Rekindling New Jersey’s Story
New Jersey Historic Trust · Journey Through Jersey
AT A GLANCE
The New Jersey Historic Trust grew heritage tourism across the state through a multi-channel partnership, anchored by the Jersey’s Best pride brand and amplified across additional social and display platforms.
220%
increase in Journey Through Jersey website traffic
40%
increase in heritage tourism visits statewide
404%
Facebook follower growth since campaign launch
4.45%
social CTR in Year 3, vs. a 0.90% benchmark
THE CHALLENGE
New Jersey’s historic sites, battlefields, and cultural landmarks tell one of America’s great founding stories, but not enough residents or visitors knew where to look. The New Jersey Historic Trust needed a storytelling partner who could drive awareness of heritage tourism, increase visitation, and reach audiences across the state in an authentic way.
OUR APPROACH
Jersey’s Best is part of Advance Local’s portfolio of pride brands, each connecting with a distinct regional audience through trusted, locally rooted content. For the Journey Through Jersey campaign, the pride brand was a natural fit. Full-page placements in every issue, sponsored content features on JerseysBest.com, and social amplification gave the campaign consistent visibility.
Building on that momentum, the campaign extended across NJ.com and social channels. Display advertising targeted history and travel enthusiasts, while sponsored content delivered long-form storytelling to another engaged audience. Meta campaigns drove above-benchmark engagement, and a social influencer reel created a standout visual moment that spread organically and earned attention no static ad could replicate.
THE RESULTS
Since the campaign launched in February 2023, growth has been consistent and compounding across every channel:
170,373
website sessions in Year 3, up 28.9% year-over-year
39,240
new users driven to the site by display in under a year after layered display launched
+4,737
Facebook followers gained since launch (404% growth)
472
Instagram follows directly attributed to campaigns since August 2025
WHY IT WORKS
Many agencies optimize single channels—we optimize for outcomes. An integrated approach builds recognition and trust, while social and influencer content drive real engagement. Each channel reinforces the others, and over time the strategy becomes more precisely tuned to what drives visits to New Jersey’s historic sites.
“When we launched the Journey Through Jersey marketing campaign, we knew New Jersey’s rich cultural heritage deserved a spotlight, but we never anticipated the incredible impact it would have on our state’s tourism landscape! Since embarking on the campaign three years ago, traffic to the Journey Through Jersey website increased by 220% and increased heritage tourism visits across the state by 40%. What truly sets this partnership apart is the NJ Advance Media marketing team itself. They are dedicated individuals who don’t simply execute campaigns — they genuinely care for their clients and share a deep interest and appreciation for what they’re helping to promote. This authentic passion is evident in every aspect of the ever-growing digital and print campaign they’ve developed. NJ Advance Media didn’t just help promote Journey Through Jersey — they rekindled our collective appreciation for the stories that make New Jersey special. Their commitment to showcasing our state’s heritage has transformed how both visitors and residents view the Garden State’s rich historical and cultural landscape.”
ASHLEY PARKER
Historic Preservation Specialist 2 / Heritage Tourism Coordinator
New Jersey Historic Trust / Journey Through Jersey
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