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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Marketing Committee 09/05/2017PALM DESERT PALM DESERT MARKETING COMMITTEE APPROVED MINUTES Tuesday, September 5, 2017 — 3:00 p.m. Administrative Conference Room I. CALL TO ORDER Theresa Maggio called the meeting to order at 3:03 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Members Present: Franchesca Forrer Theresa Maggio, Vice -Chair Jeffrey Norman Ray Rodriguez Erin Scott Barb Wagner Members Absent: Arlene Amick Rolf Hoehn, Chair Mahasti Islami Jerry Martin Bruce Nation Staff /Others Present: Jan Harnik, Mayor Gina Nestande, Councilmember Thomas Soule, Tourism & Marketing Manager Martin Alvarez, Economic Development Director David Hermann, Senior Management Analyst Barbara Blythe, Tourism & Marketing Specialist Amy Lawrence, Management Analyst, Special Programs Jane Stanley, Recording Secretary Warren Jones, The Jones Group Derek White, Desert Willow Golf Resort Jodi Shaver, Desert Willow Golf Resort Judy Esterbrook, Hotel Paseo III. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None. IV. CONSENT CALENDAR A. MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF JUNE 6, 2017 Ray Rodriguez moved, by Minute Motion, to approve the minutes of the June 6, 2017, meeting as presented. The motion was seconded by Jeffrey Norman and carried by a 6-0 APPROVED MINUTES PALM DESERT MARKETING COMMITTEE September 5, 2017 vote. (AYES: Forrer, Maggio, Norman, Rodriguez, Scott and Wagner; NOES: None; ABSENT: Amick, Hoehn, Islami, Martin and Nation) V. CONSENT ITEMS HELD OVER None. VI. NEW BUSINESS A. REVIEW OF MEDIA PLAN FOR FY 2017/2018 Michael Ramirez and Carly Bonilla -Flores participated in the meeting via teleconference. Mr. Ramirez began by saying that at H&L they have learned over the past couple of years what has worked as far as driving traffic to Palm Desert, which has been incorporated into this Media Plan. Ms. Bonilla -Flores then went on to go over the Media Objectives, Planning Parameters, Media Strategy and Recommendations for digital, print and outdoor media. She said the main objective of the Media Plan is to drive Palm Desert visitation. This is augmented by the secondary objective of raising awareness of Palm Desert as an upscale and unique destination and informing the target audience of events that are available to them when they visit the greater Palm Springs area. An indicator of intent to visit Palm Desert is when someone signs up for the e- newsletter. The timing of the campaign is from October of 2017 to April of 2018 with a total budget of $406,000. The target audience continues to be adults 35 to 54 years old in the key markets of Los Angeles, San Diego and the greater Palm Springs area, with a household income of $100k or more. Website landing pages are the same as last year. The mobile site has been updated by moving the e- newsletter signup field further up the page, which has resulted in an increase in signups. Regarding Media Strategy, what was learned last year is being applied to this year's strategy, such as adults aged 35 to 44 made up the most website visits. Since most digital traffic comes from social media and native, Facebook is the best way to reach the target audience. Therefore, the budget has been increased in that area. Thomas Soule added that the content on Facebook has shifted to event -based information. There has been more engagement so this has proven to be a good strategy. Ms. Bonilla -Flores continued by saying that 82% of visitors within the mobile ad campaign came from Facebook. The FY 17-18 Media Strategy is to continue to build upon the previous campaign, which is an integrated approach across print, outdoor and digital ads. Digital will be the primary driver of website visits, while print and outdoor will be the main awareness tactic of the Palm Desert brand. Regarding our audience and decision -making process, 70% of travelers use smartphones to research travel. 88% will switch to another site or application if it doesn't satisfy their needs. 53% of vacationers say that area attractions are 2 APPROVED MINUTES PALM DESERT MARKETING COMMITTEE September 5, 2017 the most influential factor when selecting a destination. This behavior is reflected on Palm Desert's site. For digital/online advertising, H&L recommends partnering with Drawbridge, a cross -device platform that reaches prospective visitors with banner ads. They will observe multiple online consumer interactions to more efficiently and effectively target our audience. Tactics include prospecting and retargeting. This is an example of the different types of technology that are available to help identify and target who we are trying to reach in our key markets. Drawbridge has been a good partner in the past for H&L. Drawbridge also has location - based targeting and can see where signups are coming from, such as mobile or desktop. Overall cost is $70k for 20M impressions. For digital native content, H&L recommends continuing to partner with Nativo, which drives people to our website by first catching their attention with native content that matches the look and feel of contextually relevant websites, such as travel and entertainment. The cost is $70k for 4M impressions. The spend has increased over last year. For social media, Facebook posts will be utilized to reach our audience who live in Los Angeles and San Diego that are visiting greater Palm Springs. To keep content fresh, creative will be refreshed monthly. The cost is $54k for 3.6M impressions. Newsfeeds will include image and video ads. Last year 97% of conversions came from Palm Desert brand -specific searches. Event creative during events was a strong tactic at driving engagement and overall traffic. This year, H&L recommends focusing on those high -converting brand searches with a goal of generating email signups, and on event searches with the goal of increasing overall website visits. The cost is $60k with an estimated 34,000 clicks. For print, H&L recommends partnering with the same four magazines as last year, Los Angeles Magazine, Orange Coast, San Diego and Palm Springs Life. The subscribers are actively interested in their content. We will have contextual alignment, meaning our ads will run within travel sections and related advertorials. Ads will be a mix of half and full pages within the Travel and Palm Springs sections. Cost is $69k for 1 M impressions. There is some added value with the print publications. A promotional listing in Los Angeles Magazine can be used to promote specific events. We will also have advertorials within their Palm Springs section to complement our half and full page ads. San Diego magazine will provide one listing and we will have social media posts, one per month. Orange Coast offers one social media post per platform; Twitter and Facebook. In response to Theresa Maggio's question, Ms. Bonilla -Flores said May is included for Los Angeles Magazine because it is their travel issue, and October has a Palm Springs section. 3 APPROVED MINUTES PALM DESERT MARKETING COMMITTEE September 5, 2017 For outdoor media, the Beverly Center is not available this year due to renovations, so the recommendation is to place ads on digital screens at Westfield Century City instead. The center has 4 levels and ads will be on 29 eye level digital screens. The cost will be $65k. The center has 21M annual visitors. Through negotiation, as added value ads will also be placed at Westfield Sherman Oaks at no cost. Ads will also continue to be shown in the baggage claim area of the Palm Springs Airport. In order to go live with this campaign on October 1, H&L is seeking approval today. Jeffrey Norman moved, by Minute Motion, to recommend approval of the Media Plan for FY 2017/2018 to the City Council. The motion was seconded by Franchesca Forrer and carried by a 6-0 vote. (AYES: Forrer, Maggio, Norman, Rodriguez, Scott and Wagner; NOES: None; ABSENT: Amick, Hoehn, Islami, Martin and Nation) Mayor Harnik requested for Thursday's City Council meeting, that Mr. Soule informs the City Council that the Media Plan has been reviewed and approved by the Marketing Committee, and also tell them about the makeup of the Committee. B. PRESENTATION OF PUBLIC RELATIONS PLAN FOR FY 2017/2018 Speaking via teleconference, Heather Woodard of H&L Partners said the PR Plan will continue to support the Media Plan. She is now reaching out to national publications. Erin Scott asked if they had just contacted journalists, or had reached out to bloggers and influencers. Heather replied that she will reach out to influencers who meet the targets and priorities. Discussion ensued regarding how important November will be in Palm Desert because of numerous anniversaries and events, such as the opening of Hotel Paseo and the 10th anniversary of A Miracle on El Paseo. Mr. Soule said that the plan includes ongoing PR to maximize relationships for the long term. He liked the idea of seeing where everybody is putting their efforts to see the coverage, and so that we could help each other out. Franchesca Forrer suggested having a collaboration to gather resources to maximize coverage. Jeffrey Norman suggested a fact sheet of milestones. Ray Rodriguez suggested a "season kick-off' strategy be included into the long term strategy. Mr. Soule added that we also have the First Weekend advertising and PR program, plus social media to supports events. All channels are used to promote events. The advertising program is an overview for funding pieces and making sure there is authorization to spend the money on the different pieces. Specifics are refined once there is authorization. He asked everyone to let him 4 APPROVED MINUTES PALM DESERT MARKETING COMMITTEE September 5, 2017 know about milestones so the information can be spread through our social media and other channels. He went on to say that the City Manager is authorized to spend up to $40,000 with the approval of the Marketing Committee. The vote today would authorize the City Manager to approve this spend. Jeffrey Norman moved, by Minute Motion, to approve the Public Relations Plan for FY 2017/2018 as presented. The motion was seconded by Ray Rodriguez and carried by a 6-0 vote. (AYES: Forrer, Maggio, Norman, Rodriguez, Scott and Wagner; NOES: None; ABSENT: Amick, Hoehn, Islami, Martin and Nation) C. EVENTS ON EL PASEO SPONSORSHIP REQUEST Mr. Soule introduced Warren Jones from The Jones Group. He then distributed handouts describing four proposed events to be held on El Paseo and an illustration of a concert stage. Two of the events are ongoing, one is intermittently ongoing, and one is proposed for 2018. Warren Jones started by noting that this year is the 10th anniversary of A Miracle on El Paseo and the 11th anniversary of the BAM charity. The first year 200 attended the Miracle event, and last year there were 3,200 in attendance. Some people start off their season with this event. The second event, Oscar Party on El Paseo, is in its third year, and benefits Palm Springs Women in Film and Television — PSWIFT. The Miracle event is scheduled for November 18 with tickets at $50 for adults and $10 for kids. The Oscar Party will be on March 4, 2018, with tickets at $150, which includes a cocktail party, concert and sit down dinner. The third event is the International Fragrance and Flower Festival, done a few years back. The fourth event is Concours d'Elegance, which The Jones Group had been doing for years on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, and has been discontinued there. Discussion ensued about the Concours event's proposed date of Father's Day. Consensus from the Committee is that on this date the weather would be too hot and the event would not be successful. Mr. Jones said his goal is to extend the season and get people out shopping, so he is open to another date. The stage illustration is a mockup of the main stage for each event on which the entertainers would perform. It would be labeled and advertised as "The City of Palm Desert Concert Stage." The money he is requesting today would go towards the cost of the talent, which is $50,000 for the four events. Mr. Soule noted that $15,000 has already been budgeted to support A Miracle on El Paseo, so the request is for an additional $35,000. In addition to the stage, the City of Palm Desert would be included in the advertising. Mr. Jones said that press releases would say something like "so and so performing on The City of Palm Desert Concert Stage." He is envisioning that whenever he does an event, it would always be "The City of Palm Desert Concert Stage." 5 APPROVED MINUTES PALM DESERT MARKETING COMMITTEE September 5, 2017 Responding to a question, Mr. Jones said the music for the Fragrance Festival would match the theme of the event and would go all day long. The entertainment for the Oscar event would have a tie to the film industry. Music for Miracle on El Paseo would be for dancing, and the Concours music would be themed as well. Martin Alvarez asked if the stage would be purchased or be rented, to which Mr. Jones replied that the requested funding is for the talent and the stage will be branded as the City's stage as part of the City's sponsorship.. Mr. Soule added that staff feels this would be a good investment because Mr. Jones brings a level of talent that elevates events and gets people talking and wanting to come back. The investment into the entertainment will help build the brand of each event as well as the City. Mr. Rodriguez asked when the commitment would end and how long would the expectation be for the City to provide financial support? At some point would the event be stand-alone or it would be one that requires continual City support? Mr. Jones said it would be for as long as the City wants to be a sponsor. If the City decides in three years that it doesn't want to support the event, he would get another sponsor to bring in talent. He feels this is good for the City and good for the street. Mr. Soule added that this specific request is for one time. Mr. Jones would have to come back for more funding next year. Mr. Jones said the funding would be spread over the four events. Ray Rodriguez moved, by Minute Motion, to approve sponsorship in the amount of $35,000, and up to $50,000 for the musical talent for the four events, for no more than three years, and thereafter seek private sponsorship. Franchesca Forrer commented that it's our obligation to provide a really unique experience, which she thinks this would. She thinks the talent should be someone who is a little more current so there is more to market from a social media standpoint. Mr. Jones said the City sponsorship would help to bring in more sponsors and the stage would remain the City's concert stage. Erin Scott noted that her sticking point is that the last two events are not fleshed out yet. Barb Wagner asked that if one of the events doesn't work out, would the $50,000 be for 3 events. Mr. Jones said the minimum amount of events he has to produce is three. The funding would cover entertainment for all the events, be it three or four. Fred Fern foots the bill for the events, except the car show, which has entrance fees and other sponsors. In response to a question, the size of the stage is about 20' by 30'. 6 APPROVED MINUTES PALM DESERT MARKETING COMMITTEE September 5, 2017 The motion was seconded by Barb Wagner. Erin Scott commented that she would like the motion to be amended. She would like there to be more details for the fragrance and car events, such as the date and the look and feel of each. Mr. Soule stated that the Committee is being asked, should these four events happen, to recommend to the City Council that they approve the $50,000 sponsorship. Amy Lawrence added that the initial $15,000 sponsorship for the Miracle event is designated for police services and traffic control. If the Marketing Committee recommends sponsorship of these four events, at the September 28th City Council meeting she will request event road closures, $15,000 for The Miracle on El Paseo, and an additional request for the appropriation of $35,000. If there is a stipulation to wait for more details for the events, she will just take the $15,000 request and road closures for the Miracle event. She has the date for the Oscar party as March 4. That one doesn't need to go to the City Council this year because it will not be held on the street. Ray Rodriguez moved to amend the motion to prorate the sponsorship down based on the number of events that occur. Theresa Maggio called for the vote. It carried by a 5-0-1 vote. (AYES: Forrer, Norman, Rodriguez, Scott and Wagner; NOES: None; ABSENT: Amick, Hoehn, Islami, Martin and Nation; ABSTAIN: Maggio) Please note for purposes of clarification the motion is as follows: Ray Rodriguez moved, by Minute Motion, to approve sponsorship in the amount of $35,000, and up to $50,000 for the musical talent for the four events, for no more than three years, and thereafter seek private sponsorship, and prorate the sponsorship amount down based on the number of events that occur. Motion was seconded by Barb Wagner and carried by a 5-0-1 vote. (AYES: Forrer, Norman, Rodriguez, Scott and Wagner; NOES: None; ABSENT: Amick, Hoehn, Islami, Martin and Nation; ABSTAIN: Maggio) D. DESERT WILLOW INFLUENCER CO-OP PROGRAM Mr. Soule introduced Jodi Shaver and Derek White from Desert Willow Golf Resort. They have been working on this idea together for a while. The city budget includes money for co-op advertising programs with certain entities, which Desert Willow is one. The reason this is being presented to the Marketing Committee is because this would be a new use of the funds. Ms. Maggio asked if the $28,000 request could be decreased by in -kind sponsorship. Mr. Soule noted that this is a not -to -exceed budget. The goal of this co-op is to gather email addresses, so we want to be careful about protecting that database. Desert Willow is required to share the costs equally 7 APPROVED MINUTES PALM DESERT MARKETING COMMITTEE September 5, 2017 with the City. If there is money to pay for some of the elements, we wouldn't have to offer others the opportunity to receive the database. He wants to make sure there are funds to pay for elements instead of asking for donations. Mr. White stated that the email database is what's important, because an excess of $1 M in sales comes through it by pre -paid golf rounds, loyalty card, events and other things. Mr. Soule continued by saying they would like to segment email lists, and this would be a golf -specific list. These people would receive a different version of the e-newsletter focusing on golf in addition to family -friendly activities. Discussion ensued regarding who the media influencer might be. There isn't a specific person in mind yet. It would be a name that appeals to this specific target audience. Mr. White said he feels the promotion would work without an influencer, but they do want to find somebody. With co-op dollars they have tried things, such as a booth at the tennis tournament, but the data generation does not come. This promotion would create some buzz and bring people to the Valley. Right now there are about 60,000 on the email list, and this promotion could be a huge driver. Mr. Rodriguez suggested finding a celebrity that golfs because they would get a bigger penetration. Responding to Ms. Wagner's question, Mr. White replied that the target audience is the same as those in the Marketing Plan; 50% of Desert Willow's visitors are from California; 25% are from Canada, and the other 25% from various other places. Barb Wagner moved, by Minute Motion, to recommend that the City Manager approve expenditures for the Desert Willow Influencer Co-op Program in an amount not to exceed $14,000. The motion was seconded by Franchesca Forrer by a 4-0-1 vote. (AYES: Forrer, Maggio, Scott and Wagner; NOES: None; ABSENT: Amick, Hoehn, Islami, Martin, Nation and Norman: ABSTAIN: Rodriguez;) VII. CONTINUED BUSINESS None VIII. OLD BUSINESS None IX. REPORTS FROM CITY COUNCIL LIAISONS A. City Council 8 APPROVED MINUTES PALM DESERT MARKETING COMMITTEE September 5, 2017 Mayor Harnik noted that there is still vigorous and spirited conversation regarding the Short -Term Rentals and Cannabis Ordinances. We have a long way to go before the Ordinances are in place. These will impact many in this room in various ways. X. REPORTS AND REMARKS A. Chair Theresa Maggio noted that it has been really, really busy at Bighorn. The new clubhouse will be unveiled in November. One of the four penthouses has already closed escrow. 800 members are expected for the Welcome Home Party. It is estimated that there will be five times the number of guests this year. B. Committee Members Erin Scott stated that this year will be "The Year of the Giraffe" to raise awareness and conservation action at The Living Desert. It will include a launch party in October 1st. A free mobile app and audio tour of the zoo has been launched. This year was record attendance of 420k. The new entrance with legacy garden, admissions and gift shop, "Crossroads of Conservation," broke ground on May 3rd. It will be completed by season open of 2018. Pending fundraising, by 2020 there will be lions, rhinos and hyenas, and hopefully 500k attendees per year. The first of September's "Safari Nights" was a success with 450 people attending. Barb Wagner reported that she is working with the new owners on very extensive renovations at the Marriott, which will involve all the guest rooms, spa, sound and lighting in the meeting space, the entire lobby and lounge, and Rockwood Grill. Some guest rooms will be turned into suites. The work will be done May to September. They are also looking at the driveway and entrance to the building. Ruth Ann Moore noted that there isn't a sidewalk going out of the property, so people walk on the road when they want to go outside the property. Franchesca Forrer said it was a very busy summer at Westfield. She thanked The Living Desert who was an integral part of "Camp Westfield." The center was thrilled to have the Farmer's Market inside on Sundays. "Street" will be on November 3rd with anticipated attendance of 5,000 people. Judy Esterbrook, Hotel Paseo, said they are soon to be partners with Desert Willow. A November opening is anticipated. Ray Rodriguez reported that Casuelas Cafe is torn up for its patio renovation. Cork Tree will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this spring. C. Staff 9 APPROVED MINUTES PALM DESERT MARKETING COMMITTEE September 5, 2017 Thomas Soule stated that since the last Marketing Committee meeting, he and Heather Woodard went to New York and met with some major national magazine staff. They brought along date shake crystals, which they were intrigued by. Also, in July he went to Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver, Canada, with the CVB to meet with travel professionals to help educate them about Palm Desert and connect the dots of all our brands with Palm Desert. The CVB does a great job of promoting our amenities and attractions. Ruth Ann Moore reported that since the General Plan has been updated, the Economic Development Department is working on a new Strategic Plan to help develop goals for the department for the next five to seven years. A Steering Committee of about 25 people will be formed, and the entities represented here will be receiving an invitation to participate in three morning meetings, to be completed before Christmas. A specific project for El Paseo will start this month, which is urban planners experienced in high -end shopping districts will look at the site to come up with recommendations for the street. XI. NEXT MEETING DATE — DECEMBER 5, 2017 XII. ADJOURNMENT With Committee concurrence, the meeting was adjourned at 5:04 p.m. ane Stanley, Redording Secretary 10