BOSTON AND PHILADELPHIA, February 5, 2020 – Allen & Gerritsen (A&G) today unveiled its work to rebrand the Central Pennsylvania Convention & Visitors Bureau to “The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau” (HVAB). The rebranding effort, which includes both a new name and a visual identity, is designed to increase awareness of the Centre County/Happy Valley region of Pennsylvania–home to Penn State–as not only a college football powerhouse, but also a leisure and business travel destination.

Developed with a nod to adventure, the rebrand launches with a strategic advertising campaign comprised of digital video, digital banner, out-of-home and print executions. The work, which can be viewed here, emphasizes a simple message for visitors to the region: Happy Valley connects you with your “happy.” To bring this idea to life, A&G created two “agents”–essentially, “fun enforcement” officers–of the HVAB. Agent Friendly and Agent Chipper, the stars of the ad campaign, are tasked with uncovering individuals and families having insufficient fun, and writing them a ticket. A ticket for a trip to Happy Valley.

“The rebranding effort, with its focus on a renaming rooted in our region’s personality, represents a significant change in storytelling in the tourism category and also highlights what makes this area unique,” said Fritz Smith, president and CEO of HVAB. “There is so much heart and history in our area, with new adventures waiting in all corners of the region. We have a fantastic opportunity to show a new side to Centre County with our new brand identity. And, we’re delighted with the related campaign creative assets that reflect the energy of our home, along with the vast number of places to eat, sleep and explore here.”

“Our job was to break the mold of the typical ‘Visit XYZ destination’ approach in the tourism category,” said Andrew Graff, CEO of A&G. “With the rise of perfect-for-social-media vacations, we wanted to bring a fresh perspective and show what taking a vacation is all about: connecting with others in a fulfilling, family-friendly place. We are thrilled to work with The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and its stakeholders to position Centre County as an idyllic and fun destination to collaborate, unplug, hike, dine and roam.”

As a component of the rebranding effort, HVAB has launched the PTGo Contest (Go Somewhere With Your PTO). According to the Harris Poll, more than one-fourth of employed Americans do not utilize the vacation time that their jobs offer. To encourage using that PTO, HVAB is encouraging people to enter to win an all-expenses-paid getaway to Happy Valley. Contest details regarding how to enter can be found here.