• No results found

RH Dougherty Awards 2014 Entry

N/A
N/A
Protected

Academic year: 2021

Share "RH Dougherty Awards 2014 Entry"

Copied!
11
0
0

Loading.... (view fulltext now)

Full text

(1)

RH Dougherty Awards 2014 Entry

Macleay Valley Coast Destination Marketing Campaign

Category: Excellence in Communication Division: Division A - Population less than 30,000

Council: Kempsey Shire Council

Address: 22 Tozer Street, West Kempsey, NSW, 2440 Contact: Susannah Smith

Title: Manager, Economic Sustainability Unit Email: susannah.smith@kempsey.nsw.gov.au

Phone Number: 6566 3122 Business Mobile: 0427 271 485

Local Population size: 28,134

Council Annual Budget: 2013/14 Budget $115,101 million Number of staff employed by council: 217

(2)

1

Judging Criteria

1.

Overall Communication Strategy

With an annual turnover of $189M and 554,000 visitors each year, the Visitor Economy is the Macleay Valley Coast’s fourth largest industry sector. Conveniently located approximately mid-way between Sydney and Brisbane on the popular Legendary Pacific Coast, the Shire’s main service town of Kempsey has long been a popular rest spot for motorists, with approximately 25,000 motorists passing through the town daily.

The impact of the opening of the new Pacific Highway Bypass on March 27, 2013 was both immediate and dramatic, removing an estimated 35% of traffic from the former highway corridor as well as $14.6-17.3M in gross annual turnover each year from the local economy.

Consequently, the creation of a Destination Branding & Marketing Campaign was identified as a critical project within Kempsey Shire Council’s broader Bypass Strategy and Master Plan. Its objectives signified Council’s determined effort to ensure the bypass was embraced as an opportunity for cultural change and reinvention of the town’s character and reputation. Specifically, it aimed to:

- increase visitor numbers post-bypass

- develop a destination brand and identify for the Macleay - create resilience and unity within the tourism industry

A bold, fresh ‘Macleay Valley Coast - Discover Something New’ brand and fully integrated marketing campaign was developed and launched in mid-2013. Encompassing traditional and digital media, the campaign included a complete redevelopment of the Macleay Valley Coast’s tourism website (www.macleayvalleycoast.com.au), a new Macleay Valley Coast Visitor Guide, a new quarterly Tourism E-Newsletter ‘Discovery’, highway billboard signage and Sydney Weekender TV feature.

Using powerful new photographic imagery and professional copywriting services, the campaign’s theme focussed on strengthening the Macleay Valley’s profile, reputation and appeal as a leisure destination. It emphasised the Macleay’s ‘discovery’ elements, including its natural assets, relaxed environment and nature-based experiences. Imagery and messages emphasised nature, culture, heritage, indigenous, local personalities and food experiences. Target markets included families, couples and grey nomads (predominately from NSW) and international visitors predominately from the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Germany.

(3)

2

2. Strategy Development

The ultimate goal of the campaign was to increase visitation to the Macleay Valley Coast and grow the local visitor economy. This firstly required industry input and agreement on the destination’s unique selling proposition and opportunities for the future. Several workshops were hosted by Council, with the aim of drawing valued input from representatives of the Macleay Valley Coast Tourism Association as well as individual tourism operators. Input from these workshops provided key content for, firstly, the 2013-16 Macleay Valley Coast Destination Management Plan and, secondly, the ‘Discover Something New’ branding and marketing campaign. The result has been the development of a fully integrated campaign that enjoys a high level of support from its major delivery partners.

Significantly, the development of an integrated marketing campaign has provided numerous channels for delivery and consumption, allowing the campaign to reach a broad target audience and providing them with multiple methods of engagement. Some consumers, for instance, prefer web-based interaction whereas others respond to print and television campaigns.

This has been achieved while retaining common branding and theming across all mediums to encourage and reinforce brand awareness and interest. To this end, all the campaign elements work holistically together as an integrated communication campaign, delivering a consistent brand message to consumers and stakeholders. For example, the campaign’s major communication tools, including its website, Visitor Guide and E-Newsletter, were not developed as separate elements, but as separate channels to communicate a consistent, quality message.

Throughout the development of the campaign, the needs of the consumer were kept firmly at centre stage position to ensure:

- easy search options for accommodation, specific to budget, style, location and season

- ability to find related events and places of interest online

- ability to search on mobile, tablet and desktop, or use a handy printed destination guide for those without online access

- print-friendly online listings with map and QR code web links Destination Branding

The Design Brief for the destination branding was to reflect the Macleay Valley’s unspoilt natural environment and experiences (surfing, hinterland, relaxed country) and friendly hospitality. The branding also needed to reflect the Macleay’s diverse villages and locations, including its hinterland and coastal assets. Based on the element theme of ‘discovery’ and its connotations of adventure

(4)

3

and awakening, the campaign’s resulting branding became ‘Macleay Valley Coast, Discover

Something New’.

Professional Photography and Copywriting

During the early scoping stage of the campaign’s development, it was recognised that significant resources would need to be allocated to creating strong new photographic imagery and

copywriting services to capture the contemporary ‘story’ of the Macleay Valley and its people. Friendly-faced models were used to highlight activities as well as locations, and to further emphasise the element of ‘discovery’. An additional ‘Local Legends’ series of imagery was also created to engage consumers with locals by allowing locals to share their ‘passion for place’ and provide their own personal travel tips for visitors. High quality photographs were considered the critical creative foundation to the campaign’s success, not only to showcase the region but to engage effectively with time-poor consumers seeking highly visual material online. Similarly, professional advertising copywriting skills were considered essential to be able to identify and convey the Macleay’s unique character and selling points in a crisp, quirky style. The copywriter’s brief asked for an emphasis on destinations, experiences and Local Legend profiles which could then be used in a variety of ways across a range of campaign tools.

Website

During the six years since the original www.macleayvalleycoast.com.au website was created, the tourism sector has experience unprecedented growth of a hugely dynamic range of online

products, information and services. For this reason, it was imperative that the centre stone of the Macleay Valley Coast Destination Marketing Campaign be the redevelopment of the website, supported by the new photographic images library and copy. Specifically, the new website was to feature:

- fully branded customised website - clear, easy navigation

- full responsiveness to mobile, tablet and desktop screen configurations - ‘app-like’ mobile and tablet experiences

- customised ‘concierge’ search facility to find and locate accommodation - signature events calendar

- detailed product listings with interactive maps, booking links and photo galleries

- interactive accommodation and places of interest maps - engaging information about the region

- full content management system allowing stakeholders to upload and edit content with ease.

Visitor Guide

While the redevelopment of the www.macleayvalleycoast.com.au was a critical central focus for the campaign, the campaign recognises that printed collateral remains an important and tactical

(5)

4

tool and delivery method. The aim of the Visitor Guide was to create a multi-page destination guide that leveraged the website for detailed information and was also available as an electronic download directly online. The Visitor Guide also provided another valuable opportunity to further leverage the investment made in the professional photography, copywriting and Local Legend profiles. Designed as an A5 layout for ease of use and storage, the guide was also designed to fit into pre-designed layouts, was void of visually incompatible ‘third party’ designed adverts, had a clean and intuitive layout, consistent navigation and typographical architecture, could scan to view QR codes and had direct linkages back to the Macleay Valley Coast website.

E-Newsletters

The development of an e-newsletter that could leverage and reinforce the new website and provide a proactive, time-critical element to the campaign structure, was considered an important and exciting aspect of the campaign profile. This resulted in the launch of the ‘Discovery’ e-newsletter, which was produced quarterly and emailed direct to a growing database of subscribers (from

www.macleayvalleycoast.com.au). Carrying the ‘Discover Something New’ branding, ‘Discovery’ was positioned as a high quality source of news and ideas for things to do and see for the upcoming season. Each issue is themed to Summer, Autumn, Spring or Winter and features:

- prize packs to encourage subscription

- a design that reinforces the ‘Discover Something New’ brand - fully customised HTML templates

- responsive mobile, tablet and desktop screen configurations to reflect the style and layout used on the website

- featured accommodation - signature events

- hot deals - meet the team - what’s new (industry)

- ability to analyse user statistics such as number of opens, bounces, out bound links.

Highway Billboards

The Macleay Valley Coast Discover Something New branding and marketing campaign

acknowledges the traditional importance that inbound road travel plays in the Macleay Valley. The investment in highway billboards was considered an important tactic to reminding motorists driving on the three major highway routes north, south and west of Kempsey, that the Macleay Valley exists and has appeal as a holiday destination. This was particularly important considering the dramatic reduction in through-traffic at Kempsey as a result of the Pacific Highway Bypass. The design of the billboards was intended to capture the destination’s natural beauty and emphasised the theme of ‘discovery’ using vibrant, striking photographic imagery. One of the challenges of promoting the ‘Macleay Valley’ is that this name is not as well known as the names of its major towns and villages. Consequently, the artwork included the names ‘Kempsey, South

(6)

5

West Rocks and Crescent Head’ to prompt familiarity. Directional prompts were also used to show the geographical distance, and the call to action was the www.macleayvalleycoast.com.au website.

3. Budget

The budget for the campaign was $137,759. The majority of expenditure was on the five highway billboards, the redevelopment of www.macleayvalleycoast.com.au and the production of the Visitor Guide. Consultant fees items below paid for the project coordination resources.

Revenue

Destination NSW Funding 35,000.00 $ Macleay Valley Coast Tourism Industry

(individual operators) 35,000.00 $

Kempsey Shire Council $

65,659.00

TOTAL REVANUE 135,659.00

Expenses

Highway Billboards 35,545.00 $

Website 24,805.00 $

Project Coordinator Wages (6 months) $ 17,550.00 Professional Photography 16,970.00 $ Macleay Valley Coast Visitor Guide 12,730.00 $ Sydney Weekender Television Shoot $

6,600.00 Copywriting for website and brochure 6,111.00 $ MVC Brand and logo design 6,050.00 $

Discovery E-Newsletter 5,798.00

Project Fee's Destination NSW 3,500.00 $

TOTAL EXPENSES 135,659.00 $

4. Distribution Methods

The campaign utilised the following distribution methods:

Macleay Valley Coast Tourism Website

(

www.macleayvalleycoast.com.au

)

(7)

6

with 30,000 unique visitors annually. The

redeveloped website features clear, easy navigation which is fully responsive for mobile, tablet and desktop layouts. It also features a customised “concierge” search facility to assist browsers to locate information they are seeking. The website features fresh new and exciting copy and features; top 10 things to do, signature events,

accommodation, attractions and latest news. To keep visitors engaged the website is updated daily with new events and content. The website also has in page search engine optimisation and

targeted search engine analytics. All print collateral association with the campaign promotes and directs to www.macleayvalleycoast.com.au

(See attached Example 1: Macleay Valley Coast Website – before and after)

Macleay Valley Coast Visitor Guide

The Macleay Valley Coast Visitor Guide is produced as a hard copy brochure as well as an electronic file available for view and download online at www.macleayvalleycoast.com.au

The 20-page full-colour gloss A5 printed brochure had a print run of 40,000 and has been distributed to 170 local tourism businesses (members of Macleay Valley Coast Tourism

Association), 105 accredited Visitor Information Centres around Australia and tourism tradeshows. The online guide reaches over 30,000 unique visitors annually.

(See attached Example 2: Macleay Valley Coast, Visitor Guide)

Discovery E-Newsletter

The ‘Discovery’ E-Newsletter is distributed to a rapidly growing database of now over 500

subscribers. The e-newsletter is promoted heavily locally, with Council staff attending popular local events such as the Kempsey Show and Riverside Markets to actively promote the e-newsletter to locals, for them to subscribe and recommend to visiting friends and relatives. Three issues of the Discovery Newsletter have been produced and distributed to date, including a Summer, Autumn and Winter edition.

The campaign’s website integrates strongly with the e-newsletter, featuring a banner pointer at the home page which alerts browsers to prizes on offers, subscription instructions and the current (and archived) e-newsletter. A new prize pack is sourced from industry donations for each edition and typically features local accommodation, attractions and prizes. The winners are drawn

quarterly and promoted in the next monthly e-newsletter.

(See attached Example 3: Sample Macleay Valley Coast Discovery E-Newsletter – Winter)

(8)

7

Highway Billboards

With 80% of visitors arriving in the Macleay Valley by vehicle, it was critical that any post-bypass communication strategy directly target motorists travelling on the major highway routes South, West and North of Kempsey. While the billboards are not in themselves a distribution channel, they respond to a distribution channel, with an important reminder to this market segment that the Macleay exists (even though the highway no longer runs through it), and that it’s an exciting and beautiful destination worth ‘discovering’. Billboard locations include Clybucca, Telegraph Point north Grafton, north Taree and north Tamworth, providing Kempsey with unprecedented exposure to motorists travelling north and south along the Pacific Highway and those heading to the coast along the Oxley Highway. While traffic figures have not been updated by Roads & Maritime Services since 2003, Ooh Media reports the combined campaign has an aadt (daily traffic passing the signs) of 35,200.

(See attached Example 4: Highway billboards and locations)

Sydney Weekender

The Sydney Weekender TV show featured two of the Macleay Valley’s drawcard attractions, Smoky Cape Lighthouse and Fish Rock Dive Centre. The television feature aired Saturday 24th August

2013 at 5.30pm on ATN Sydney, and across New South Wales on the PRIME Network, reaching over 156,000 viewers, with audience levels of 64,000 for people aged 25-54.

5. Communication of Message

In addition to the above marketing distribution methods, a media strategy was used to

complement the campaign. The following media releases were issued by Kempsey Shire Council to support the campaign and were promoted via Kempsey Shire Council’s website and Facebook pages, as well as the www.macleayvalleycoast.com.au tourism website and the local Argus newspaper. Specific media releases relevant to the campaign are as follows:

2013

 Beach Numbers Soar, 3 May 2013

 Visitor numbers rise as tourism industry rallies to sell Macleay message, 15 May 2013

 Macleay's Biggest Tourism Campaign + Numbers up year on year, 11 October 2013

 'Discover Something New' drives $100,000 Macleay tourism campaign, 11 October 2013

 Tourism industry celebrates launch of new tourism website and marketing campaign, 14 October 2013

 Tourism operators offer up prizes to subscribe and win, 4 November 2013

 Message of the Macleay greets motorists north, south and west, 17 December 2013

(9)

8

2014

 10% growth in local visitor economy over past two years, 13 March 2014

 Visitors bring more millions, 14 March 2014

 Bypass Bites But our town is strong, 21 March 2014

(See attached Example 5: Media releases (1PDF With all releases)

6. Results

Visitation

10% growth in the past two-year period from $173 million to $189m and 11.7% growth in total visitors from 489,000 to 554,000 (YE Sep2013).

Website

Increase of over 100% on the ‘average time spent’ on the website. In 2013 the average time spent on the website 1 minute 48 seconds. Since implementing the new website the average time spend on the website is now 3 minutes 34 Seconds. This means people are engaged and finding information they want and are interested in.

On average, 30% of the hits are also returning visitors. This means people are returning to the site multiple times.

In 2013, the average number of pages visited was 2.42 pages. Since implementing the new website it is now 3.57 pages. This is an increase in 50% more pages viewed by the visitors.

Visitor Information Centre

22.3% increase in the number of email enquiries at the Kempsey Visitor Information Centre over the July- December period for 2012/2013 period.

Macleay Valley Coast Tourism Association Membership

139% increase in membership to the Macleay Valley Coast Tourism Association from 72 to 170 members

(10)

9

7. Evaluation

This destination marketing campaign has been instrumental in developing a destination brand and identity for the Macleay Valley during the crucial post-bypass era, and for generating tangible growth in the local visitor economy. On the ground feedback from our visitor information centres, has been positive in particular the redesign of the website in terms of navigation and visual aesthetics.

While the full impact of the campaign will not be known until June 2014 when visitation statistics are released by Tourism Australia, initial data and feedback from both VICs and industry operators has been extremely positive. Similarly, accommodation bookings during the first half of the 2014 calendar year have been the highest recorded in many years.

It is also anticipated that the full marketing effect of the Visitor Guide and billboards will be

extended well beyond the time period of the marketing campaign, as the guides will continue to be distributed over the next six months through VICs, tourism businesses and consumers hands. The billboards will play an ongoing essential role creating awareness and promoting the new ‘Discover Something New’ branding and encouraging motorists to visit the www.macleayvalleycoast.com.au

website. Similarly, the ‘Discovery’ e-newsletter will continue to serve as a proactive tool providing current, time-critical information and a powerful referral point for the website.

8. Unique Features

The unique elements of the Macleay Valley Coast Branding & Marketing Campaign include: 1. Unique destination branding ‘Macleay ValleyCoast, Discover Something New’ which uses the

hook of ‘discovery’ being a key point of differentiation from competitors.

2. Cutting edge, fully integrated, comprehensive online and print marketing package including website, e-newsletter, Visitor Guide, highway billboards and television advertisements complemented by professional photography and copywriting.

3. Engaging quarterly tourism e-newsletter ‘Discovery’, providing subscribers with current, time-critical information to entice them to the Macleay, including what’s new, things to do, signature events, hot deals

(11)

10

and meet the team profile.

4. The use of ‘Local Legend - meet the locals’ personalities to tell the Macleay’s story and provide insider visitor tips. Local legends include ten well-known local personalities, including Aboriginal artist Elwyn Toby, Netherby House manager Jasmin Eggimann and internationally renowned underwater dive tour operator Peter Hitchens. Local Legends will be added to over time to add another opportunity for fresh interest and content.

References

Related documents

Secondly, they analyzed the influence of surprise made by domestic and foreign Central Banks’ announcements on one-day response to, again, monetary policy decisions, i.e., change

This asterism has a manushya or human temperament with a primary motivation toward moksha or spiritual liberation.. The animal symbol is a male mongoose, which has no

Transrectal Doppler sonography was performed on uterine arteries of six cyclic cows before and for 4 days after inducing acute endometritis by intrauterine infusion of 720 mg

In the present study we evaluated the effects on acid – base status and serum phosphate levels of a new RCA protocol for Continuous Venovenous Hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) using an

proyecto avalaría tanto la existencia de una demanda real e insatisfe- cha de este servicio por parte de la población titular de derechos como la capacidad de ambos

In addition, we have been told that less than a fifth of companies measure the economic cost of sickness absence, only 3% measure the return on investment for the wellbeing

"All data frames have a row names attribute, a character vector of length the number of rows with no duplicates nor missing values." (source link below). # "Use