ONLY THE Ss ARE SILENT
CATCH DES MOINES 1
WHO WE ARE
CATCH DES MOINES 2
As the Greater Des Moines Convention & Visitors Bureau, Catch Des Moines brings visitors to the region through events and leisure travel marketing. Ever wonder how Des Moines lands events such as Dew Tour, NCAA March Madness, and the Savannah Bananas? That’s due in large part to our year-round efforts to bring in events that will attract visitors and make Greater Des Moines a fun place to work, live, and play. And all those buzzy videos, commercials, blogs, lists, and headlines that paint Des Moines as the cool place to be? Yeah, that’s us too. Whether it’s through economic impact, job creation, enhancing the reputation of the region, or supporting local business, our work leaves a lasting impression. And while visitors are our focus, locals love us too, using our events calendar and social media accounts to stay in the know about all the cool places to go!
EVENTS PARTNERSHIPS ADVERTISING CO-OP
EVENTS
WE MAKE IT HAPPEN
IT’S OUR JOB TO BRING EVENTS TO GREATER DES MOINES: March Madness, American Cheese Society Annual Conference, etc. What’s the big deal? To put a really big number on it, out-of-towners who attend events generate more than $2.8 billion in travel spending. That’s money spent at bars and restaurants, hotels, retailers, and attractions. We collaborate with our partners to get them in front of those event audiences with catering opportunities, mentions in conference collateral, and first dibs on activations and dine-arounds; along with access to our convention calendar.
SALES
Our Sales team works on bringing in meetings and conventions representing a diverse array of segments: education, religious, hobby, health and medical, government, agriculture, and professional associations, just to name a few. While they may not generate the headlines that the sports side does, they generate big business and make a big impact on the metro.
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SPORTS
The evolution of Greater Des Moines from scrappy underdog to Midwest sports mecca has been a total team effort, with our Sports team helping lead the charge. Events like the AAU Junior Olympic Games and IRONMAN contributed to the more than $100 million in economic impact that sports events have for our community. Sports is big business and contributes to the quality of life for those who live here, along with the reputation of the region.
Des Moines is the best site I’ve ever been a part of.”
Reggie Miller NBA HALL OF FAMER
SERVICES
Even after an event is booked, our job is just getting started. Our Event Experience team works directly with each planner to get them everything they need to ensure an “Iowa Nice” experience that will keep them coming back. From logistics and signage to transportation and event planning, the little touches are a big deal.
PARTNERSHIPS
WE CAN HELP
WHEN IT COMES TO LOCAL BUSINESSES, BIG OR SMALL, we support them all. And while you don’t need to be a partner to collaborate with us, our partners get the benefit of added exposure, insider info, and partner exclusives. As the unofficial concierge for Greater Des Moines, we always keep our partners top of mind when creating content and recommending things to do. It’s a true collaboration, because when our partners succeed, we succeed!
We can’t believe how cool Des Moines is being.”
FOOD AND WINE MAGAZINE
EXPOSURE TO VISTORS
Right out the gates, you’ll get a listing on our website (two million annual visitors) and in our annual Visitors Guide, distributed at hotels across the metro, along with heavily trafficked areas like the airport and the Iowa Events Center. And our marketing content that we use to promote Greater Des Moines – the videos, the blogs, the itineraries, the social media posts – is created with partner priority in mind.
HAPPY TRAILS
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BIKE RIDES FOR EVERY SPEED FIND YEAR-ROUND INSPIRATION DES MOINES ON DISPLAY FAIR FUN + DOWNTOWN FARMERS’ MARKET INSIDE C1_Art Center Cover_CMYK.indd 2
INSIDER INFORMATION
As a valued partner, you’ll receive access to the Catch Des Moines Extranet. You’ll be able to view our convention and meetings calendar which serves as a valuable resource to identify staffing needs and potential collaborations. You will also be able to receive requests and leads from meeting planners. Whether it’s catering, event activations, or marketing opportunities, there’s no shortage of ways to make sure your business is front and center.
OUR FAVORITE BREAKFASTS + STEAK DE BURGO DEEP FRIED WITH A SIDE OF EXTRA Tenderloins Yum! p.30 SPORTS EVENTS 5 THEWORTHHYPE INSIDE p.44 12/9/22 8:58 AM EXTRANET WEBSITE FEATURED LISTING MOINES DISPLAY MARKET DISCOVER CHARMING TOWN SQUARES 11/17/23 2:24 PM VISITORS GUIDE HAVE YOU HEARD? Our marketing campaigns have been recognized by the American Advertising Association, Travel Iowa, and more. CATCH DES MOINES 7
Working with Catch Des Moines creates opportunities to share Science Center activities and events that allow our visitors to engage in the wonder and curiosity of the work around us.”
Dan Raedeker SCIENCE CENTER OF IOWA
It’s all about who you know, and as a Catch Des Moines partner, we’ll make the connections you need to grow your business. With several networking events, such as our VIM meetings (Visitor Information Meetings), Catch a Break quarterly networking mixers, and our Annual Golf Outing, there are plenty of ways to see and be seen.
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CATCH DES MOINES 8 EAT PLAY
LISTINGS THINGS TO DO RESOURCES PARDON
FRENCHIES,
SOMEONE SAY CHEESE CURDS? NO DOG? NO PROBLEM! A PLACE FOR DOGS AND HUMANS KICKED-UP HONEY CURDS C4_PawsPints_Cover_CMYK.indd 1 11/17/23 2:23 PM PARTNER
STAY
OUR
DID
EXCLUSIVES
Liked by hiltondowntown and 1,315 others catchdesmoines Annual Catch Golf Outing
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1,315 others
Catch Annual Celebration ANNUAL CELEBRATION CATCH DES MOINES CATCH DES MOINES GOLF TOURNAMENT
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BACK COVER VISITORS GUIDE
PARTNERSHIP LEVELS & BENEFITS
on catchdesmoines.com
Description listing on catchdesmoines.com Images
Description on listing in publications (when applicable to category)
Featured listing for one month in the fiscal year (DTN)
One coupon on catchdesmoines.com
Access to our Convention Calendar
Priority Media Relations
Receive Leads and Referrals
Brochure Distribution (when appropriate to visitor audience)
Priority consideration for inclusion in prize promotion giveaways
Receive Partner e-Newsletter
BENEFITS PLATINUM GOLD SILVER
UP TO 3 CATEGORIES 2 CATEGORIES 1 CATEGORY
Listing(s)
listing 5 IMAGES + LOGO 2 IMAGES + LOGO IMAGE OR LOGO
displayed on web
UP TO 3 CATEGORIES 2 CATEGORIES 1 CATEGORY
Listing(s) in publications
ANNUAL PRICING $800 $600 $450 ANNUAL NON-PROFIT -- $325 $250 CORPORATE INVESTOR OPPORTUNITIES: As an Investor of Catch Des Moines, you’ll be recognized as a strong supporter of promoting Greater Des Moines as a vibrant, fun, and affordable destination. You will be investing in the mission of Catch Des Moines, helping us bring prominent events and important conventions to town. You are investing in the growth of your own community. You’re investing in the quality of life of your employees. You’re investing in the reputation of the metro and the ability to attract and retain talent. Greater Des Moines is emerging, progressive, and inclusive. For those of us that live here or have visited, that’s no secret. Contact Brock Konrad (brock@catchdesmoines.com)
more information on Corporate Investor opportunties.
for
ADVERTISING
LOVE AT FIRST SITE
WITHIN OUR ADVERTISING PLAN,
we market Greater Des Moines to leisure travelers throughout Iowa and the Midwest using broadcast TV spots, paid social media, pre-roll video, native advertising, and more. We also offer local businesses the chance to leverage our brand channels to amplify their message. Whether it’s a custom TikTok video or a print ad in our Visitors Guide, we’ve got an engaged audience looking for things to do and places to go.
WEBSITE ADVERTISING
With a record two million annual visitors last year, along with new user-friendly design, our website has become the ultimate fun finder for Greater Des Moines. Place a digital banner on our popular events page, or work with us to advertise on pages or itineraries that we’re promoting within our own media plan for maximum exposure. It’s also a great place to advertise for those looking to increase their Google search ranking, as Catch is consistently at the top of all searches for things to do in Des Moines.
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DIGITAL BANNER
1:51 Catch Des Moines FEATURED LISTING
EMAIL MARKETING
We offer several ways to get your message across through our email communications. Options include our Weekly Things to Do newsletter (local focus), a monthly Visitor newsletter (visitor focus), and a monthly Partner newsletter (B2B opportunities), along with a customized e-blast option. With a total reach of more than 20,000 people and an average open rate of around 49%, it’s a great way to reach the decision makers (70% female) of the family!
SOCIAL MEDIA
Our social media channels promote all the fun things, with followers trending north of 160,000 across all platforms. We offer customized TikToks, Instagram Stories and Reels, and boosted Meta posts that all come from our accounts, offering that third party stamp of approval. Our followers average around 70% female, with top geographies including Greater Des Moines, Central and Eastern Iowa, Omaha, and Kansas City. We can also customize a plan that targets the exact demographics and geographies that you’d like to reach. Our social media presence is #awesome!
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EVENT PROMOTION TIKTOK NEWSLETTER VISITOR E-BLAST CUSTOMIZED 1:51 Catch Des Moines THINGS WEEKLY TO DO GIVEAWAY FACEBOOK 1:51 Catch Des Moines NEWSLETTER PARTNER CATCH DES MOINES 11
ADVERTISING
Our annual Visitors Guide is our showcase piece, with over 70,000 copies in circulation at area hotels, attractions, and welcome centers across the state. Created and designed all in-house, it’s a great way to get in front of everyone who is planning their trip or looking for things to do. We also have print options like our Fun Pass and other eventbased collateral that can reach audiences for different niches that match your goals.
VISITORS GUIDE
Fall Into Autumn
Steve Frevert
a constant stream of visitors coming to Valley Junction from around the state and beyond, the Visitors Guide is a valuable tool both to attract people to our district and to spark their interests when they arrive.”
With
HISTORIC VALLEY JUNCTION VISITORS GUIDE 2024 CATCH DES MOINES 10 Buzz
HOME TO PUMPKIN SPICE and everything nice, Center Grove Orchard (32835 610th Avenue, Cambridge) reminds us why we love fall. The cornucopia of fun includes hayrides, bottle-feeding baby goats, a corn pool, super slides, sunflower meadow, and 25-acre pumpkin patch. And that’s not to mention the kettle corn, apple cider donuts, and s’more ice cream shakes. Channel the flannel and make some lifetime memories. Nothing colors our memories of fall like a hike among the changing leaves, and there are few better places than Jester Park (12130 NW 128th Street, Granger). The eight miles of hiking trails are just part of the journey at Jester, where you enjoy activities like miniature (and regular) golf, horseback riding, camping, a bouldering room, and our favorite, elk and bison viewing. Home on the range, indeed. 006-011 Buzz_Mast_Seasonalv2.indd 10 12/4/23 2:37 PM CATCH DES MOINES Do Winter Warmer THERE ARE PLENTY OF WAYS to embrace the Midwest winters, but before braving the elements, we endorse using this season to check some boxes on your shopping list and foodie bucket list. Shopping meccas like Jordan Creek Town Center, Historic Valley Junction, and the Historic East Village are perfect for fashionistas and bargain hunters alike, but it’s West End Architectural Salvage (22 9th Street, Des Moines) that is at the top of everyone’s nice list. That’s because this four-story, 50,000-square-foot warehouse, featured on its namesake HGTV show, offers one-of-a-kind pieces that you won’t find online or at big-box retailers. With reclaimed furniture and custom designs, the appetite to remodel is strong with this one. The cooler temperatures also increase the appetite for comfort food, which Des Moines dishes out in huge portions. Warm up with a bowl of noodles at the vibrant Southeast Asian eatery Lucky Lotus (2721 Ingersoll Avenue, Des Moines), an ooey-gooey grilled cheese at the renowned Cheese Bar (2925 Ingersoll Avenue, Des Moines), or a classic s’more roasted over a firepit at The Bartender’s Handshake (3615 Ingersoll Avenue, Des Moines). Whether you’re in the mood for a juicy cheeseburger or a succulent Steak de Burgo, you’ll find a whole world of flavor in Des Moines. SCAN FOR MORE GOOD STUFF 006-011 Buzz_Mast_Seasonalv2.indd 11 VISITORS GUIDE 2024 CATCH DES MOINES 19 Explore TOWN SQUARES ★ STATE FAIR FUN ★ BIKE RIDES ★ DOG-FRIENDLY METRO HIP TO BE SQUARE GREATER DES MOINES IS FULL OF TOWN SQUARES THAT SURPRISE AND DELIGHT. COME SEE WHY OUR BURBS ARE ANYTHING BUT BORING. Firetrucker Brewery VISITORS GUIDE 2024 CATCH DES MOINES 14 Calendar WHAT’S HAPPENING AROUND TOWN IN 2024 JANUARY The Salt Company Conference January 5 – 7 Iowa Events Center Harlem Globetrotters January 7 Wells Fargo Arena World’s Toughest Rodeo January 12 – 13 Wells Fargo Arena Iowa Caucuses January 15 Iowa Events Center Kennedy Center College Theater Festival January 16 – 21 Des Moines Marriott Downtown, Hoyt Sherman Place Iowa Pork Congress January 24 – 25 Iowa Events Center Iowa Ag Expo January 30 – February Iowa Events Center FEBRUARY Iowa Beef Expo February 10 – 18 Iowa State Fairgrounds Boys State Wrestling Tournament February 14 – 17 Iowa Events Center Des Moines Home + Garden Show February 22 – 25 Iowa Events Center Iowa AAU Kids State Folkstyle Wrestling Championships February 23 – 25 Iowa Events Center Girls State Basketball Tournament February 26 – March 2 Iowa Events Center MARCH Iowa Deer Classic March 1 – 3 Des Moines Marriott Downtown Boys State Basketball Tournament March 4 – 8 Iowa Events Center National Archery in Schools Program State Championships March 8 – 10 Iowa State Fairgrounds Tim McGraw March 21 Wells Fargo Arena Varsity Spirit Sports Cheer Competition March 23 – 24 Knapp Center, Drake University APRIL Fall Out Boy April 3 Wells Fargo Arena AAU Middle School Wrestling Duals April 4 – 7 Hy-Vee Hall at Iowa Events Center Iowa State 8 & 9Ball Championships April 10 – 14 Hy-Vee Hall at Iowa Events Center Kane Brown April 18 Wells Fargo Arena Drake Road Races April 21 Drake University Drake Relays America’s Athletic Classic April 24 – 27 Drake University Zach Bryan April 25 – 26 Wells Fargo Arena MAY Downtown Farmers’ Market Saturdays, May – October 2024 Historic Court District Valley Junction Farmers Market Thursdays, May – September 2024 Historic Valley Junction Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival May 3 – 4 Iowa State Fairgrounds Midwest JVA Challenge May 4 – 5 Hy-Vee Hall, MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex Iowa High School Co-Ed State Track Meet May 16 – 18 Drake Stadium Buzz Downtown Farmers’ Market CAN’T-MISS SPECTATOR EVENTS APRIL 24 – 27 MAY MAY 29 –JUNE 2 JUNE 14 – 16 Drake Relays ★ World-class athletes compete for track and field records in the 114th year of this signature event. Drake University Principal Charity Golf Classic ★ The annual PGA Tour Champions event has raised $53.7 million for children’s charities since 2007. Wakonda Club NASCAR Cup Series ★ The firstever Cup Series race in Iowa features the best drivers in the world vying for a berth in the Cup Series Playoffs. Iowa Speedway Drake Relays Des Moines Arts Festival 014-015 Buzz_CalendarV2.indd 14 11/17/23 2:25 PM CATCH DES MOINES CelebrAsian May 24 – 25 Western Gateway Park Iowa High School Co-Ed State Soccer May 28 – June 1 James W. Cownie Soccer Park Principal Charity Classic May 29 – June 2 Wakonda Club Des Moines Con May 31 – June 2 Hy-Vee Hall at Iowa Events Center Greek Food Fair May 31 – June 2 Greek Orthodox Church of St. George JUNE EMC DAM to DSM June 1 Saylorville Dam and Cowles Commons Iowa Craft Brew Festival June 1 Water Works Park World Pork Expo June 5 – 7 Iowa State Fairgrounds Capital City PrideFest June 7 – 9 Historic East Village IRONMAN 70.3 Des Moines June 9 Downtown Des Moines, Grays Lake NASCAR Cup Series June 14 – 16 Iowa Speedway National Speech and Debate Tournament June 15 – 22 Iowa Events Center, Waukee Schools, Des Moines Schools Iowa Juneteenth Observance June 19 Greater Des Moines Junior High National Finals Rodeo June 23 – 29 Iowa State Fairgrounds Des Moines Arts Festival June 28 – 30 Western Gateway Park Junior High National Finals Rodeo JUNE 21 – 23 JUNE 23 – 29 Des Moines Challenge ★ The premier disc golf event returns to Indianola, with more than 300 competitors of all skill levels. 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At Drake University, we provide our employees with the tools and information to foster a sense of belonging and excitement about our community. That’s why we chose your Visitors Guide as part of our onboarding process. The Visitors Guide has proven to be an excellent source of local insights, highlighting the diverse attractions and events that Des Moines has to offer.”
Suman
Rose DRAKE UNIVERSITY
FUN PASS
CATCH EXCLUSIVE DEALS & DISCOUNTS
FUN PASS
This partner perk allows local businesses to include discount offers on event-specific landing pages for attendees. It’s a fun way to target visitors in town for conventions and events!
PARNTER CLING
We love shouting about our partners, they receive a Catch Des Moines window decal to display loud and proud. Because in Des Moines, only the S’s are silent!
PROUD PARTNER
PASS FUN VISITORS GUIDE 2024 MOINES 11 INDOOR ACTION Winter Takes All Maybe it’s cold outside, but the action is just heating up in Wells Fargo Arena, home to the Iowa Wolves (NBA G League affiliate of the Minnesota Timberwolves) and Iowa Wild (AHL affiliate of the Minnesota Wild). Experience thrills on the hardwood and on the ice. We’re anything but fair-weather fans. 12/4/23 2:48 PM VISITORS GUIDE 2024 MOINES 15 JULY Italian-American Heritage Festival of Iowa Western Gateway Park Yankee Doodle Pops July 3 West Capitol Terrace Junction Street Party July 3 Historic Valley Junction GoodGuys Heartland Nationals July 5 – 7 Iowa State Fairgrounds 80/35 Music Festival July 12 – 13 Water Works Park Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend July 13 – 14 Iowa Speedway National Balloon Classic July 26 – August 3 Indianola, IA AUGUST Hinterland Music Festival August 2 – 4 St. Charles, IA Iowa State Fair August 8 – 18 Iowa State Fairgrounds Des Moines Restaurant Week August 16 – 25 Greater Des Moines World Food & Music Festival August 23 – 24 Western Gateway Park Farm Progress Show August 27 – 29 Boone, IA SEPTEMBER Savannah Bananas September 6 – 8 Principal Park Des Moines Streetstyle Open September 19 – 22 Lauridsen Skatepark Iowa Latino Heritage Festival September 21 – 22 Western Gateway Park Animate! Des Moines September 26 – 29 Iowa Events Center Des Moines Annual Oktoberfest Celebration September 27 – 28 Water Works Park OCTOBER IMT Des Moines Marathon October 20 Downtown Des Moines USA Wrestling Brian Keck Memorial Preseason Nationals October 24 – 27 Iowa Events Center Norman E. Borlaug International Symposium October 29 – 31 The World Food Prize NOVEMBER Des Moines Turkey Trot November 28 Downtown Des Moines Festival of Trees & Lights November 29 – December 1 Iowa Events Center DECEMBER Jolly Holiday Lights 2024 Holiday Shopping Season Outlets of Des Moines Iowa Dance & Drill Team Association State Team Competition Iowa Events Center Christkindlmarket Des Moines December 5 – 8 Principal Park SEPT 6 – 7 SCAN FOR MORE GOOD STUFF Savannah Bananas ★ Banana Ball is back! Watch the TikTok sensations take on the Party Animals in a threegame series. Principal Park Junior High National Finals Rodeo ★ One of the largest rodeos in the world comes to the capital city, with more than 1,000 middle-school students competing for scholarships and prizes. Indianola Christkindlmarket Des Moines 11/17/23 2:25 PM
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CO-OP
LET’S GET TO WORK
OUR CO-OP
PROGRAM CAN
SUPERCHARGE the promotion of any attraction or event in Greater Des Moines. Each co-op campaign starts with the media strategy and tactics, which are customized according to the partner’s audience and call to action. Campaign creative is then crafted in the Catch Des Moines brand and voice to disguise the sell as a can’t-miss recommendation from the experts in everything happening around Greater Des Moines. The best part? Catch pays for 30% of the media placement, giving you more bang for the buck than you’d get on your own. *Subject to availability.
OUT-OF-HOME
Out-of-home placements include static billboards, digital billboards, and a variety of other digital screens in high-traffic environments, like the ones at gas pumps. Our out-of-home placements will feature billboardstyle creative in a range of sizes.
OUT-OFHOME
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OUT-OFHOME
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GUERILLA
Guerilla tactics take advantage of non-traditional and/or unexpected placements to effectively capture the attention of large audiences and efficiently raise awareness. Our guerilla tactics can include wheat paste posters on buildings, sidewalk stencils on busy streets, DART bus wraps, and more.
HAVE YOU HEARD?
Our Iowa State Fair co-op partnership includes ads on Chicago Cubs radio!
Catch gets the good word out about all the cool things happening in our city!”
Nick Tillinghast DES MOINES DOES THINGS
PRE-ROLL
Pre-roll ads are the short, targeted videos that appear before other video content on platforms like YouTube. Our pre-roll ads are 15 seconds in length. We can use existing b-roll footage from the partner or footage that we may have on file. The front-end bumper contains an elongated “sound” word tailored to the partner, and the backend bumper contains the call to action and logos. All clicks will be sent to the partner’s specific landing page.
GUERILLA PRE-ROLL
ITINERARIES
Itineraries are blog-style lists that feature things to look for at the partner’s event. Our itineraries live on the Catch Des Moines website (beyond the duration of the campaign) and can also be featured as part of paid social campaigns. These itineraries are customizable, with the default approach being “Five Things to Look For,” where five elements are talked about. We incorporate authentic imagery from Instagram, along with information that drives back to the partner’s page.
Catch Des Moines has the right team that creates magic for all events just when you needed.”
Enrique Pena Velasco
HERITAGE FESTIVAL
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Liked by imtdesmoinesmarathon and 405 others catchdesmoines Let’s gooooo!!!
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SOCIAL
Paid ads and boosted posts on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok expand the reach of the campaign beyond organic traffic, delivering a sponsored message directly to users’ favorite feeds. Our social ads will target adults ages 25 to 54 with interests that relate to the partner’s event or business.
DISPLAY
Display ads come in many shapes and sizes in order to follow users across the web, appearing in places like the banners at the top of webpages or in the middle of news stories. Our display ads will be served in a variety of sizes, including 300x250, 320x50, 728x90, and 160x600. All clicks will be sent to the partner’s specific landing page.
DISPLAY
LATINO
ITINERARY BOOSTED SOCIAL CATCH DES MOINES 16 LATINO HERITAGE FESTIVAL ADVENTURELAND
The Catch Des Moines Visitors Guide is not only a great place to advertise our Nothing Compares Iowa State Fair, it’s also a great resource for Fair-goers to find great restaurants and hotels during their stay.”
Bob Haines
IOWA STATE FAIRThe Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival has always enjoyed working with the Catch Des Moines team with promoting our events via their broad reach on social media platforms.”
Brooks Reynolds
BLUE RIBBON BACON FOUNDATIONBy far the most reach for the dollar, partnering with Catch Des Moines on marketing efforts is a no-brainer. The ROI we receive when partnering is always worth the investment.”
Larry
Kaster HISTORIC VALLEY JUNCTIONGOOOOO!!! LET’S
GOOOOO!!!
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