SPARK, a top independent creative agency known for hospitality and travel work, has been engaged by The St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE) to lead a new creative campaign promoting Watersound and the company’s growing portfolio of hotels in Northwest Florida. The assignment comes as Delta Air Lines launches year?round nonstop service between New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP), eliminating what has long been a hurdle for New Yorkers seeking an easy escape to Florida’s Emerald Coast. As part of this engagement, SPARK will craft the campaign concept, oversee its execution, and handle media planning and buying, ensuring that creative, strategy, and paid placements work seamlessly together.
Jorge Gonzalez, St. Joe Company President, CEO, and Chairman, described the new route as a “significant step in expanding accessibility” that will increase visitation and showcase St. Joe Company’s hospitality, residential, and commercial offerings. Parker McClellan Jr., Executive Director of ECP, added that the partnership with Delta provides passengers with more convenient travel options and is “a testament to the growing demand for travel to our region.” For SPARK, those flights mean New Yorkers can discover Watersound and the surrounding communities without the lengthy travel connections that previously pushed visitors toward central or south Florida.
“Northwest Florida is truly unlike anywhere else in the state, and St. Joe Company is transforming it into a year?round destination. This new direct flight makes it even more accessible to a market we know well,” said Dulani Porter, EVP and Partner at SPARK. “Our team is thrilled to partner with the St. Joe Company team to invite New Yorkers to experience a completely different Florida experience than they are used to. This campaign will introduce the region’s charm, and St. Joe Company’s truly unique collection of hotels, while conveying the ease of hopping on a plane at LaGuardia and stepping onto white?sand beaches a few hours later.”
Mike Kerrigan, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for St. Joe Company, said the agency search focused on finding a partner that understood both luxury and approachable travel. “Our twelve hotels serve everyone from couples seeking a boutique escape to families looking for select?service convenience, and our Watersound communities blend coastal living with world?class amenities,” Kerrigan said. “SPARK’s hospitality credentials and their vision for the New York market impressed us. With Delta’s new flights creating unprecedented access, we’re confident this campaign will invite more guests to experience the Emerald Coast.”
To underline SPARK’s suitability for the Watersound campaign, the agency has built a national reputation for marketing destinations and hospitality brands. It has branded cities and launched international campaigns using research, design, social, and content teams to grow destinations, brands, and tourism economies. These full?service capabilities deliver measurable results: SPARK helped VISIT FLORIDA increase visitation by 23%, supported Marriott in earning the global hotel opening of the year three times, and fueled a one?million?plus jump in social followers for Norwegian Cruise Line. The agency’s portfolio encompasses destination marketing organizations, such as Visit Lauderdale and Visit Baltimore, as well as hotel partners like Marriott International and Hilton Hotels & Resorts.
About Watersound and The St. Joe Company Hospitality Portfolio
The St. Joe Company is one of Northwest Florida’s largest real?estate and hospitality companies. The company has opened six hotels since early 2023 and now owns or jointly owns 12 properties with 1,298 rooms. New additions include Embassy Suites by Hilton Panama City Beach Resort, Camp Creek Inn, The Lodge 30A, Home2 Suites by Hilton Santa Rosa Beach, Hotel Indigo Panama City Marina, and Residence Inn Panama City Beach Pier Park, complementing established hotels like WaterColor® Inn, Watersound Inn®, and The Pearl Hotel This diverse portfolio offers accommodations ranging from luxury boutique inns and expansive resorts to select?service national brands.
Watersound itself is a master?planned community on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Located off Scenic Highway 30?A in South Walton County, the area is about 17 miles northwest of Panama City Beach and features neighborhoods, golf courses, and coastal amenities.