2019 MARKETING PLAN, Slides of Marketing

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2019 MARKETING PLAN

2 | 2019 MARKETING PLAN

• 2017 Review • SWOT • Target Audiences

SITUATION ANALYSIS 3

OVERALL GOALS 8

LEISURE MARKETING 9

MEETINGS AND CONVENTIONS MARKETING 16

DESTINATION SALES 19

DESTINATION SERVICES 23

SPECIAL PROJECTS AND EVENTS 26

RECOMMENDED EVALUATION 29

EVENT CALENDAR 32

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2019 MARKETING PLAN | 3

2018 REVIEW SITUATION ANALYSIS

A YEAR OF AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES

To better define the voice of our city, Visit Baton Rouge began 2018 by taking a look within. A rebrand resulted in a new logo, tagline and overall brand definition—outlining the values, personality and essence of the brand, how those will be communicated and how each component ultimately works to uplift our community.

Building upon the momentum of our refreshed brand, the year’s communication efforts focused on positioning Baton Rouge as “An Authentic Louisiana Experience,” while also fostering a rebirth of local passion and enthusiasm. In addition to a year-long media plan, the revenue generated from the Hotel Occupancy Tax allowed Visit Baton Rouge to increase its presence through media like Pandora radio and digital, and implement highly refined targeting both in and out of state. Examples include football specific targeting in and around LSU’s opponent cities or native content and outdoor boards in opportunity markets such as Houston.

Some additional highlights of 2018’s marketing efforts included a social campaign that showcased vibrant images from across the city, from shopping in Mid City to exploring the Bluebonnet Swamp, taken by local photographer Jordan Hefler. Each post—frequently picturing Baton Rouge natives—as well as a variety of illustrated digital ads, pushed users to new blog content to give readers more incentive to explore the food, music, culture and experiences that await in Baton Rouge.

Also in 2018 Baton Rouge hosted major events and conventions such as the Marucci World Championships, a growing annual event that will return in 2019, and the USTA Cajun Classic Wheelchair Tennis Championships, which brought in competitors from 26 countries. Rounding out the year, Visit Baton Rouge embarked on a co-op partnership with the Louisiana Marathon to bring visitors into the city by promoting not only the race, but the festivities that make our race weekend unlike anything else.

With strengthened partnerships throughout the city, the return of Bayou Country Superfest and other events such as the US Youth Regional Soccer Championships, the National Federation of Press Women and Travel South Domestic, 2019 boasts promising opportunity for Baton Rouge. Moving into the new year, the efforts of every department within Visit Baton Rouge will be guided by one very important fact—when we bring visitors into our city, and our city into the national spotlight, we’re building a better Baton Rouge for all of us: creating jobs, attracting industries and entertainment and creating an exponential cycle of economic growth.

The strategies and tactics outlined in the following marketing plan will showcase an emphasis on arts and culture in Baton Rouge, as well as an increased effort to leverage our partnerships and growing reputation as a hub for sports and athletics.

2019 MARKETING PLAN | 5

SWOT SITUATION ANALYSIS

[FOR

THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE

]

OPPORTUNITIES:

• Current travel trends focus more on “micro-moments” and experiencing authentic local culture
• Many visitors come to the area specifically to visit friends and family, who can then act as tour guides and advocates of the Greater Baton Rouge Area
• Increase in millennial travel, particularly weekend trips
• Proximity to major cities like Lafayette and New Orleans offers opportunities for cross-promotion
• Addition of Via Airlines offering direct flights from Baton Rouge to Orlando and Austin

WEAKNESSES:

• Proximity to New Orleans, our top in-state competitor
• City is sometimes late on adapting to new trends in comparison to other major destination cities

THREATS:

• Concern over safety and crime rates in the Baton Rouge area
• Large percentage of Baton Rouge visitors come to the area to visit friends and family, therefore are less likely to stay in hotels
• Perception that Baton Rouge does not have a lot to offer in terms of activities, entertainment, cultural experiences, etc.
• Perception that Baton Rouge is a “college town”

STRENGTHS:

• Cleaner, more family-friendly perception than New Orleans, our top in-state competitor
• Authentic local culture hasn’t been convoluted or overpowered by “kitschy” tourism pushes
• Role as Louisiana’s Capital City inherently helps promote Baton Rouge’s historical importance as well as our growing business sector
• Central proximity to our top consumer markets including Dallas, Houston, Pensacola, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas

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AUDIENCE DEMOGRAPHICS & TRAVEL BEHAVIOR

TARGET AUDIENCES SITUATION ANALYSIS

In-the-Moment Millennial

• Age: 25 - 34
• HHI: $30K+
• Travel Behavior:
  • Look for lesser-known destinations with authentic cultures that can provide enriching experiences, i.e., unique hotel experiences, eating local foods, etc.
  • Look to peers and social media for travel inspiration
  • Share traveling experience on social media during and after trip
  • Embrace spontaneity and impromptu weekend trips

Gen X Couple

• Age: 35 - 54
• HHI: $50K+
• Travel Behavior:
  • Look for safe, family-friendly destinations and often make plans around school schedules (most popular travel seasons are spring and summer)
  • Majority of families check five different online resources before booking
  • Majority are married, full-time workers
  • Interested in fine dining, shopping, gaming, historical sightseeing and family-friendly activities

LEISURE TRAVELERS

Experiential marketing continues to remain a top trend for our primary demographic as we move into 2019 In a survey of millennials, experiencing a new culture ( 86% ) and eating local foods ( 69% ) were listed as determining factors in travel planning 76% of millennials said friends’ recommendations were a main factor in decision-making

WWW.FORBES.COM | WWW.SKIFT.COM | WWW.THINKWITHGOOGLE.COM | LOUISIANA VISITOR PROFILE REPORT

PRIMARY

• In-State
  • Neighboring Louisiana Parishes
• 6-Hour Drive Markets
  • Dallas
  • Houston
  • Pensacola
  • Mississippi
  • Alabama
    • Direct flights
      • Orlando
      • Austin

SECONDARY

• Secondary Designated Market Areas (DMAs) - Chicago - Atlanta - Memphis - Nashville

TERTIARY

• Community Stakeholders (East Baton Rouge Parish Locals)
• International travelers

Google has seen 6x growth in mobile searches for “things to do near me”

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OVERALL GOALS

In the following pages, we outline the strategies and tactics recommended to meet these goals. A comprehensive enactment of these strategies and tactics will yield the results necessary to reach the goals set forth in this marketing plan.

GOALS

LEISURE MARKETING

• Increase overall visitation for new and returning visitors
• Increase brand awareness for Visit Baton Rouge
• Increase buy-in amongst community stakeholders and instill reinvigorated pride within Baton Rouge natives
• Increase hotel occupancy through leisure travel
• Strengthen lead generation funnel by maximizing use of digital platforms
• Strengthen partnerships with local businesses and organizations in the tourism and hospitality sector

MEETINGS/CONVENTIONS MARKETING

• Increase leads and bookings for new and returning meetings and conventions

SALES DEPARTMENT

• Increase hotel occupancy through hotel stays garnered by meetings and conventions
• Increase group lead generation

SERVICES DEPARTMENT

• Increase overall experience for new visitors in order to incentivize return visits and positive word-of-mouth

SPECIAL PROJECTS

• Increase bookings for large-scale projects, signature events and films

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LEISURE MARKETING

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• Tie into content calendar outlined through social media strategy for more impactful and cohesive messaging
• Convert awareness and engagement into purchase decisions by including hotel deals, event packages, etc. in e-mails and digital ad displays
• Video
• Use video to share full-sensory stories, highlight local establishments and show viewers what it’s like to experience Baton Rouge food, music, etc. (consider culture and art as a focal point)
• Use full webisodes on YouTube, social media and e-marketing, as well as shorter edits to be placed as pre-roll
• Radio
• Position the city as a destination through the development of a radio spot that ties into the overall campaign thematic and highlights the unique culture and authentic experiences the city has to offer visitors
• Carry-out a comprehensive social media strategy aimed at driving web traffic, qualifying leads and ultimately bringing in overnight visitors while also creating a consistent brand for Visit Baton Rouge
• Use ads and posts centered around seasonality and events to raise awareness and pinpoint interested viewers based on their engagement. Posts should be centered around providing engaging content (i.e. listicals and itineraries) to position VBR as the authority on what to do in Baton Rouge
• Use geo-targeting to serve similar content to visitors once they’ve arrived to encourage further exploration of the city and ensure the best possible experience
• Promote hashtag (#ExploreBatonRouge) and utilize other hashtags with equity to further brand consistency and better track relevant conversations
• Integrate content marketing strategy across multiple platforms—website, social media, e-marketing, paid media—in order to maximize native communication and ultimately draw travelers into the travel consideration process
• Align content categories with activity seasonality and event calendar to ensure information is relevant to viewers
• Content may include listicals, itineraries or general information/news that coincides with overall seasonality and promotion efforts (see 2019 editorial calendar for more details)
• Create seasonal landing pages on the Visit Baton Rouge website that coincide with the overall content calendar
• Pursue experiential advertising opportunities in order to raise awareness and generate buzz about Baton Rouge, particularly within our top DMAs
• Examples include a “flash-performance” or a scavenger hunt in the Houston Galleria or staged street crews in nearby locations like New Orleans and Lafayette

LEISURE MARKETING

Emails that include video show a 200- 300% increase in click-through rates, and social video posts show 135% greater organic reach than still images

85% of leisure travelers decide on their itinerary only after having arrived at the destination

WWW.THINKITWITHGOOGLE.COM | WWW.NIELSON.COM

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LEISURE MARKETING

• Distribute Baton Rouge-branded promotional items at large events as well as at individual venues during peak travel times, i.e., low-cost take-away mementos such as coasters, stickers, match boxes, t-shirts, etc., to strengthen and prolong positive sentiment toward Baton Rouge - Disperse Baton Rouge coasters at local bars that have live music during Blues Festival - Provide hotels with Baton Rouge branded promo items during large conventions like the USBC Women’s Championships
• Continue to develop program for cross-promotion and marketing support of partner organization events or initiatives that align with Visit Baton Rouge’s mission (Event Marketing Partnerships) - Consider customizing plans based on partnership investment and potential ROI - Plans may include supporting supplemental media buys, promoting through Visit Baton Rouge’s marketing channels, and marketing training or recommendations
• Work with local restaurants, hotels and attractions to develop a coupon book to help drive visitor traffic to partner establishments
• Implement efforts to garner user generated content (UGC) to gain access to content and experiences that showcase the city in an authentic manner that resonates with VBR’s primary audiences

GOAL 2:

STRATEGIES

• Position Visit Baton Rouge as as a key driver of tourism and economic development in the region, as well as a valuable resource for locals and visitors alike (local/regional focus)
• Engage in^ partnerships with both local organizations/events^ (like Louisiana Marathon and Arts Council) and statewide, regional and national/ international entities (like LOT and Brand USA) to better spread the mission of Visit Baton Rouge

TACTICS

• Utilize earned media to publish information about what Visit Baton Rouge is doing for the city by identifying opportunities for positive coverage, announcing new accomplishments, pitching interesting story angles, etc.
• Seek out partnerships that allow Visit Baton Rouge to create a presence in markets where it otherwise wouldn’t be prevalent (i.e., 2018 LOT chef takeover in Nashville)

Google continues to maintain a stronghold on ownership of content across the Web, requiring owners of digital content to work with the platform in order for content to be seen. Google’s news carousel shows on the first page when users search for a destination. Keeping Visit Baton Rouge’s website and articles up-to-date and compliant with Google’s webmaster guidelines will help establish Visit Baton Rouge as a validated resource and ensure positive messaging is being presented as often as possible.

Increase and measure brand awareness for Visit Baton Rouge

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LEISURE MARKETING

• Continue to enhance and leverage relationships with local organizations to increase current and prospective resident buy-in and cross-promote the area as a whole - Schedule quarterly emails or meetings with local organizations and chambers to stay updated on upcoming events and initiatives in different areas – ensuring fair representation for all and placing more accountability on individual areas to stay involved - Open some meetings/partnerships to ALL local organizations – give them a chance to “apply,” e.g., BRAC, Forum 35, LED, LOT, Arts Council
• Leverage a team of brand ambassadors for Visit Baton Rouge
  • Identify a number of influential individuals within the community, as well as leaders within Visit Baton Rouge, to act as advocates for the city and all that it has to offer
  • Select ambassadors that can speak to a variety of thematics and connect to a diverse age rage through their presence in the community, on social media, etc. - Local influencer Krystal Faircloth - Chef Aimee Tortorich - Photographer and entrepreneur Jordan Hefler - BRAC President Adam Knapp
• Consider paid digital media campaign that leverages assets produced for the national consumer campaign as well as additional creative tailored to locals to create excitement around what Baton Rouge has to offer and ultimately instill pride in residents
• Incorporate content centered around promoting new attractions and restaurants into the overall editorial/content calendar as the city continues to grow
• Incentivize college students to stay in Baton Rouge by showcasing all of what the city has to offer outside of campus through content generated on digital platforms as well as paid digital media - Geotarget messaging specific to LSU and Southern’s campuses

GOAL 4:

STRATEGIES

• Explore new ways to bring bring in 6-hour drive market and national travelers by pursuing new specialty events, honing targeting efforts, etc.
• Leverage and amplify existing events to increase traffic to Baton Rouge and overnight stays
• Position Baton Rouge as a tourism destination for overnight stays
• Seize all opportunities to promote the up-and-coming hotel scene in media messaging – showcasing the uniqueness of Baton Rouge hotels and how they can enhance visitors’ Baton Rouge experience

Increase hotel occupancy through leisure travel

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LEISURE MARKETING

TACTICS

• Flight overall media strategy in a way that allows Visit Baton Rouge to specifically promote overnight stays during relevant times/events (Football season, Memorial Day Weekend, Labor Day Weekend, Bayou Country Super Fest).
• Focus messaging, both paid and earned, on upcoming events, travel packages, etc. to convert visits into weekend stays - E.g., new hotels, retailers and restaurants, upgraded amenities and venues, etc.
• Encourage hotel involvement through partnerships, sponsorships and promotional packages
  • Partner with hosts/organizers of local events and hotel, restaurant and retail managers to create packaged stays that incentivize extended leisure travel, e.g., Weekend Shopping Getaway that includes discounts on overnight stays in hotels, deals at Perkins Rowe retailers and promotions at nearby restaurants
  • Encourage hotels to sponsor as many signature events as possible—from concerts to festivals—through discounted rooms, complimentary benefits, etc.
• Identify and highlight new hotels, like the Watermark and the Marriott (while also featuring existing hotels), in both paid and earned media to incentivize and convert trips into overnight stays
• Participate in relevant Association Meetings, like Lodging and Restaurant Associations, to observe trends, share insights and strengthen partnerships

GOAL 5:

STRATEGIES

• Develop a more established method of data collection, measurement and retargeting across platforms

TACTICS

• Develop and implement strategic landing pages that coincide with creative to increase online engagement and better understand conversion metrics for paid digital/social efforts
• Integrate social and digital platforms through implementation of Facebook Pixel on the Visit Baton Rouge website
• Hold quarterly reviews of digital ads, email click-through rates, Facebook Pixel analytics, etc. to more accurately assess performance and address areas of improvement
• Strategically use CTAs to connect with consumers on multiple platforms and drive progression through the lead generation funnel
• See evaluation section for further recommendations

Strengthen lead generation funnel by maximizing usage of digital platforms

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MEETINGS AND CONVENTIONS MARKETING

The Meetings and Conventions Marketing team works to competitively market the city of Baton Rouge as a host city for meetings and conventions within a variety of industries. These types of business events bring in overnight guests, many of which rely on hotels to accommodate their lodging and/or the events themselves, in addition to supporting other local industries as attendees explore the city in their free time.

GOAL 1:

STRATEGIES

• Position Baton Rouge as a vibrant, emerging city with new and exciting offerings for a variety of groups and industries
• Maintain Visit Baton Rouge’s role as the official tourism-marketing arm of Baton Rouge and position it as the most supportive and authoritative resource for planning and booking meetings and events
• Better showcase features/amenities the city has to offer as it relates particularly to meetings and conventions (include sports facilities as an integral segment to promote)

TACTICS

• Leverage earned media to promote Baton Rouge’s meetings, conventions and sporting events offerings by distributing press releases for the following: - Venue or facility improvements - Any new venue or facility sponsorships - Things to do while in town for a meeting or event
• Develop a multi-platform campaign designed to sell the city to meeting planners and utilize paid media to put ads in front of our target audiences (see media flow chart for specific placement information)
• Equip the sales and marketing team with the necessary items to persuasively promote the city as an ideal meeting and conference destination - Expand upon the success and impact of the current Sales Video with additional one-sheets and sales collateral to accompany presentation and enhance presence at trade shows and events - Develop a digital facilities guide for sales team to utilize in attracting tournaments and sports-related events - Create a marketing toolkit for the sales team to offer meetings planners as they promote their event to help encourage attendees

Increase leads and bookings for new and returning meetings and conventions

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• Create a more clutter-busting presence at relevant conferences and trade shows
  • Enrich Visit Baton Rouge’s presence at trade shows by updating booth and visual presentations to be more attention-grabbing and cutting-edge, providing a full-sensory sneak peak into Baton Rouge, e.g., sales video (mentioned above) playing on iPads, VR headsets or Google Glass used to engage attendees and show-off Baton Rouge, etc.
• Help facilitate familiarization (FAM) trips with the sales team to familiarize meeting planners with the Visit Baton Rouge staff and Baton Rouge experience
• Continue cooperative marketing opportunities with LOT, LTPA, Brand USA, Creative Capital of the South and Southeast Louisiana Gumbo

MEETINGS AND CONVENTIONS MARKETING