GCAi Launches Union Station Campaign Targeting Thanksgiving Travelers

SPRINGFIELD — Thanks to a new digital marketing campaign, Thanksgiving travelers at Union Station can learn more about the history of the building and its restoration. The Union Station Instant Experience campaign was designed and programmed by James Garvey and Mary Shea of Garvey Communication Associates Inc. (GCAi) and features two videos produced by Darcy Young.

Initially, an Instant Experience ad looks like a normal promoted post on Facebook or Instagram. Once clicked on, however, it explodes into a full-screen mobile experience featuring a variety of videos, image slideshows, and more.

In the lead video, local historians Wayne Phaneuf and Joseph Carvalho highlight the historical attributes of Union Station and how they were restored to help bring new life to the renovated building. As Phaneuf explains, “this is a rebirth of a building that was so important, and there were enough people around who wanted to make sure that it became great again. What really makes Springfield is its heritage.”

Adds Carvalho, “if someone was here in 1927, they pretty much would recognize all of these elements.”

The historians note that, in addition to restoration of the building’s unique architecture, the planners were able to include murals and other exhibits that highlight the city of Springfield history as a hub of innovation. “We tell those stories in the murals of why the city was such an important place,” Carvalho says. “Springfield has a bright future, but it builds on an incredible past.”

The digital marketing campaign will run during the peak Thanksgiving travel periods and will target both the wider Springfield market and Union Station simultaneously. Both videos can be viewed on the history page of springfieldunionstation.com. GCAi, an independent digital marketing agency, is also a Google Partner and Facebook Marketing Agency Partner.