Illuminating Austin: driving countless hours of holiday cheer for a beloved Austin tradition

The Story

The Austin Trail of Lights is one of the city’s oldest holiday traditions. The event hosts more than 400,000 attendees each December for 15 nights of merriment, delicious Austin eats and more than 2 million lights.

The Challenge

Uphold the Trail’s traditions while maintaining a unique and modern brand presence in the Austin market. Also, to establish and evolve the Trail of Lights Foundation, the nonprofit that supports the event’s production, promotion and overall sustainability.

100M+

4,600+

10+

LIFESTYLE INFLUENCER
partnerships coordinated

IMPRESSIONS
gained YOY

INTERNATIONAL VIEWS
secured on CNN’s Facebook Live in 2016

EVENT HOSTING
hosted every major Austin media outlet YOY

LOCAL FOODIES AND INFLUENCERS
attended event previews

The Solution

Over four years of partnership, the Red Fan and Trail of Lights teams consistently approached each year with renewed efforts to elevate the Trail of Lights brand locally, regionally and nationally. From the introduction of a new ticketing infrastructure in 2013 to the Zilker Tree’s 50th anniversary in 2016, Red Fan consistently crafted fresh messaging and unique, press-worthy moments that garnered media attention year after year.

  • Showcased the Austin Trail of Lights as the must-see, can’t-miss holiday event of the year in local, regional and national outlets.
  • Built anticipation for new events and attractions each year, including sponsored nights, VIP opportunities, nonprofit partnerships and more.
  • Increased behind-the-scenes coverage of event setup, faces behind the Trail and general production to build credibility for the Trail of Lights Foundation.
  • Established a national reputation with notable newspapers, influencers and travel magazines.

The Results

Each year, Red Fan consistently increased press mentions, exponentially increased media value for sponsors and established valuable relationships with local media partners and social media influencers. In 2016 alone, press coverage from Red Fan’s efforts drove almost 7 percent of the Trail of Light’s web traffic.

Red Fan’s media relations campaigns consistently landed the Austin Trail of Lights and its spokespeople in local, regional and national outlets such as Texas Monthly, Austin Monthly, the Austin American-Statesman, The LA Times, USA Today, Marie Claire, Camille Styles, A Taste of Koko and more.

With Red Fan’s partnership, the Trail of Lights Foundation has been able to effectively raise community interest and awareness of the ways to enjoy this authentically Austin community celebration. We sincerely appreciate their professionalism, creativity and strategic approach. It was a pleasure to work with Red Fan!
Leah Davies
President