She used to cast reality shows, now she promotes the First State

For the past two years, Gaby Indellini has been the creative force behind the Greater Wilmington Convention & Visitors Bureau’s social media accounts. Pre-Indellini, GWCVB’s social media presence was pretty quiet; in the Indellini era, things have been poppin’.
From her guide to the best selfie stops in the region to the Wilmo Elf on the Shelf campaign, she built up followers on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Who's this little guy? It's Wilmo the Elf! Starting Dec 1st, he's got prizes to give away! #VisitWilm #WilmotheElf pic.twitter.com/gCXtvQjcxF

— VisitWilmingtonDE (@VisitWilmington) November 30, 2015

At a legacy organization, it can be tough to integrate digital communications such as social media. When I asked her if it was a challenge she said, “Oh yeah, I definitely had a lot to prove.”
It’s something many young professionals can identify with.
“I took some care to make my social media reports as detailed as possible so everyone understood that I know what I was doing,” Indellini said. “I was the new kid, coming in guns ablazing. Anyone who knows me knows I’m like a bull in a china shop. I really had to prove that [social media] was the right tactic.”
It’s not Indellini’s first time flexing her creative muscles. She used to cast reality shows in Los Angeles and New York City for shows like Hell’s Kitchen, Bad Girls Club and Wife Swap. “It was hilarious but I’m glad to not be doing it anymore,” she said.
Currently, Indellini is focusing on promoting the region as a weekend getaway. “We’re a weekend destination. Between the Riverfront, the Winterthur Museum, the Hagley Museum and the Delaware Art Museum: we have a lot of families that come to visit these places.”
She also mentioned that the area is big on birding, the activity has become so popular that the American Birding Association relocated to Delaware City from Ohio. “We have a lot of baby boomers that come for birding,” Indellini added. “We have a whole Delaware Birding Trail.”
With the fall season upon us, her office is focused on a fall foliage campaign at the moment: “We’re aiming for the two-hour drive time audience.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Greater Wilmington CVB (@visitwilmingtonde)

What has been the hardest part of her job? When the Newsweek “Murder Town USA” article came out in December 2014. It caused her to worry about potential trolls.
“The No. 1 rule is do not engage a troll, luckily we have not had any,” she said.

It was a beautiful weekend for #craftbeer, mushrooms, & spending time outside! #VisitWilm #Travel pic.twitter.com/4eAXDxJT6I

— VisitWilmingtonDE (@VisitWilmington) September 13, 2016