Everyone is creating branded content these days. But all too often, the connection between the idea and the brand is forced. Consumers see it for what it really is, an ad. The best combinations of brand and entertainment are authentic. Which is why we didn’t hire actors or pay random celebrity spokespeople. From the story to the casting to the song, every detail was purposeful so that the end product truly represented Tennessee. And explains why so many people connected with it. You can go a long way with limited media spend if your work evokes an emotion, truly reflects the brand and creates meaning.

The film was posted on bleubirdblog.com and teased through the blogger’s social channels. Dolly also tweeted it to her millions of followers. Tennessee Tourism promoted the film on its website and social channels, and ran a small native video ad placement between July and August.

In a matter of hours, the film racked up tens of thousands of views, and became the most-viewed post ever on bleubirdblog.com. Hundreds of people commented on how inspiring the film was — with many saying it literally brought tears to their eyes. As a result, Rolling Stone asked if could debut the film as editorial content. And with only $30k spent on media, the campaign generated 43 million media impressions, hotel occupancy in East Tennessee increased 14% and tourism revenue went up 21% in Q4 over the previous year.