’s latest iteration, “electric,” capitalized on two recent developments that bolstered Maid of the Mist’s competitive edge: the attraction’s launch of two hydroelectric vessels—a historic first in North America for passenger boats—and its unique, post-2014 dock site near the remnants of a 1903 plant that was among the first to harness the power of Niagara Falls. All-new creative featured a green theme and included a revamped logo depicting the new boats.
Maid of the Mist has a rich history that newer Niagara attractions can’t match and a spirit of innovation that has kept it relevant into a third century. Our campaign touched a chord with audiences as we discovered new and compelling ways to tell the story.
Key Brand as Friend® drivers:
Hey! Our name is pronounced Mōw-rrr, like this thing I’m pushing.