We have been sitting on some very exciting news for a few months that we are finally ready to release. The North Carolina state tourism office, officially the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC), has announced their annual marketing campaign called "Firsts That Last". The Johnston County Visitors Bureau (JCVB) is pleased to announce that Broadslab Distillery in Benson, NC was chosen as a participating tourism partner in this campaign.
If you've been following our Meet the Makers blog series, or you've been a fan of Johnston County for more than a few years, then you've heard us talk about Broadslab and owner Jeremy Norris. Jeremy is a Benson native that epitomizes what it means to be authentic, welcoming, and dedicated. Broadslab Distillery is a labor of love for Jeremy who runs a dirt-to-bottle operation - farming the corn, making the mash, and distilling the shine all on his farm just a few miles from Exit 79 off I-95. Jeremy is also a fifth generation moonshiner and his recipe is a result of hard work across each of those generations.
It's no wonder that Jeremy was selected this year to be featured by VisitNC in their media efforts to entice visitors to explore everything North Carolina has to offer. The "Firsts That Last" campaign is about experiencing something for the first time, one of the key reasons we all travel. In these videos including Jeremy, real visitors (not actors) Zac and Tomo from Brooklyn experience NC's Peidmont region for the first time - tasting moonshine, visiting a farm, and eating local cuisine.
Jeremy's participation in the campaign includes TV commercials, digital videos, print, trade, social media, and public relations. Jeremy recently traveled to New York City with the JCVB's Marketing and PR Manager, Ashby Brame, for a VisitNC media event. The annual event is a chance for VisitNC tourism partners to network with NYC media outlets and freelancers to discuss travel story opportunities. Jeremy was one of the guests of honor this year and we are so pleased with the reception he got.
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Be sure to take a moment and watch the videos embedded above in this blog. We know they will make you want to Visit North Carolina and we hope they will also make you want to visit Johnston County and Jeremy over at Broadslab!
