Strategic leadership for Brand USA – $200M+ impact in French‑speaking markets
Since 2018, Mondello has acted as Brand USA’s on‑the‑ground strategic leadership in France, launching and running its French operations to drive growth in France, Belgium and Luxembourg. Mandated to open and lead the office, manage a hybrid P&L and navigate complex public‑private and geopolitical dynamics, we turned a low‑awareness market into a thriving, trusted platform for US destinations.
Challenge
In 2018, Brand USA – the United States’ national tourism promotion organization – needed to expand in French‑speaking markets facing:
Intense competition from European destinations;
Limited awareness of “Tier 2” US regions (Midwest, Rockies, National Parks);
Sharp budget fluctuations (up to ‑80% during the pandemic);
And a sensitive public‑private governance model tied to US government stakeholders.
Mondello was tasked with launching and leading the French presence, building product awareness and demand, and delivering measurable B2B and B2C growth while aligning with French cultural expectations and political realities.
Our Multi-Lever Approach
Led by William Mondello as Country Director, we deployed a holistic strategy leveraging business development, PR/marketing, brand incarnation, and political/relational expertise:
Business Development Levers: Forged strategic partnerships with key players (e.g. Air France, Expedia, NFL, tour operators), managed the local P&L and budget resilience, supported product development for under‑known US destinations, and designed sales programs and premium famtrips (Michelin‑level experiences) to generate high‑value B2B leads and bookings.
PR and Marketing Levers: Orchestrated integrated 360° campaigns across digital, media and experiential activations (e.g. Air France, Expedia, Veepee, NFL Super Bowl events), using data‑driven storytelling and pop‑culture tie‑ins to make the “American Dream” tangible and to normalize Tier 2 destinations. This generated strong engagement, significant earned media and opt‑in databases for partners.
Political and Relational Levers: Managed US Embassy relations and public‑private dynamics to secure high‑level endorsement and build trust, organised events and roundtables with institutional stakeholders, and turned potential skeptics into long‑term advocates. This soft‑power approach ensured that growth objectives remained aligned with French cultural values and sensitivities.
Results and Impact
Over seven years (2018-2025), this strategy delivered:
Economic impact:
Over $200M in downstream business value (visitor spend, hotel and flight bookings), outpacing typical DMO growth benchmarks and significantly boosting Tier 2 destination performance.Leads, engagement & KPI: 30K+ qualified leads for private‑sector partners (including premium hotel brands and airlines), +10% engagement metrics and above‑market increases in visitor spend, with 2–3x ROI on co‑investment campaigns (e.g. Voyage Privé campaigns generating thousands of passengers and double‑digit YoY growth).
Strategic milestones: Year‑round routes secured (such as new transatlantic flights), stronger dispersal of tourism to underrepresented regions, and major activations reaching 3.9M–11.5M impressions per campaign.
Diplomatic & relational wins: Reinforced US–France ties through embassy‑backed initiatives and 50+ recurring partnerships across public and private stakeholders – showing how soft power and economic diplomacy can accelerate concrete business development.
“Mondello’s strategic vision turned our French market from nascent to thriving, generating measurable impact while building enduring relationships.”
This partnership illustrates Mondello Enterprise’s ability to combine P&L leadership, cultural intelligence and diplomatic networks to create resilient growth and memorable experiences for both brands and audiences.