Chicago launches new tourism campaign to play up its "swagger"
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Chicago's new tourism ad campaign. Photos: Courtesy of Choose Chicago.
Chicago's newest tourism campaign is meant to attract visitors but also speak to locals.
Driving the news: Kristen Reynolds, president and CEO of Choose Chicago, joined Mayor Brandon Johnson Thursday to unveil "Never Done. Never Outdone."
Why it matters: The city's first major tourism campaign in three years aims to play up Chicago's "swagger," as Reynolds calls it, and push back against negative narratives about the city and state — especially those coming from the White House.
Reality check: Like other major U.S. cities, Chicago is seeing fewer international travelers because of President Trump's travel bans and other federal policies, Reynolds tells Axios.
Yes, but: "The other statistic is a lot of U.S. travelers are not traveling internationally as they had in the past several years, so there's an opportunity to try and recapture some of the domestic market to fill those gaps," Reynolds says.
Zoom in: Choose Chicago created the slogan after speaking with more than 300 locals. It also consulted with focus groups of regular visitors and those who haven't been to Chicago in a while to learn what should be emphasized.
- The website features itineraries made by Chicagoans about food, neighborhoods and even a tour inspired by the Chicago-born Pope.
Between the lines: Recent marketing campaigns have focused on bringing in leisure travelers, but Choose is also speaking to convention and event planners, international sports fans and locals.
By the numbers: The agency's 2024 budget was about $33 million and tourism brought in $20 billion, according to Choose's annual report.
- Choose spent $640,000 over the last two years on creating "Never Done. Never Outdone," spokesperson Isaac Reichman said.
- The tourism arm gets city and state money, but also engages in private partnerships.
- In 2025, Choose has received $22 million from the state, $3.4 million from the city, $5.7 million from MPEA and $3.5 million from private sources.
What they're saying: "This isn't just a marketing campaign. It's bigger than that. It's a rallying cry for everything today, our residents, our neighborhoods, the businesses, our workforce and, yes, our visitors," Reynolds said at the press conference.
- "We're the voice of our city, we're the narrative. We're the ones responsible for saying, and amplifying all things Chicago."
Zoom out: The ad campaign will run in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to say Choose Chicago spent $640,000 on the new marketing campaign (not $540,000).