EXPLORE BUTTE COUNTY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Professional Marketing & Media Buying Services
Proposal Submission Deadline: August 15, 2023
TARGET MARKETS
The primary focus for the agency is to drive leisure traveler demand, with the possibility of growing the program into the Southern California regional market, travel trade groups, and internationally if the budget allows.
EBC focuses on two audience groups:
1. LEISURE TRAVELERS, broken into two regional categories:
a. Drive Markets
i. Expand the Sacramento and San Jose/San Francisco markets.
ii. Develop drive markets for Reno, Stockton, and Fresno – These locations do not have an active strategy.
b. Direct Flight Market
i. Consider the Southern California market – This is not an active strategy. With the possibility of commercial air service coming to the Chico Regional Airport (LAX to Chico), this is an area to consider in 2024/2025 to generate demand for future air service.
2. TRAVEL TRADE
a. Expand opportunities to connect with travel trade professionals. EBC
staff plans on attending the US Travel Association’s IPW in Los Angeles in
2024.
PRIMARY AUDIENCES
1. Family Travelers (with children 13+)
2. Outdoor Lovers
3. Chosen Family: College Alumni Connection
Explore Butte County RFP for Professional Marketing & Media Buying Services 5
Note: We see EBC as the driving force for the visitor economy in Butte County, impacting community alignment, economic development, destination development, and inclusiveness — as well as a leading proponent of community shared values throughout The Destination Management Cycle. This includes aligning our destination marketing strategy with our partners, including CSU Chico and Butte College.
SCOPE OF WORK
In coordination with EBC, the Agency will assist in developing a data-driven advertising strategy that includes innovative and cost-effective integrated marketing tactics,
including but not limited to print, broadcast, digital and social, experiential, out-of-home, over-the-top, etc. Strategies will focus on attracting leisure travelers to
Butte County, with a key emphasis on increasing overnight visitation and supporting local businesses within our six jurisdictions. Additionally, concept and creative services
for EBC internal campaigns will be needed and other creative services on an as-needed basis. EBC must approve the use of subcontractors for this account.
OBJECTIVES
The three major objectives of the Professional Marketing and Buying Services RFP
include:
1. Create a marketing strategy and efficient advertising plans that align with our mission and strategic goals, and build brand equity.
2. Execute an agreed-upon set of deliverables that drives growth in brand awareness and hotel bookings in a way that can be monitored/tracked and effective/efficient.
a. Develop a holistic approach to brand advertising, including concept creative materials and campaign elements for brand consistency.
b. Create high-quality travel content that aligns with our voice, mission, personas, and market preferences.
3. Measure, analyze, and optimize advertising campaigns to ensure we reach desired target markets as cost-effectively as possible.
DELIVERABLES
The deliverables associated with the proposed scope of work include:
1. Multi-Year Marketing Strategy and Annual Marketing Plan
The Agency will work closely with EBC to develop a three-year marketing strategy and develop, execute, and track results for an annual marketing plan. Through this work, the Agency will be responsible for developing strategic direction, creative strategy, media plan, and cooperative plan. The media plan should utilize research and market insights to develop strategic recommendations for the media mix based on target
markets, primary audiences, and budget allocation. The media mix should be diverse and digital-heavy. The Agency should also provide EBC with insights on emerging trends and new media to continually evolve and reach the target audience.
2. Creative Services
The selected Agency shall be the principal advisor and provider to EBC for creative services related to the conception, design, and execution of advertising campaigns and programs targeting a variety of audiences, including leisure visitors, travel trade professionals, media, and other target markets that can help accomplish EBC’s mission.
The Agency shall develop a comprehensive approach to brand advertising, including the conception and production of creative materials and campaign elements as needed. Deliverables will be executed under brand guidelines and coordinated with other marketing materials to ensure consistency. In doing so, the agency will adhere to the existing Brand Standards & Style Guide. Creative materials to be developed by
Agency must include:
● Biannual Adventure Guide (2024)
● Annual Cooperative Advertising Program
● Digital Display/Rich Media
● Digital Advertising
● Social Media Advertising
● Video assets (long and short form)
● Print Advertising
Depending on funds available, additional creative materials to be developed by
Agency may also include:
● Native Advertising
● Out of Home
● Over the Top/Connected TV
● Consumer and Industry Email
● Other forms of marketing designed for all EBC target audiences
3. Media Buying and Reporting
The Agency shall plan, buy, execute, and measure media for EBC. Execution includes placement, optimization, cancellations, vendor payment, and billing.
Regular monthly reporting on the campaign and brand program performance utilizing expertise, agency tools, data, partnerships, and other resources to manage program efficiency and performance. EBC expects the agency to monitor campaigns on a weekly basis and adjust as needed and approved. End of campaign wrap-up reports, including screenshots of all assets, dashboard of goal performance, and executive summary of key takeaways, including results mapping to larger objectives. The Agency should always look for ways to evolve measurement and reporting to show the bigger picture and communicate value to EBC stakeholders. The Agency will be requested to attend and present at regular board meetings.
4. Metrics for Success
Lead Generation is extremely important. Preference will be given to an Agency that can specifically illustrate how submitted programs will assist in attaining important inquiries
such as:
● Increase in overnight hotel stays
● Online Visits (Website, Facebook, and other social media)
● Online Conversions
○ Request Visitor Guide/ pocket map
○ Referral to Partner page (Hotel booking)
○ Request more information
○ Time Spent on Site/Average Engagement Time
○ Media Requests
○ E-newsletter Sign-Ups
5. Research
Participate in customer insight, awareness, creative testing, and segmentation research as needed. Provide data, creative assets, and insights as requested for market intelligence, research, and reporting. EBC currently partners with Zartico for metrics on visitation dashboards, booking history, and forecasts. This tool and data should be used to track and report on campaign success.
6. Account Support
Maintain regular communication on all activities. Attend on-site meetings as needed throughout the duration of the relationship at the Agency’s expense (no reimbursable).
Provide clear budgets and plans outlining when materials are due for paid insertions prior to placing insertions. Collaborate with other EBC agency partners as needed to enhance our marketing efforts.
7. Quality Assurance/Quality Control
Deliverables shall be of the highest quality and executed under specified deadlines.
Quality Assurance (QA) processes shall be enacted to prevent, to the extent possible, flaws in deliverables; Quality Control (QC) processes shall be enacted to identify flaws that were not caught in QA processes in deliverables.
