Treasure hunt with purpose

Summer for many tourism-based organizations on the Gulf Coast can be slowdown central, where deep discounts are the usual way to draw in local residents.

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota is taking a different approach. It recently launched a unique marketing campaign with a treasure hunt twist. Selby, a nonprofit living collection of tropical plans with a living museum mission, hid 40 pairs of binoculars in public spaces scattered throughout Manatee and Sarasota counties. The binoculars come inside a black Marie Selby Botanical Gardens case with a sticker that screams “Prize Inside!” The prize: A pair of passes to Selby good for use by July 31, a $38 value. (The finder also gets to keep the binoculars.)

The treasure-hunt theme, says Mischa Kirby, Selby marketing and communications director, came up at brainstorming meeting. Kirby says the goal was to reach out to area residents who know a little about Selby, but haven't been in a while. The idea was also to spread the word about the variety of summer programs Selby has planned. Selby chose to hide 40 binoculars because it has been in a yearlong celebration of its 40th anniversary since July.