The year 2025 marked 200 years since the Erie Canal’s completion in downtown Buffalo. To honor this monumental milestone, the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation launched a summer of immersive exhibits and events. Our strategy for this unique tourism campaign was to invite families and canal enthusiasts on a journey through the complex history of the Erie Canal.
1000000+event visitors.
Project
Social Media
Outdoor
TV
Radio
Website
Awards
2 × Buffalo AAA Awards
Heading on back to 1825.
We developed an integrated campaign under the theme “Journey Through 200 Years on the Erie Canal” that juxtaposed the past and present – even featuring a new radio rendition of the classic canal tune “Low Bridge.”
21.1Mpaid media impressions.
A spectacle not to be missed.
To reinforce the message, we developed out-of-home billboards throughout the region as well as on-site event signage.
Our challenge was to draw intrigue while maintaining the highest standard of historical integrity.
Andalyn C., VP, Creative Director
From towpaths to TikTok.
We also launched a multi-platform strategy including Meta in-feed videos, carousel ads, sponsored stories, and TikToks to highlight the exhibits.
1.1Morganic social views.
6%Instagram engagement rate.
From the initial brand identity to the digital execution, Crowley Webb handled the complexity of a summer-long celebration with absolute precision. Their ability to manage multiple stakeholders while maintaining a unified, high-impact message was the key to our success at Canalside.
Chastity O'Shei, Brand Strategy Manager, ECHDC
The waterway on the web.
All tactics drove traffic to a brand-new ErieCanalTurns200.com, where community members could learn about the event and reserve their free tickets.
88.9Kwebsite clicks.
The campaign didn’t just make waves – it successfully generated massive engagement and visibility for the summer-long bicentennial commemoration.
