Proposals due by 12:00 p.m. CDT By 12:00 PM CDT July 17
COASTAL MISSISSIPPI
Attn: Kendra Simpson, Marketing Director
2350 Beach Boulevard, Suite A
Biloxi, Mississippi 39531
kendra@coastalmississippi.com.
INTRODUCTION
The Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau, d/b/a COASTAL
MISSISSIPPI (“Bureau” or “COASTAL MISSISSIPPI”), is charged with attracting and serving
visitors by communicating and facilitating the COASTAL MISSISSIPPI experience.
COASTAL MISSISSIPPI’s multi-faceted sales and marketing approach includes local,
statewide, regional, domestic, and international campaigns. The Bureau is searching for
a creative agency offering a strategic and creative approach based on sound research to
create a campaign(s) that will increase awareness of COASTAL MISSISSIPPI as a travel
and tourism destination and attract overnight visitors.
ABOUT COASTAL MISSISSIPPI
COASTAL MISSISSIPPI is a political subdivision of the State of Mississippi governed by 15
Commissioners appointed by the Boards of Supervisors of Harrison, Jackson, and
Hancock Counties. Its fiscal year spans October 1 through September 30.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted hospitality businesses, including hotels,
restaurants, and small businesses. However, with the strategic efforts of our potential
agency partners, we believe we can overcome these challenges and restore the vibrancy
of our tourism industry. Additionally, many tourist attractions experienced sharp declines in
revenue and visitation.
OBJECTIVE
Through this Request for Proposals (RFP), COASTAL MISSISSIPPI is seeking proposals
from qualified agencies with a strong understanding of the tourism industry. These
agencies should be able to demonstrate their experience and capability to collaborate
effectively with COASTAL MISSISSIPPI and its affiliated agencies (including creative
services, paid social, public relations, photography/videography, and website vendors) to
ensure that marketing and ad hoc campaign efforts are both effective and relevant in
maintaining and increasing visitation to the destination. The desired
MARKETING/ADVERTISING AGENCY SERVICES include media strategy, media
planning, media negotiations, and media buying.
Prospective respondents are required to submit proposals for COASTAL MISSISSIPPI’s
MARKETING/ADVERTISING AGENCY SERVICES, adhering to the conditions outlined in
this RFP. While we intend to contract with the agency that best aligns with the
qualifications and scope of work, COASTAL MISSISSIPPI reserves the right to terminate
negotiations if an agreement cannot be reached on all matters, including scope of
work and cost.
COASTAL MISSISSIPPI intends to contract with a qualified agency to support its continued
recovery efforts stemming from the negative economic impacts of COVID-19. Future
projects undertaken by the selected agency that are enumerated or implied to fall under
the scope of this RFP may be paid in whole, in part, or not at all by federal and state
grants. The grants may be currently awarded to COASTAL MISSISSIPPI or
may be awarded in the future. These funds may be used so long as it is deemed
appropriate under the scope of the grant and meet the legal requirements of such.
COASTAL MISSISSIPPI reserves the right to make these determinations on an as-needed
basis, and any payments are not to be construed as a grant award unless explicitly
stated to be such. COASTAL MISSISSIPPI makes no warranties, express or implied herein,
regarding grant awards in this RFP.
Further, in compliance with federal and state statutes, COASTAL MISSISSIPPI encourages
small, minority, and women-owned businesses to respond to this RFP. As such, this RFP
will be placed on MS PTAP, the bureau’s website, Central Bidding’s website found
hereinbelow, placed in a newspaper of general circulation at the time of publication, and
intentional outreach will be conducted in accordance with 2 CFR § 200.321 to ensure
equal opportunity for all to respond.
GOAL
Coastal Mississippi requires an agency to represent our destination, encompassing three
counties, to deliver media planning, including buying and designing strategic marketing
campaigns, negotiating advertising rates, and placing media buys with vendors while
maintaining an accurate budget and reporting campaign performance. The agency will
enhance our image through innovative media campaigns adhering to our current brand
standards as a foundation. Collaboration with other vendors will be pivotal to ensure
seamless integration of marketing efforts and amplify our reach. Moreover, the agency
will craft a dynamic media strategy that adapts to evolving tourism trends and seasonal
fluctuations, ensuring relevance and resonance year-round. Ultimately, the goal is to
foster sustained growth and engagement within our target audience while maintaining
cohesive and adaptable marketing campaigns.
TARGET AUDIENCE DETAILS
As our marketing efforts grow in scale, so do our efforts to connect with travelers who
represent significant and enduring growth opportunities for COASTAL MISSISSIPPI. We
will continue to monitor universal changes in traveler sentiment and behaviors; however,
the primary focus will be on the Experiential Travelers Audience.
While there remains room for growth within the Experiential Traveler audience, we see
an opportunity to expand the definition and diversity of the audience by better
understanding the multicultural makeup and focusing on how to reach and connect with
all who wish to visit.
CORE EXPERIENTIAL TRAVELER
Those traveling with friends, partners, or solo. Frequent travelers seeking new travel
experiences off the beaten path.
FAMILY EXPERIENTIAL TRAVELER
Traveling with family, young and old. Seasonal travelers who are seeking out travel
experiences that build stronger bonds.
SCOPE OF WORK
The selected agency will work closely with Coastal Mississippi’s marketing team to
collaborate on a strategy to develop, execute, and track the results of the annual
marketing and paid media plan that supports the strategic plan set forth by Coastal
Mississippi. This collaboration includes strategic direction, marketing strategy, media,
media negotiations, and media placement.
- Create an advertising strategy utilizing creative campaigns that support
- organizational strategies and goals
- Integrate marketing communications, including traditional advertising, digital
- advertising, branded content, sponsorships, and strategic partnerships
- Guide marketing activities designed to showcase Coastal Mississippi’s experiential
- offerings equitably
- Develop and prepare media plans for each target market
- Utilize research and marketing insights to develop strategic recommendations for
- budget allocation
- Leverage paid media partnerships and placements as a means to effectively
- distribute and amplify owned and earned content
- Provide insights on emerging trends and new media to evolve and reach the target
- audiences continually
- Execute media plans with strategic and cost-effective planning, buying, and audits,
- including placement, optimization, cancellations, auditing, payments to vendors,
- and billing
- Produce monthly reporting on campaign and brand continuity, end-of-campaign
- reports, including images/tear sheets of all assets, a dashboard of goal
- performance, and a summary of key takeaways
- Maintain regular communication on all activities and provide an annual summary
- of campaign performance
- Provide clear budget plans