Communication plan for tourism organization

TIMES TO TREASURE

A possible campaign for the Parks of the St. Lawrence

Introduction:

Good marketing is based on solid research. To a degree, proposing a marketing theme in advance of this research is putting the cart before the horse. Nevertheless, based on the extensive research provided in the 1997-98 Marketing Plan, we feel we can suggest a sample theme, which we would test further.

We use a sample theme to show you how we can pull together the various elements of a communication plan so that they concentrate on one consistent message. In the sections that follow, we talk about the various elements of any good communication plan, and connect those elements to our hypothetical theme.

Think of this, not as pitching a specific idea, but as pitching a specific way of looking at the issues that the team will face.
 

The slogan:

We feel that the Parks of the St. Lawrence need a sense of branded identity, one which reinforces their common identity. They are four parks, but they share a great deal in common. The problem, however, is that the four parks offer a range of experiences. Some are historical. Some are recreational. Some are both.

"Times to Treasure" has three connotations at once.

The phrase itself suggests that the parks offer something of value to busy families. Not only do the parks offer time together, but they offer times to treasure. They offer good memories and family togetherness. Too many slogans concentrate on features, rather than benefits. This is a classic marketing error, one which the evocative slogan we've chosen avoids. We're offering positive experiences in busy times.

The second connotation comes from the word "times." In this context, it suggests not only "times" in the experience sense of the word, but "times" in the historical sense. Visitors to Fort Henry or Upper Canada Village are reminded of the important history of the area, and are even made to feel that they have revisited these times. They are "times to treasure" for us as a country, but also "times to treasure" as an experience. You can enjoy this history without being subjected to dry textbooks. This is history come alive.

The final connotation comes from the word "treasure." In addition to the monetary sense of the word, and the sense of value this conveys, "treasure" is also a theme for much of the rest of the campaign, as described below.
 

A new logo:

If money permits, we'd revise the logo to include both the slogan and the 1-800 number, as well as the words "Parks of the St. Lawrence." This has the disadvantage of requiring a very complex logo, which will be difficult to shrink past a certain size. However, the logo has to be the identifier for the whole campaign, and has to communicate the two messages: the parks of the St. Lawrence offer times to treasure; this is the number to call.

We might also include some visual element that could, in a pinch, be used in smaller formats. A silhouette of the logo, for example, might have a characteristic shape, and could be used on admission tickets.
 

The "treasure hunt":

In upstate New York, visitors to the Hudson Valley can buy special passes that include admission to several historic homes at once. Usually, these passes are called passports. We want to call them "treasure hunts." This not only refers to the theme, but it also suggests fun. Each park can offer some sort of small prize to people who use the park. Visitors can try to collect all four prizes. The prizes could be four matching stickers, or four related toys, or something of this nature.

Obviously, the prizes would be too small to characterize as true "treasures." However, as a family activity, the "treasure hunt" adds extra value to the experience, and becomes an extra memory that families can bring away. Moreover, fast-food chains have discovered that children are surprisingly compulsive about collecting complete sets, and have designed their movie tie-in programs with this in mind.

There is also a strong sponsorship opportunity here. Other local businesses can offer treasures of their own, although we'd suggest that they offer discount coupons rather than objects, so that the sense of commonality among the four parks is not diminished.
 

Local promotion:

The VFR market is very important to the parks. We must find ways of encouraging local people to bring visitors to the park. We have two bold suggestions.

First, each local person should be granted one free admission for each paying visitor escorted to the park. If Aunt May and Uncle Roy are in town, you should get two free passes, provided there are two local adults in the party. Free admission encourages them to show Aunt May and Uncle Roy the local sights, however often the host family has seen these events before.

Second, opening day should be free, to excite interest in the park, and closing day should be free to thank the local people for bringing so many visitors to the park. Since local hosts are greatly influential in the activity decisions made by their visitors, we must cultivate goodwill all year around.
 

Advertising:

This decision would require research. We would have to determine which media are most likely to bring in visitors, and advertise in those media. Because the budget in the RfP does not appear to include money for substantial advertising, we have not discussed such advertising in this RfP. However, at minimum, any such advertising must have a "clean" message that emphasizes the theme and the 1-800 number, while avoiding a "partition" approach that gives distinct time or space to each park.

Nevertheless, we feel that an aggressive PR campaign (see "Take it on the road," below) may be a more effective and less expensive use of the ad budget.
 

"Take it on the road":

The increasing competitiveness of the tourism industry requires innovative approaches that break through the clutter. The average traveller will be barraged by dozens of messages from dozens of potential travel locations. To break through this clutter, you have to go where your competitors aren't. You need an event.

Here is what to do. Sift through the research to find a city that presents the best growth opportunity. Book a central hotel with nearby open green space. Bring representatives from each of the parks to this location and hold strongly visual, strongly telegenic events. For example, a group from Fort Henry could hold a military drill in the park, while settlers from Upper Canada Village express bafflement about the changes that have come over the city.

With heavy media relations work, these events could attract plenty of attention in credible media venues. This would especially be the case if we find local angles. For example, an American location could come with media lines such as "Canadians Invade Downtown Park" or "Loyalists Ask for Their Land Back." The approach here is aggressive and humorous, but is required to attract attention from media jaded by such obvious PR stunting. The approach also, not coincidentally, emphasizes the "fun history" presented at the parks.

The visits would be followed by print or radio advertising in the weeks that followed.

This approach is expensive and risky, but it strongly differentiates the parks from other locations and stands out. It is something people will remember. Indeed, if we can give people a taste of "times to treasure" in their own hometowns, they will be much more inclined to have the full experience at the parks.
 

Media relations:

Editors are flooded with news releases every day. It is simply no longer good enough to fire off releases and count column inches. We believe in integrated marketing communications, which synthesizes public relations and marketing. And we also use approaches from each discipline. For example, our press releases will use direct-mail elements to attract the interest of editors who are looking for reasons to round-file our releases.

As you have discovered, by sending out fewer releases, you can make each one more credible as a source of potential news, and save money in the process. (Naturally, event-calendar notices are different, and would continue to be sent often. Furthermore, local media relations must be aggressively cultivated to encourage the VFR market.)

We would also implement a careful program of "fam" trips for travel journalists that involve well-structured itineraries and journalists carefully screened to ensure that only those likely to sell park-related stories are invited. Journalists can be further cultivated with a quick update that can either be faxed or e-mailed.
 

Travel agencies:

Travel agents are important opinion-leaders for potential travellers. In addition to offering these agents discounted or free visits to the area, we would include them in the distribution list for the tabloid and for the e-mail/fax newsletter we send to travel journalists. At minimum, we should seek articles about the parks in the relevant travel industry publications.
 

Publications:

The new tabloid, The Great St. Lawrence Getaway, should be subject to some sort of readership survey to determine if it is reaching target audiences and if it is of use to those audiences. It is unclear from the marketing plan how the tabloid is distributed, but it may be possible to find new venues.

We are also presuming that the tabloid format is considered effective, although we might want to test something smaller that could fit easily into a purse or back pocket. Although newsprint is the least expensive paper, there may be economies in reducing the size dramatically and moving to a better grade of paper, especially if we concentrate on carefully selected selling points.

We think the writing has been exceptional, but we recommend a somewhat less cluttered graphic design. White space equals prestige. Two items should be brought forward. First, the new logo will appear on the cover, hence addressing both the 1-800 number and the theme. Second, the "times to treasure" idea will be expanded inside as a visual motif.

The project team has plenty of experience with newsletters and brochures, having produced materials for Deloitte & Touche, Treasury Board of Canada, Corrections Canada (as of September), the Canadian Telemarketing Association, and so forth. Our approach to newsletter has been to carefully mix "news you can use" with "information we want you to have" and readability with strategic goals.

A copy of Roundtable was not included in the package, but we would take a similar approach with this publication. We would, however, ensure that it is a vehicle for upward feedback from staff. As the people closest to customers, staff can be a source of valuable tips. To cultivate this atmosphere, Roundtable would need to be frankly candid, without being recklessly indiscreet.
 

The Internet:

There is a strong tendency among communications companies to overplay the importance of the Internet to a communications strategy. The Web is too trendy for communicators to sit back and carefully question the hype. Existing evidence suggests that the greatest use for the World Wide Web is in business-to-business communication. This scepticism does not come to you from Luddites. The project team includes exceptionally capable experts in Internet and CD-ROM design. But just because you have a hammer, not every problem is a nail.

Nevertheless, specific elements of the target market will be comfortable with the Web, and will expect certain things from the Web site. Good Web sites are not cluttered with frames, background graphics and Java applications. These things are toys for Web design companies to play with and, far from adding value to sites, they make them frustratingly slow to download.

The evidence does suggest that those who go to Web sites do so hoping to find information, so we propose an information-heavy page that includes up-to-the minute scheduling information, as well as mechanisms to buy advance tickets to events and to parks. Needless to say, the site will prominently feature the logo, allow entry to contests and be designed around the "times to treasure" theme. (For example, gold watches could point to treasure chests, which would hyperlink to other documents.)

Further, sponsors could be given links to their own Web pages.
 

The 1-800 number:

Throughout this document, we have integrated the 1-800 into other communications. We may also want to look at using the 1-800 to provide a basket of services: providing information; booking accommodation; reserving admission tickets; providing referrals; providing directions and so forth. (Sponsors, incidentally, could get preference for referrals.) Call-centre principles can be applied to make the greatest use of the operators.