THE advertising magazine Adweek reported this week that Images USA, a minority marketing specialist, has "launched a new campaign for the Bermuda Department of Tourism targeting affluent African-Americans".

The work consists of four full-page, full-colour print ads that will run in several magazines throughout the year.

Adweek's Jim Lovel wrote that "the independent Atlanta shop was hired last year to develop the island's first campaign specifically for African-Americans".

Kevin Williams, vice-president of marketing and business development at Images USA, said: "Our creative campaign is designed to bring to life and connect with the mental, physical and emotional drivers of the African-American segment."

The first ads appeared in this month's The Green Magazine, described as "a multicultural golf-lifestyle periodical. Tagged 'Sweet Spot', (the ad) shows a black man scoring a hole-in-one on one of the island's golf courses. Copy notes that Bermuda has more courses per square mile than any country in the world."

Adweek noted that additional ads will appear in the April issues of Odyssey Couleur and Black Enterprise magazines. It also reported that "other efforts include promotions on the island and sponsorship of events that interest African-Americans. (Last week), the Bermuda Department of Tourism sponsored the Black Enterprise Ski Challenge in Vail, Colorado."

The web site blackenterprise.com reported on the gathering in Vail with an "Event Sold Out!" tag on its page of "B.E.Events". Participants had been invited to "join Black Enterprise and Axa Advisors (the principal sponsor) as we celebrate the 7th Annual Ski Challenge! Spend President's Day Weekend indulging in an assortment of pleasurable networking functions with over 700 African-American professionals at the premier ski event . . . at the world-renowned Vail Cascade Resort and Spa."

Judging by the "participant reaction" reported on the web site, the event was very successful. An Atlanta-based participant wrote that "the most appealing quality of the event was the organisation of a wide variety of events; something for everyone, many activities, quality attendees. This was a well-organised, classy affair."

A Jersey City respondent said: "I love the atmosphere, the people and the networking activities."

Kevin Williams of Images USA attended the Ski Challenge in Vail and told the Mid-Ocean News that he saw the event as a considerable success. He noted that the legendary publisher of Black Enterprise magazine had highlighted the participation of Bermuda Tourism in the event.

"I was at the Ski Challenge and the response was fantastic, overwhelming," reported Mr. Williams. "Earl Graves himself, in his welcoming speech, the first thing that came out of his mouth was Bermuda, so that was a great endorsement for us, and we're very excited about that. We had our own booth space, and had Karen Darrell (an account manager in Tourism's New York office) with us to help ,and we had people at the booth non-stop all day, asking questions about the island."

Mr. Williams explained that the Bermuda marketing effort had been significantly enhanced by the participants taking part in a version of The Dating Game.

"The game's theme was 'How well do you know your partner?" explained Mr. Williams, "and it was a lot of fun for the couples, but the objective was to fully immerse people into the Bermuda experience. The audience was served rum cake and ginger beer, and we had the four print ads on big poster boards in this private room, and the room was completely full.

"Afterwards, we had people taking pictures by the posters. It was really well-received in terms of the level of interest, and the interest was greatly heightened by the activities.

"The event itself was sold out, with somewhere between 700 and 1,000 people taking part. We are at the beginning stages of launching this programme, and for us, it's about more than awareness, it's also about education, and driving people to the island so they can truly experience it. It's one thing to tell people about something, but we know they will be amazed when they ultimately experience it.

" We believe, particularly with the African-American audience, you get that word-of-mouth equity, and that's our goal, and the idea behind 'the dating game' concept, to offer people the opportunity to go there.

"The couple that won are going to be staying at the Elbow Beach Resort. It's exciting, and although we are in the beginning stages, we think this first step is huge, this B.E. event, but the 'creative' is out there, and it's a matter of getting the 'creative' in front of the right audience. I think we are going to get them excited and want to come to the island."

Images USA is a young enterprise, "a full-service multicultural marketing communications company" headquartered in Atlanta, founded by CEO Robert McNeil, Jr., who, while still a student at Georgia Tech, was employed by the college to create marketing programmes for minority student recruitment and retention.

The company web site reports that "it is consistently ranked among the top ten multicultural marketing communications companies in America". It has "partnered with a wide range of local, national and international companies such as Coca-Cola, Coors Brewing, McDonald's, MCI, Centres for Disease Control, Nabisco, Nike, Pepsi-Cola, Pfizer and the US Army to develop and implement ethnic-specific communications efforts on their behalf".

Mr.Williams, a graduate of the University of Illinois, "is responsible for providing strategic leadership and brand development for clients seeking to reach multicultural consumers".

Before joining Images USA and a previous advertising company, Mr. Williams worked in Atlanta for Coca-Cola in "a number of strategic marketing positions where he developed strategies for the Powerade, Nestea and Sprite brands, and for the Olympic Games and National Basketball Association properties".