We began our partnership with New Orleans & Company (NOCO) by conducting a complete audit of their existing LGBTQ+ marketing efforts. The audit revealed that NOCO’s online presence was outdated, included politically incorrect terminology, and often relied on the tactic of “slapping a rainbow on it,” resulting in a depiction of New Orleans that did not align with the inclusive place we know it to be. In short, the city’s authentic LGBTQ+ voice was missing.

Boombox’s goal was to bring New Orleans to the forefront of LGBTQ+ travelers’ minds—and not just for the well-known party scene, but also for food, recreation, relaxation, arts, and more. To do that, we needed to directly engage the city’s queer community. We needed to learn what they love about LGBTQ+ New Orleans, as well as their perspectives on how authentic, inclusive tourism messaging should look.

We therefore assembled a task force of local LGBTQ+ leaders to help us form a baseline for our marketing plan. We collected their ideas, insights, and recommendations, and used that information to create a custom content strategy.