MYSTIC, CONNECTICUT – July 29, 2025 – ThinkMystic.com, the tourism website for the Greater Mystic Area and a marketing initiative focused on elevating Mystic as a premier tourism destination, proudly announces the successful conclusion of its "Think Mystic" influencer challenge. This groundbreaking campaign, designed to capture Mystic's essence through the lens of social media creators, has completed both highly successful rounds, generating significant digital engagement and a wealth of high-quality content that demonstrates Mystic is far more than a day trip.

The promotion delivered outstanding performance metrics, far surpassing initial expectations and demonstrating robust digital campaign accountability. Across both rounds, the challenge attracted a total of 44 participants, who collectively produced 44 high-quality video reels. These influencers boast a cumulative following of over 781,000, and their content generated over 1.72 million views and a total reach of over 1.47 million.

The endeavor's inaugural round set a high bar, showcasing the immense potential of this unique approach. The first-round winner, Jean Michael Coronado of @thejeanmichael, kicked off his video at one of Mystic's iconic hotels before exploring various hot spots along the shoreline. Michael received $3,500 for his captivating content.

"Mystic is a two to three-day trip," said Chris Regan, General Manager, Olde Mistick Village. "If you really want to do it right, you’re going to come here and spend some time and explore our area. We have a lot to offer.”

Following the success of the first phase, the "Think Mystic" initiative shifted its focus to Round 2, challenging already-selected participants to highlight the "hidden gems" of Mystic. The

winner of round 2 is Sarah Unghire of @hazel_and_bean, whose exceptional content further amplified Mystic's unique charm. Her reel showcased hidden gems, like Mystic Museum of Art, Enders Island, and Mystic Disc, and some not so hidden gems, but favorites nonetheless. She received $3,500.

Both winners were announced yesterday on WFSB during a voice-over, sound-on-tape segment.

The "Think Mystic" collaboration stands as a testament to collaborative marketing, bringing together local stakeholders and digital strategists. The success of both rounds was overseen by a panel of judges, including Bruce Flax (President, Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce), Rebecca Pacheco (Digital Sales Manager, WFSB), and Chris Regan (General Manager/Olde Mistick Village).

"We live in a world where marketers have milliseconds to engage consumers. Social feeds are chock-full of white noise - low quality inauthentic content - which makes it harder to get valuable engagement. Further, marketing budgets are leaner and as a result we need to produce more with less,” said David Jensen, Digital Strategist and thought leader behind this campaign for Quinn & Hary. “This campaign represents the convergence of creative marketing, shrewd budgeting and authentic content development which resulted in massive reach and engagement.”

The "Think Mystic" campaign was made possible in part by grant funding from the Eastern Regional Tourism District (ERTD) and the Connecticut Office of Tourism (CTvisit.com/eastern-connecticut).

“Think Mystic” would like to thank all of the content creators for their contributions.

About ThinkMystic.Com

ThinkMystic.com is the tourism website for the Greater Mystic, Connecticut area.

Its primary purpose is to showcase the unique coastal charm of Mystic and the surrounding region, including its waterfront, culinary and shopping experiences, and top attractions like Olde Mistick Village, Mystic Aquarium, and Mystic Seaport Museum.

The website provides visitors with information on everything they need to plan their stay, including places to eat, shop, stay, and things to do. It serves as a comprehensive guide for tourists looking to explore the area