strengthening southern vermont

Collaborative Marketing Program Vermont Travel Industry Conference, April 3, 2014

1. What we are doing2. Why are we doing it3. How we are doing it4. What we have learned on the way5. Our creative strategy – 6. What are we asking

But first… grab your smart phone, and tell us about you

Which celebrity does Steve Cook remind you most of?

What part of Vermont are you from?

What do you do professionally?

How important is travel and tourism in Southern Vermont to

your business?

What We are Doing

1. Bringing the communities of Southern Vermont together2. To tell a story3. About a part of the state that has battled…

• Division within its cities and towns• A love/hate relationship with visitors and outsiders• A devastating flood• Bad press

What geography do we represent?

Why We are Doing This

Our hoteliers, attractions, restaurants, and cities and towns are:

2. Getting back on their feet

3. Worth knowing about

1. Proud

What we hope to gain for the region

1. Increased awareness of the region2. Click through to a regional website3. Additional visitation to the region4. Growth in the working population of the region

How we will measure our success

Ad impressions: Click through to website:

Site Conversions: Email registration, newsletter sign

up, travel guide requests

8,000,000 in year 1

15,000,000 per year

12,000 in year 1(Total annual website traffic

36,000)

22,500 per year (Total annual website traffic

67,500)

240 in year 1(Total annual site conversions 720)

450 per year (Total annual site conversions 1,350)

How are we doing this?

1. We secured a grant to provide seed funding for Phase 1 marketing

1. Provide one on one business assistance recovery2. Partner with the State of Vermont on an immediate short term marketing effort coordinated

through the Southern Vermont Chambers3. Develop a logo and marketing strategy and lay the foundation for a Southern Vermont

marketing collaboration to Strengthen Southern Vermont’s tourism businesses and employers recruitment efforts

As a result of economic recovery needs from Tropical Storm Irene - the Windham and Bennington Regional Planning Commissions secured a federal grant to:

2. We worked with private and public sector partners, all of whom want the same thing

3. We got to work

•Internal•External•Competition•Insights

Research

•Audience(s)•Positioning•Benefits•USP

Brand Strategy•Logo•Tagline•Messaging•Concepts

Creative

•Campaigns•Tactics•Timeline•Budgets

Marketing Plan•Website•Advertising•Collateral•Events, etc.

Execution

What we learned along the way

Mature demographic:

Above average income:

Employed full-time or retired/self-employed:

Coming from:

Most not traveling with children:

Outdoors-y and adventurous:

Current Audience

Top Assets• Quality of life – a top driver for both business and workforce• Tourism assets (for both quality of life and visitor impact)• Access to local/state government• Higher education• Industry clusters – tourism, energy, agriculture, precision manufacturing, education,

healthcare, and some biotech emerging• High speed internet/power costs at or below regional rates• Proximity to NYC, Boston, I-91 border

Biggest Challenges to the Region• Workforce• Career opportunities• Recruiting Companies• State taxation rate• Isolated – access to cities via rail, airport (too remote)• Competition in neighboring regions• Historic resistance to growth• Closure of Vermont Yankee• No available properties (need businesses willing to build)• We focus a lot on tourism, but not enough on ED or things to sustain residents• Colleges – we don’t engage the students• We have an awareness issue – the jobs are here, we just need the people

Opportunities to the Region• Broadband – huge implications• Ski areas – the marketing arm of our businesses• Higher ed

– Education of existing talent– UVM is setting up programs in SoVT– 2 state colleges moving to downtown Brattleboro– Work with high-schools to prepare students, as well as colleges to build the talent pipeline locally

• Tourism– Need the visitors for the businesses here– These visitors are the ones who have had the VT experience and move here to work or start a

business– Events bring people here – one of our greatest recruiting tools is the Strolling of the Heifers!– The sales pitch for most employers is the lifestyle (and accessibility to Boston, NY, etc.)– The draw for many businesses is the association with the Vermont image

Differentiators• We have a business counter-culture• Socially responsible companies (VBSR – largest in U.S.)• More employee-owned businesses per capita than anywhere else in the world• Owners are passionate about keeping their companies here

Disadvantages• Diversity and volume of industry• Minimal manufacturing opportunities• VT income taxes• Lacks the offerings of bigger cities – hard to attract high-tech employees• Lack of security (not many alternative options if you lose your job or want to find

something else)• Lack of affordable housing, high cost of living• No public transportation• Wages are not competitive• Lack of publicity about what opportunities are available• Not much to do for young professionals (and most live elsewhere)

Visitors

Friends/family

The people

Outdoor recreation

Proximity to other locations and experiences

The Vermont experience

Own a vacation home

The unique towns/villages

Workforce

Family ties

The people

Outdoor recreation

Proximity to major markets

The Vermont lifestyle

Top drivers are consistent:

A product labeled "Made in Vermont“…is worth 10 percent more than the same product made elsewhere. - Paul Greenberg, The Boston Globe

Vermont-branded products command a "10-15 percent" premium in markets.

- Glenn Ravdin, Brand Consultant

My business is here because of the Vermont image association.

- Thomas Moffitt, Commonwealth Dairy

I wanted to live, work, and start a business in the Vermont counter-culture.

- Paul Millman, Chroma Co-Founder

“Southern Vermont offers the full Vermont experience.”

“From one side of the region to the other, you can experience the full beauty of the state.”

“Anyone can be a Vermonter…Vermont is a mindset.”

The purpose of this brand:

Bringing people here.

Fierce independence and individual identities…

But “we cannot market our small towns against bigger competitors.”

The primary dynamics of the brand

“So Vermont”

Geography that drove our campaigns:

Brand concept that drove our campaigns

Insert girl in climbing the waterfall concept

Insert Olga concept

Outdoor and print advertising executions

Road Block Digital Banner Ads

Display advertising

Facebook Feed Ad

Facebook Column Ad

Google PPC ad

Facebook and Google PPC Advertising

Website

• Work with the state communications team to pitch story ideas that are centered in Southern Vermont.

• Ensure that Southern Vermont is included in all available media FAM tours• Develop Southern Vermont pitch calendar

Co-Op Public Relations Tactics for this campaign

Marketing/Media MixPhoto Shoot

7%Campaign Launch Materials

3%

Direct Marketing3%

Event Marketing10%

Website10%

Email Marketing and Blog3%

Digital and Content Advertising/Social Marketing33%

Print Advertising 7%

Outdoor Advertising17%

Jobs Portal3%

Travel3%

Do you believe that a regional marketing approach is more or

less effective in attracting visitors to the State?

Do you think this campaign will drive visitation to Southern

Vermont?

What we are asking you:• Help us Strengthen Southern Vermont• By investing in our cooperative program• Alongside the State of Vermont

Contact: Laura Sibilia

Phone: 802-257-7731 x 217Email: lsibilia@brattleborodevelopment.com

Questions