OAKHURST, CA – Visit California’s biennial Poppy Awards recognize destinations and attractions across California for excellence in tourism marketing and destination stewardship across nine categories. More than 160 submissions were reviewed for the 2026 awards and narrowed down to the top finalists in each category. Visit Yosemite | Madera County is proud to announce that it was selected as a finalist in the Best Strategic Brand Partnership category for its campaign with KTLA and Southern California Chevy Dealers.
“Our team is honestly over the moon to be named a finalist for Visit California’s Poppy Awards. When we first started working with KTLA on this campaign, I had chills—I just knew it was going to be something special.” Expressed Brooke Smith, Director of Sales and Marketing for Visit Yosemite | Madera County. She continued, “This campaign delivered more than 16 million impressions at costs that are almost unheard of. A huge thanks to The Pines Resort for being such an amazing partner in tourism, and to our models who were troopers with 4:00 AM call times and freezing temperatures in Yosemite. It really shows what is possible when we collaborate and dream big for our destination. We’re excited to see this work recognized and can’t wait to bring home the win!”
Judges selected this campaign as a finalist because it dramatically outperformed expectations, tripling its planned reach through smart partnerships and added-value media. With authentic storytelling, strong brand alignment, and a highly efficient budget that delivered impressions at a remarkably low cost, the campaign demonstrated how strategic collaboration can drive exceptional return on investment and meaningful destination awareness. View the campaign video here.
The Poppy Awards celebrate the best tourism marketing in the state. Tourism marketing has helped make California the top travel destination in the country, providing jobs for 1.2 million California workers and benefiting communities large and small across the state.
This year’s awards ceremony will take place on March 11 at the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center in Chula Vista. The celebration will be held during Visit California’s annual Outlook Forum industry conference, slated for March 10-12 and attended by more than 800 tourism industry leaders.
A slate of industry marketing experts judged the entries across the nine categories:
- Best Brand Advertising Campaign ($1 million & up and under $1 million)
- Best Content Marketing
- Best Influencer Campaign
- Best Public Relations Campaign
- Best Strategoc Partnership
- Best Sustainability or Resilience Award
- Best Trade or Media Activation
- California Welcome Center of the Year
A full list of finalists can be found on the Outlook Forum website.
About Visit Yosemite | Madera County
Since 1985, Visit Yosemite | Madera County has been a guiding light for millions of travelers, leading them to the wonders of Yosemite National Park and beyond. Our journey offers extraordinary experiences, from the Fossil Discovery Center through the Madera Wine Trail to the breathtaking High Sierra. Discover exceptional dining, artisan shops, and year-round watersports at Bass Lake. Experience the nostalgia of the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad and adventure among the majestic Giant Sequoia trees. Madera County is more than a gateway; it’s a destination for discovery.
About Visit California
Visit California is a nonprofit organization with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs—in partnership with the state’s travel industry—that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination. For more information about Visit California and for a free California Official State Visitor Guide, go to visitcalifornia.com. For story ideas, media information, downloadable images, video, and more, go to media.visitcalifornia.com.
About the Poppy Awards
Crafted by California artisan Nicholson Blown Glass in Auburn, Poppy Awards are bestowed every two years to acknowledge the best of California’s tourism promotion. Programs executed in calendar years 2024-2025 were eligible for the 2026 Poppy Awards. Submissions were reviewed by Visit California staff, before blind judging by California travel industry experts.
About Outlook Forum
Outlook Forum is the premier travel industry conference in California, the No. 1 tourism destination in the United States. Outlook Forum brings together C-suite executives and industry decision-makers from California’s hotels, rental cars, attractions, restaurants, retailers and other travel businesses, as well as representatives from Visit California’s global network of offices.
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