Title: Marketing Services
Scope: This RFP divides the scope of services sought by Travel South Dakota into NINE (9) different components. The reason for dividing the work into nine components is to provide the department with the flexibility to choose the most creative, innovative, and dynamic agency possible. The nine components allow prospective offerors the opportunity to submit proposals in response to one or more (or all) components.
While the RFP is divided into nine components, it should be understood by all offerors responding to the RFP that there will be overlap among tasks/work between components. Furthermore, it is important that all offerors recognize that an award of a contract under a particular component does not guarantee exclusivity to perform all the tasks described under the component. Travel South Dakota reserves the right to assign work to any offeror as they see fit. Some tasks listed in the following components may also be kept as operational activities within the department.
Requirements and expectations that apply to all components are as follows:
• Every month, the agency will be expected to give an update on the status of the budget.
• The agency will be required to provide performance and / or campaign reports specific to their awarded component’s objectives.
• The agency must have the financial capacity to contract and purchase media or other applicable services without advance payment by TravelSouth Dakota.
• The agency shall agree and understand that Travel South Dakota shall have the right to approve or disapprove of any of the agency’s personnel assigned to the account. Furthermore, the agency must obtain the verbal and / or written approval of the department prior to replacement of any previously approved account team member. The agency shall agree and understand that Travel South Dakota shall have the right to request replacement of any person assigned to the account team for any reason. Unless the situation regarding the agency’s assigned personnel requires immediate replacement, the agency shall be allowed at least fourteen calendar days after notification to replace the account team member.
COMPONENT ONE: BRAND MARKETING
Historically, for this component, Travel South Dakota has spent between $8.5 million and $9.5 million annually, inclusive of all media and production costs, but excluding the monthly retainer and any other potential agency fees. The offeror selected for COMPONENT ONE shall work collaboratively with Travel South Dakota and, potentially, other selected agencies of record, and may be required to perform the following duties:
• Develop comprehensive, innovative, and highly impactful marketingcampaign strategies that are based on quality research evaluating the profile, demographics, and media usage of the South Dakota visitor and audience, while also identifying emerging changes and trends.
• Develop and produce engaging content and award-winning creative for integrated,
omni-channel campaigns that captivate viewers, expand and enhance the South Dakotabrand, produce tangible results, and maximize our ROI.
• Planning and development of comprehensive media schedules for omni-channel campaigns that align with our strategy and objectives.
• Media buying, implementation, and management of traditional, digital, video, audio, paid social, paid search, print, integrated partnerships and OOH placements.
• Campaign reporting – Perform evaluations and generate reports on the overall performance and effectiveness of marketing tactics and campaigns.
• Assist in planning and producing presentations for various marketingpresentations throughout the year.
COMPONENT TWO: COOPERATIVE MARKETING & MANAGEMENT
Historically, for this component, Travel South Dakota has spent between $2.1 million and
$2.25 million annually, inclusive of all media and production costs, but excluding the monthly retainer and any other potential agency fees. The offeror selected for COMPONENT TWO shall work collaboratively with Travel South Dakota and, potentially, other agencies of record, and may be required to perform the following duties:
• Develop comprehensive, innovative and highly impactful marketingstrategies and omni-channel campaigns for 16+ DMOs such as CVBs, BID Boards, Chambers of Commerce or other entities partnering with TravelSouth Dakota that support and align with Travel South Dakota’s broader campaigns.
• Create and deliver engaging content and award-winning creative for omni-channel campaigns that support and align with the overall Travel SouthDakota campaign creative.
• Campaign reporting – Perform evaluations and generate reports on the overall performance and effectiveness of marketing tactics and campaigns for each cooperative marketing partner. This includes development and maintenance of a campaign dashboard for each partner.
• Assist in planning and producing presentations for various marketingpresentations throughout the year.
• For more information about Travel South Dakota’s cooperative marketingprograms, see www.SDVisit.com.
COMPONENT THREE: ORGANIC SOCIAL MEDIA & INFLUENCER MARKETING
Historically, for this component, Travel South Dakota has spent around $1 million annually, inclusive of all media and production costs, but excluding the monthly retainer and any other potential agency fees. The offeror selected for COMPONENT THREE shall work collaboratively with Travel South Dakota and, potentially, other agencies of record, and may be required to perform the following duties:
• Identify emerging technology and trends in social media to enhance and expand social media platforms by executing robust, innovative, creative, and engaging strategies and campaigns that are aligned with the department’s brand.
• Ongoing social media activities shall include, but are not limited to, real-time community management, production and management of social media assets including photography and video, campaign-specific reporting, paid promotions, monthly content planning, and additional program support as needed.
• Provide support for partnerships with influencers including ideation, vetting, contract negotiation, transportation arrangement, itinerary and destination immersion support, and reporting.
• Support for community management should be prioritized, with an emphasis on strengthening Travel South Dakota’s efforts for both day-to-day engagement and during times of crisis.
• Prioritize photo and video asset creation, management, and organization of those
• Provide leadership in areas of crisis communications, tourism stakeholder engagement, etc.
• Collaborate with Travel South Dakota team, and other marketing and agencies of record, to plan and execute integrated campaigns.
COMPONENT FOUR: EMAIL MARKETING PROGRAM
Historically, for this component, Travel South Dakota has spent around $650,000 annually, inclusive of all media and production costs, including the monthly retainer and any other potential agency fees. The offeror selected for COMPONENT FOUR shall work collaboratively with Travel South Dakota and, potentially, other agencies of record, and may be required to perform the following duties:
• Design and create compelling and innovative email marketing programs for both consumer and industry contact lists.
• Provide strategies – consumer and industry – for content messaging, increased engagement, list management (including development and cleansing), segmentation, and A/B testing.
• Offeror shall provide editorial calendars for efforts to align with ongoing marketing campaigns.
• Develop email templates and be responsible for content writing, individual email design, coding, testing, and deployment.
COMPONENT FIVE: CONSUMER WEBSITE & INDUSTRY WEBSITE
Historically, for this component, Travel South Dakota has spent between $800,000 and $1.15 million annually, inclusive of all media and production costs, including the monthly retainer and any other potential agency fees. The offeror selected for COMPONENT FIVE shall work collaboratively with Travel South Dakota and, potentially, other agencies of record, and may be required to perform the following duties:
• Evaluate the current design, navigation, usability, and functionality of the consumer website (TravelSouthDakota.com) and industry website (SDVisit.com). Develop and implement a plan to ensure both incorporate the latest technology and industry best practices, including accessibility, while delivering a first-rate user experience.
• Provide website management and maintenance, including essential ongoing optimizations.
• Provide website management, maintenance and content development for Travel South Dakota Online Training System which may include CMS updates, technology enhancements, website hosting services, training videos, user reports and technical assistance, style sheets and design work and navigation updates.
COMPONENT SIX: PUBLIC RELATIONS
Historically, for this component, Travel South Dakota has spent around $350,000 annually, including monthly retainer and any other potential agency fees. The offeror selected for COMPONENT SIX shall work collaboratively with the Travel South Dakota and, potentially, other agencies of record, and may be required to perform the following duties:
• Develop and execute a comprehensive regional, national, and international public relations strategy that includes ongoing pitches to television, print, digital and online media outlets that aligns with brand strategy and goals.
• Provide crisis communication leadership and guidance with the ability to remain flexible and nimble through changing events.
• Develop a strategic public relations and media relations plan that includes targeted day-to-day, monthly, or quarterly outreach to key travel writers, journalists, etc., and ongoing relationship building with said travel writers, journalists.
• Provide media relations work that includes assistance with media research, story development pitches, press releases, media alerts that supports Travel South Dakota’s campaign and brand initiatives.
• Provide media relations work including coordination of and assistance on destination immersion tours, support event activation and outreach, virtual media offerings, and media blitz and media event coordination.
• In collaboration with Travel South Dakota team, develop media materials, press kits, and media mailers.
• Provide media monitoring services and joint management of the software and tools.
• Maintain and audit regional and national target media lists.
• Collaborate with Travel South Dakota team, and other marketing and agencies of record, to plan and execute integrated campaigns.
COMPONENT SEVEN: EVENTS AND ACTIVATIONS
Historically, for this component, Travel South Dakota has spent around $250,000 to $350,000 annually, inclusive of all media and production costs, including the monthly retainer and any other potential agency fees. The offeror selected for COMPONENT SEVEN shall work with the Travel South Dakota and, potentially, other agencies of record, and may be required to perform the following duties:
• Concept, develop and execute robust and engaging brand activation events.
• Create marketing elements and materials related to the specific event and promotion of activation.
• Coordinate and support event activation outreach in key or emerging markets.
COMPONENT EIGHT: RESEARCH AND REPORTING
Historically, for this component, Travel South Dakota has spent around $500,000 annually, inclusive of all media and production costs, including the monthly retainer and any other potential agency fees. The offeror selected for COMPONENT EIGHT shall work with TravelSouth Dakota and, potentially, other agencies of record, and may be required to perform the following duties:
• Possess the ability to provide frequent market analysis data and information as well as market segmentation and psychographic analysis on a regular cadence
• Pre-test advertising concepts and taglines in key markets
• Organize and conduct marketing focus group studies
• Conduct research and testing to determine motivation and influences for travel among consumers and understand consumer’s propensity to travel.
• Provide tracking and reporting of all campaign elements as well as other additional aspects required to manage and measure results of a comprehensive and integrated marketing campaign.
• Possess or have access to data intelligence and technology tools (data-management platforms and demand-side platforms) that will provide Travel South Dakota with the ability to track distributed personalized content to appropriate audiences across multiple channels. These platforms must integrate with many any of the digital ad networks and reporting tools.
• Collaborate with other businesses, agencies, and vendors to conduct research on a regular frequency; gather, collect, transform, and interpret new and existing data sources; be comfortable building and integrating new data pipelines, and conduct monthly meetings to share current, new, and evolving travel trends; in-depth market research; content measurement across website, social, paid ads, etc. and changes in audience and behavior cohorts and customer journey.
COMPONENT NINE: VACATION GUIDE & PRINT GUIDE PRODUCTION
Historically, for this component, Travel South Dakota has spent around $50,000 to $100,000 annually, inclusive of all media and production costs, including the monthly retainer and any other potential agency fees. The offeror selected for COMPONENT NINE shall work collaboratively with Travel South Dakota and, potentially, other agencies of record, and may be required to perform the following duties:
• Provide production services for Travel South Dakota’s print publications. This may include production of multi-language international guides, reproduction of the scenic drives guide, and all other printed publications as necessary. This may also include edits or revisions to Travel SouthDakota’s current publications.
• Most notably, the offerer shall provide annual production services for TravelSouth Dakota’s Vacation Guide including, but not limited to the following services:
o Timeline creation for entire guide (annually).
o Content strategy outline and content creation for at least 35 pages of intro copy. Must create original and unique content for these editorial pages providing sourcing, proofing, and factchecking services.
o Provide design layout creation for at least 35 introductory pages, the front and back covers, and inside front of the guide. Design should integrate annually with Travel South Dakota’s current brand standards.
o Production of design templates for Travel South Dakota’s four regional tourism association sections as determined year-to-year, including style guides (font usage, color schemes copy/ad layout options), and listings updates as needed.
o Compile two indexes, one by city and one listed by activity and/or attraction.
o Creation of guide imposition.
o Provide proofing and revision services, along with compliance with design consistency.
o Coordination and execution of an annual eGuide / digital guide version including adding web links to all addresses in entire eGuide / digital guide (currently 244 pages of content).
Due Date: February 13, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. CT.
Contact: James.Hagen@TravelSouthDakota.com
