"Neigh-I"

CORNETT & LEXINGTON TOURISM UNVEIL TRAVEL-PLANNING TECH THAT SPOOFS AI
– Horse Capital of the World Debuts Cheeky Equine Version of Artificial Intelligence to Guide Visitors
Cornett—the independent, female-owned full-service advertising agency based in Lexington—has partnered with VisitLex, the regional tourism office, to introduce Neigh-I, a powerful tool that helps the millions of visitors who flock to the region maximize their enjoyment of the rich offering of horse farms, restaurants, bourbon distilleries, stunning natural landscapes and the Bluegrass musical scene.
Cornett and VisitLEX launched a humorous integrated marketing campaign that promotes the new faux-AI trip-planning software, which is called Neigh-I, by reassuring visitors that this technology, unlike the potentially worrisome AI agents flooding the global economy, will never turn on humanity. “Introducing Neigh-I, a highly unpredictable, low-latency equine alternative to artificial intelligence that could only come from the Horse Capital of the World,” boasts one campaign element.
“AI can be a useful travel-planning tool, but nothing beats real, on-the-ground intelligence,” said Leslie Miller, VP of Marketing, VisitLEX. “You’re far better off asking a local expert, like the hospitality pros at the Lexington Visitors Center or a knowledgeable born-and-bred Lexington horse, for recommendations to get the best Bluegrass experience. Neigh-I is the future of travel tech and another example of how VisitLEX pushes the boundaries of destination marketing.”
VisitLEX cited research that showed more than half of Americans are concerned about AI even as an equal percentage have used tools such as ChatGPT to build travel itineraries. In addition, a recent study showed that horses are smarter than previously thought and possess an ability to plan ahead, which is rare in the animal kingdom. Cornett tapped both insights during the creation of the Neigh-I platform, mixing real data to generate the campaign’s mascot, Oliver, a friendly, intelligent and “totally real” horse.
“Oliver is a friendly, horsey face, a benign and helpful intelligence, unlike the famously evil AI characters in films and TV, from HAL to Agent Smith to M3GAN,” said Christy Hiler, owner/CEO of Cornett. “He helps us meet two goals: to continue the long-running, offbeat and humorous brand personality of VisitLEX and to offer tourists an entertaining and fun-to-use avatar that is also a powerful tool for planning their trips to the region.”
Oliver, the brains behind Neigh-I, is a black-and-white Paint/Shire Cross with an advanced bluegrass-powered processor who operates out of Lexington’s Kentucky Horse Park, a 1,200-acre working horse farm, international equestrian competition venue and educational theme park. When Oliver is not planning travel itineraries, he works to keep Lexington safe in the Lexington Police Department’s Mounted Unit. The design elements in the campaign mix realism with funky retro-futuristic elements.
Coded with a vast database about the region, Neigh-I is continuously updated and adapts in real time to build customized itineraries for travelers by selecting local attractions from four categories: accommodations, drinks, restaurants and experiences. This proprietary method eliminates algorithmic error to ensure visitors find a broad sweep of Lexington’s diverse array of hotels, expansive farm-to-table culinary scene, creative cocktail bars and immersive activities such as tours of the area’s world-famous bourbon distilleries. Of course, the technology offers an unparalleled choice of outstanding, vacation-defining equine experiences.
VisitLEX is responsible for marketing Lexington and the surrounding Bluegrass region by driving tourism and the booking of cultural and private events, business conventions and conferences. Fayette County generated $1.7 billion in economic impact in 2024, the highest revenue ever recorded, which provided $131 million in state and local tax revenue that supports 11,851 local jobs.
Cornett has been the creative force behind VisitLEX’s most effective viral moments since being named agency of record in 2012. The work has been praised across the industry for its impact in showcasing Lexington in unconventional ways. Previous work included a campaign “filmed by horses,” a Queens Gambit-inspired hotel experience, the launch of the world’s first plant-friendly hotel and a video beamed into space in 2024 that encouraged intelligent aliens to visit Lexington.
Travelers can use Neigh-I to plan their own three-day Bluegrass getaway at visitlex.com/neigh-i.