Dallas, Texas, USA: a city where big things happen, where there’s plenty to see and do, yet a place that has a reputation for being, well, rather disengaging.

The irony is Dallas has experienced tremendous growth over the past 10 years. Yet despite the influx of businesses and residents, the multitude of entertainment options has remained largely undiscovered. Residents have taken a passive approach to the city and, as a result, formed the opinion that there isn’t much to do outside of the occasional seasonal/holiday festival. Even downtown, which is typically the bustling epicenter of any city, is quiet, unexplored and empty after 5 p.m.

The reality is Dallas was and is still growing at one of the fastest rates in the country. But a 2012 study showed consumer sentiment was neutral to negative among residents and, worse, their opinions were affecting tourism and business travel. Dallas needed to change its image, and it needed to start by getting its residents to rediscover the very city that was burgeoning right before their own eyes.

Fortunately for us, outside of the need for permits, the city of Dallas imposes few regulations on branded entertainment.

Challenge: In a city known for being big, the perception is that nothing big really happens.

The city of Dallas, Texas, had an image problem. And the old 'everything is bigger in Texas' stereotype wasn’t helping. Not even the residents could agree on what we stood for, except the one word we so desperately wanted to escape: BIG. Clients mandated that we find a new identity—and not one that was about size.

But BIG is timeless, ownable equity that makes us who we are, so we made the bold decision to embrace it and give it new meaning. 'Big D' would soon mean something other than bigness.

Objective: Change perceptions of Dallas by engaging people in the new reality of the city.

Strategy: Reframe what BIG means to residents and visitors. Create a simple, unifying yet insightful bond— – Big things happen to you all the time in Dallas.

Solution: The Big Things Happen Here campaign came to life through advertising, showcasing people experiencing their moments between the B&G. Advertising alone wouldn’t change the past. We needed to convey that BIG was actually about unforgettable moments. To improve perception, we needed our residents to understand that better than anyone. We harnessed the power of social media to define our campaign and, in turn, built a BIG, blue experience.

We installed 6-foot-tall blue B and G letters and asked Dallasites to make themselves the 'I' in 'BIG'. Overnight, the sets appeared at Dallas’ best attractions, and with a little social media support, soon everyone wanted their BIG moments. Photos flooded the #DallasBIG hashtag from across the city.

The B&G letters have helped reignite interest in our city by reminding us that BIG moments are all around—they just have to be framed the right way.

Imagine the element of surprise when walking past two very large blue letters. An art installation that actually lets you engage.

We created 6-foot-tall blue B and G letters and placed them in prominent locations throughout the city. A plaque encouraged people to stand in the center and make themselves the 'I' in BIG. #DallasBIG allowed them to share their moments.

A map detailing locations is updated regularly on Facebook and VisitDallas.com. However, it is the frequent movement of the letters around the city that continues to inspire exploration and interest. Everyone is looking to share their BIG moment.

Results were measured on the VisitDallas.com and across social media.

• Facebook fans grew 713%

• Twitter followers grew 110%

• VisitDallas.com traffic increased 67%

• Unique visitors grew 30% year over year

• Engagement: more than 12,000 photos posted to #DallasBIG

• Consumer sentiment score: 84%, + 50% improvement over general chatter = changed perception

Though intended to stand for only a few months, the sets have become permanent fixtures throughout Dallas. Over 25 custom sets have been created for special events and brands such as Southwest Airlines and Mary Kay Cosmetics. Even celebrities such as Conan O’Brien want to be a part of the BIG experience.

Because we wanted people to engage and share their experiences in the way that felt most natural to them, we made the conscious decision to never require a single piece of consumer information in exchange for a photo. This is the reason we cannot quantify the number of photos shared across social networks sans hashtag, but we know it’s BIG.