Southlake, Texas Seeks Agency for Strategic Media Planning
The City of Southlake is seeking a highly qualified agency to provide marketing and advertising agency services. The purpose and intent of this request for qualifications are to enter into an annual contract with qualified full-service marketing and advertising agency that can strategically plan, advise on and carry-out placement and performance analysis of a comprehensive marketing and advertising campaign to support the mission of the City of Southlake’s tourism brand, Visit Southlake. Successful agencies may also be engaged on other marketing and advertising needs across the City, including marketing of the City’s event and recreation facility, the Marq Southlake as well as other City sub-brands. Services will include, but are not limited to, developing an advertising strategy primarily for, but not limited to, digital advertising. Typical project services will include consultation, research, strategic planning, advertising placements, conversion studies and project management. The City reserves the right of final approval of any media placements.
Background:
Geography: The City is approximately 22 square miles in size. The City is immediately west of Grapevine, approximately 10 minutes from DFW International Airport.
B. Population: The current estimated population for the City is 30,010. (Source: North Center Texas Council of Governments, January 2019)
C. Build‐out: The city is expected to have a 34,188 build‐out population with 10,617 residential units. (Source: City of Southlake Planning and Development Services Department)
D. Community Profile: Over the past 30 years, the City of Southlake has grown and become a premier community in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. The City’s dedication to quality development, sound fiscal policies, and effective strategic management has made it an exemplary community. It has consistently been ranked as one of the best places to live by D Magazine and Fort Worth Magazine, and the Dallas Morning News has reported Southlake as one of the Best Neighborhoods in DFW, with an overall rating of five stars. The City plans for and prioritizes economic sustainability in order to continue to provide the highest level of service to residents, businesses and visitors, and promote quality of life for Southlake’s residents now and in the future.
The City of Southlake has just over 30,000 residents and is fortunate to be located in the heart of Dallas-Fort Worth, the most popular destination in Texas for tourism. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport is only a few short miles to the southeast, and Lake Grapevine borders the city to the north. State Highway 114 runs diagonally through the middle of the city, heading east through Las Colinas and into downtown Dallas and west toward the Alliance Airport corridor. State Highway 114, along with Southlake Boulevard (FM 1709) and Davis Boulevard (FM 1938), are the primary roadways that help fuel the City’s economic success.
The Tourism assets in Southlake compete with the very best in the region. Visitors appreciate the diverse mix of retail, restaurants, popular events, outdoor recreation and sports facilities, proximity to corporate locations, medical facilities, nearby regional attractions, and a growing number of high-end hotel accommodations within the City of Southlake.
At the heart of both community and commerce is Southlake Town Square. The internationally acclaimed mixed-use development includes a wide variety of upscale shopping and dining options and a vibrant mix of professional service providers. Town Square also plays host to a popular mix of community gatherings. The annual Art in the Square event draws artists and visitors from around the globe, Oktoberfest rings in the fall, Stars and Stripes celebrates patriotism with style while Home for the Holidays evokes the spirit of a Norman Rockwell painting.
Businesses from many industries including healthcare, legal and financial services have come together to make Southlake a full-service business community for all of north central Texas, which is also a key driver of our visitor economy. With approximately 3,600 employees, Sabre, home of Travelocity.com is the city’s largest employer and Verizon Wireless’ Network Control Center takes advantage of high-tech infrastructure to manage all wireless communications west of the Mississippi River from its Southlake location. Additionally, TD Ameritrade recently opened a new regional center in Southlake, with approximately 2,000 employees.
Tourism is a key component of Southlake’s economic vitality. Southlake tourism efforts are targeted toward enhancing resident quality of life and business vitality, meaning that Southlake’s tourism economy is centered around community events, shopping, dining, nature, parks, medical uses and sports –all elements that enrich the local experience for residents and businesses, as well as visitors.
In 2014, the City of Southlake worked with a third party to identify and adopt a visitor brand that was based on an integrated research methodology which included insight groups, interviews, a citizen survey, ethnography as well as multiple other secondary research reports. Today, that branding has been implemented as Visit Southlake and is in use, guiding the look, feel and messaging of all tourism marketing assets including the website (VisitSouthlakeTexas.com), social media accounts and other marketing materials.
The Southlake 2035 Tourism Master Plan, adopted in May 2017, describes Southlake’s tourism market and identifies several marketing and advertising-based recommendations related to visitor acquisition and retention. To review those recommendations, download the plan at www.Southlake2035.com.
Scope of Work:
Following are the currently anticipated goals for this Project. Additional recommendations or revisions from the Consultant as part of the RFQ submittal are encouraged.
A. Marketing and Advertising Planning: Develop recommendations for a Marketing and Advertising Plan that supports the strategies set forth by City’s Tourism Master Plan. This must include strategic direction, creative strategy, brand development and stewardship, media plan and cooperative plan.
B. Creative Services: The creative component requires the development of unique creative assets to support integrated marketing campaigns described in the Marketing and Advertising Plan. Candidates must demonstrate a proven history of strategic and effective travel and tourism-related marketing services.
Elements include:
i. Strategic, research-based creative recommendations
ii. Development and production of results driven creative (online, mobile, etc.)
iii. Management of the production of various creative concepts and delivery to media outlets as required
iv. Integration of analytic tools to measure and report on the impact of executed media strategies and tactics
C. Media Planning / Purchase Coordination: The selected agency will primarily develop media plans for Visit Southlake to promote overnight stays and day-trips, review and analyze media opportunities and select and purchase designated digital media. The plan will be developed annually in accordance with the Marketing and Advertising Plan and the selected agency will coordinate with the City of Southlake to buy and execute the plan following City approval. The City will sign all advertisement agreements and insertion orders and will issue payments directly to any vendor.
Candidates must demonstrate a proven track record for leveraging media buy negotiations to garner added value, extending the media dollar as much as possible.
Elements include:
i. Strategic, research-based integrated marketing, media planning, and media buying recommendations
ii. Evaluate new media opportunities as needed
iii. Determine an efficient and effective media mix, recommending appropriate media channels to adhere to campaign goals
iv. Create a performance-based, evolving mixed media annual plan; implement and manage
v. Negotiations across all media channels
vi. Monthly digital reporting, analysis and optimization recommendations
vii. Monthly budget reviews
viii. Regular post-buy reporting and analysis
ix. Implementation of programs with proven results and ROI
Due Date:
July 26th, 2019.
Address:
Relevant agencies include Zeno Group and W2O group.
