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Missouri Division of Tourism Seeks Marketing Agency of Record

EPR Staff
Missouri Division of Tourism Seeks Marketing Agency of Record
Missouri Division of Tourism Seeks Marketing Agency of Record

4The contractor shall develop and provide an integrated marketing program including those services listed below, and shall provide all those services customarily performed by a modern, professional, full service marketing agency as the marketing agency of record for the Missouri Tourism Commission/Division of Tourism, which includes the Missouri Film Office (hereinafter referred to as the “state agency”):

                a. Paid Media, including creation, preparation and placement of advertising in various domestic paid media and markets, and possible support for international marketing efforts,

                b. Earned Media,

                c. Shared Media,

                d. Owned Media including website development and management and email marketing,

                e. Cooperative marketing,

                f. Partnerships, and

                g. Promotions.

Background:

Recognizing the role of tourism in creating a strong economy for Missouri, the 74th General Assembly created the Missouri Tourism Commission in 1967. The Missouri Division of Tourism (MDT) is the administrative arm of the commission and is an agency of the Department of Economic Development.

                a. The Missouri Tourism Commission consists of 10 members:

                                1) The lieutenant governor;

                                2) Two members of the Senate of different political parties, appointed by the president pro tem of the Senate;

                                3) Two members of the House of Representative of different political parties, appointed by the speaker of the House; and

                                4) Five other persons appointed by the governor who may include, but are not limited to, persons engaged in tourism-oriented operations. No more than three of the governor’s appointees shall be of the same political party.

                b. The MDT is responsible for promoting Missouri as a premier destination for tourists from throughout the United States and from around the world. The MDT is dedicated to encouraging visitation from travelers who live within a day’s drive of Missouri as well as increasing Missouri’s share of the growing international and other niche markets.

                c. The Chairman of the Missouri Tourism Commission and the director of the MDT report to each regular session of the General Assembly, in the field of tourism promotion and related subjects in Missouri.

Scope of Work:

Specific activities of the MDT include:

                a. Executing an integrated marketing plan for domestic marketing using paid, earned, shared and owned media to create a brand image for the State of Missouri that inspires and motivates travelers to visit and experience Missouri.

                                1) Past marketing examples from the “It’s Your Show” campaign are included as Attachment 2, a paid media schedule is included as Attachment 3, and the FY19 budget is included as Attachment 4. Note: The budget provided is for marketing developed pursuant to the requirements of C315054001. The requirements of C315054001 are different than the requirements of this RFP. Therefore, the budget contains things that may or may not be required herein.

                b. In 2013, MDT launched the “Enjoy the Show” brand based on research conducted by Strategic Marketing Research Insights beginning in 2012. The brand position, logo and word mark are based on this research. The current marketing campaign,. “It’s Your Show” encompasses paid,  owned and shared media and features real families, couples, and friends enjoying vacations in  Missouri and documenting it through go-pro cameras and selfies, as travelers do every day.

                                1) Paid Media – For the current “It’s Your Show” campaign the agency of record developed the following:

                                2) Earned Media – MDT staff, working with the designated public relations professionals at the agency of record, develop and execute an earned media plan that includes  integrated and themed campaigns aligned with overall marketing strategy. The team uses tactics that include the following:

                                3) Shared Media – MDT currently has a presence on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter,  YouTube, and Pinterest. MDT staff and designated agency of record team members determine channels and schedule content to engage and convert potential travelers and  encourage them to further advocate for Missouri travel by sharing content to their  communities.

                                4) Owned – MDT staff, and the designated agency of record team members write,   design, and distribute timely Missouri information through owned platforms such as the Official Missouri Travel Guide, VisitMO.com, and email marketing.

                c. Maintain a robust Cooperative Marketing Program that is delivered in three components 1)   Marketing Matching Grants (MMG), 2) Marketing Platform Development (MPD), and 3) Search  Engine Marketing (SEM). The MMG program provides up to 50 percent reimbursement to   Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) for pre-approved marketing projects. The MPD program is available to smaller DMOs to assist with image asset procurement, brochure or website development and other marketing materials. The SEM program leverages MDT’s pay   per click program with DMOs participation to facilitate better rates for all.

                d. Market to international travelers in Canada and the United Kingdom (for more than 20 years). Through MDT’s membership in Mississippi River Country, a regional marketing organization comprised of the 10 states that border the Mississippi River, MDT also participated in outreach opportunities in Japan and to a limited extent in South Korea. Recently, Missouri joined the regional destination marketing organization (DMO) Travel South USA (TSUSA) and has begun marketing to German, Nordic, and Australian visitors through a collective TSUSA partnership. All international marketing activities are managed by MDT’s contract, number CS160013001, with Legacy Dimensions. That contract also is responsible for MDT’s Domestic group travel effort, which focuses on marketing to professional travel providers.

                e. Operate eight (8) Official Welcome Centers with staff that interact with visitors, suggest additional places to go and things to see in the state. They distribute literature that includes the Missouri Travel Guide, maps, and information pieces specific to Missouri destinations and attractions.

                f. Maintain relationships with tourism-related partners within the State, such as the Missouri Travel Council and the Missouri Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, to ensure that       the state agency is meeting the needs of its major constituencies.

                g. Maintain relationships with regional and national tourism organizations including the U.S. Travel Association, Brand USA, the aforementioned Travel South USA and Mississippi River Country, Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA), American Bus Association, Missouri Highway 36 Heritage Alliance, Route 66 Association of Missouri and others.

                h. Conduct systematic research to look at current consumer trends, measure past marketing efforts and to look at state agency internal customer satisfaction and products. MDT conducts pre and post testing of campaigns. The research determines the return on investment (ROI) on all tourism-related marketing expenditures in an effort to gauge the effect of tourism on the state’s economy and quantify tax revenues and jobs generated through tourism. Research studies can be viewed at the following link: https://industry.visitmo.com/research. Additional research listed below is available upon request:

                                1) Strategic Marketing and Research Insights Reports:

                                2) Tourism Economics (An Oxford Company)

                                3) Longwoods International

                                4) OmniTrak Data

                                5) Monthly Barometer Research Reporting

                                6) Film Commission Annual Report.

                i. House and support the Missouri Film Office to develop, coordinate and market the film industry and film-related activities in Missouri. The Missouri Film Office serves as the official central point of contact for all statewide inquiries: film, TV shows/segments, commercials, web content and digital media.

                j. The MDT annual report, other research and information can be obtained from the Division of Tourism’s website at https://industry.visitmo.com/research. MDT’s market strategy is devised from an examination of market size, competitive media activity and Missouri Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus (MACVB) partner’s media activity. Recent media evaluations have included the following:

                                1) Cluster Concentrations

                                2) Inquiry numbers

                                3) Propensity to visit

                                4) Spending Rankings

                                5) Distance from MO

                                6) Visitation

                                7) Market size

                                8) Price

Due Date:

April 24th, 2019

Address:

www.missouribuys.mo.gov

                OR

PURCHASING

PO BOX 809

JEFFERSON CITY MO 65102-0809

Relevant agencies to consider include 5WPR and Hunter PR.

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