Visit Oxnard Announced as Finalist for Visit California Poppy Award for Best Brand Advertising Campaign Under $1 Million

Visit California’s biennial Poppy Awards recognize destinations and attractions across California for excellence in tourism marketing and destination stewardship across nine categories. More than 160 submissions were reviewed for the 2026 awards and narrowed down to the top finalists in each category. Visit Oxnard is proud to announce that it was selected as a finalist in the Best Brand Advertising Campaign Under $1 Million category for its brand refresh campaign, titled, “A Beat Apart.”

“Being named a finalist for a Visit California Poppy Award is a meaningful honor for Visit Oxnard and a strong validation of our comprehensive brand refresh,” said Brittney Hendricks, President & CEO of Visit Oxnard. “The campaign was created to authentically capture Oxnard’s coastal energy, creative spirit, and diverse community while elevating our visibility as a distinct California destination. We’re proud to see Oxnard recognized alongside some of the state’s most innovative tourism brands.”

A Beat Apart repositioned Visit Oxnard by embracing the city’s authentic rhythm and cultural identity, transforming its underdog status into a bold brand anthem rooted in Mexican American heritage, music and local pride. Fueled by real community voices, a custom soundtrack and smart, budget-efficient media, the campaign reintroduced Oxnard as a culturally rich, approachable coastal destination while delivering standout engagement and performance results.

Judges selected it as a finalist for its authentic, culturally driven brand storytelling that clearly captured the heart of Oxnard, paired with measurable goals, integrated execution and strong engagement that proved the campaign’s impact.

“California’s tourism industry continues to set the standard for creativity and excellence,” said Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California. “This year’s Poppy Award finalists have demonstrated exceptional innovation in their campaigns, showcasing the incredible diversity and vitality that makes California the nation’s top travel destination. We’re honored to recognize their outstanding contributions to our industry.”

The Poppy Awards celebrate the best tourism marketing in the state. Tourism marketing has helped make California the top travel destination in the country, providing jobs for 1.2 million California workers and benefiting communities large and small across the state.

This year’s awards ceremony will take place March 11 at the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center in Chula Vista. The celebration will be held during Visit California’s annual Outlook Forum industry conference, slated for March 10-12 and attended by more than 800 tourism industry leaders.

A slate of industry marketing experts judged the entries across the nine categories

• Best Brand Advertising Campaign ($1 million & up and under $1 million)
• Best Content Marketing
• Best Influencer Campaign
• Best Public Relations Campaign
• Best Strategic Partnership
• Best Sustainability or Resilience Award
• Best Trade or Media Activation
• California Welcome Center of the Year
  
  A full list of finalists can be found on the Outlook Forum website.
  
  ABOUT VISIT OXNARD
  Visit Oxnard is a public non-profit 501(c)(4) destination marketing organization working hand-in-hand with the City of Oxnard and its hotels, transportation entities, restaurants, retailers, attractions, historic districts and more to promote Oxnard as a premier leisure and business travel destination. Offering value to those seeking experiences in family, cultural, outdoor adventure and group travel, Oxnard is home to miles of pristine golden sand beaches, electric nightlife, some of the best taquerias in the state, historic Victorian era architecture, and an expansively picturesque harbor that serves as the closest access point to the Channel Islands National Park. Just sixty miles northwest of LAX and in close proximity to Santa Barbara and other major destinations, Oxnard is one of southern California’s best kept secrets. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for daily updates. Sign up for our e-newsletter, and request a free Visitor Guide. For more information, call 1-800-2-OXNARD or go to VisitOxnard.com.
  
  ABOUT VISIT CALIFORNIA
  Visit California is a nonprofit organization with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs -- in partnership with the state's travel industry -- that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination. For more information about Visit California and for a free California Official State Visitor's Guide, go to visitcalifornia.com. For story ideas, media information, downloadable images, video and more, go to media.visitcalifornia.com.
  
  ABOUT THE POPPY AWARDS
  Crafted by California artisan Nicholson Blown Glass in Auburn, Poppy Awards are bestowed every two years to acknowledge the best of California's tourism promotion. Programs executed in calendar years 2024-2025 were eligible for the 2026 Poppy Awards. Submissions were reviewed by Visit California staff, before blind judging by California travel industry experts.
  
  ABOUT OUTLOOK FORUM
  Outlook Forum is the premier travel industry conference for California, the No. 1 tourism destination in the United States. Outlook Forum brings together C-suite executives and industry decision-makers from California's hotels, rental cars, attractions, restaurants, retailers and other travel businesses, as well as representatives from Visit California's global network of offices.