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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01. MAY-16-2024-VLMDAC-BOARD PRESENTATIONVLMDAC BOARD MEETING MAY 16, 2024 Agenda I. Minutes Approval Action Requested of Board II. Monthly Financial Report (5 minutes), Carlie Smith, Town of Vail III. INFORMATION & DISCUSSION UPDATES ●2024 Supplemental (45 minutes) Town of Vail and Partner Group ●CRM and Analytics Update (45 minutes) Brown Analytics Advisory Group ●Vail Brand Poll Results (15 minutes) Board and Resonance ●2025 Campaign Concepts (20 minutes) 970 Design ●DMO and VLMDAC Strategic Visioning (5 minutes), Town of Vail ●Town of Vail 2024 Strategic Plan (5 minutes), Town of Vail ●Town of Vail Updates ●Other Business ●Adjournment MINUTES APPROVAL Minutes Approval Action requested of board to approve the April 18 and May 10 minutes. FINANCE UPDATE 2024 CAMPAIGN UPDATE2024 1st SUPPLEMENTAL REQUEST Tactics Based on 2024 Objective & Priorities Drive responsible year-round revenue growth in Vail by targeting overnight guests who stay longer and spend more, while effectively communicating community and brand values. Areas of focus include increasing mid-week and lower demand time period stays. Business Objective Target high net worth guests, maximize longer stays and higher spend, gain greater understanding of customer through research while educating on community values. Optimize Visitation Grow customer database and use data to better understand guest to enhance engagement & loyalty. Build Loyalty Develop and deliver upon a brand position that reflects community values, differentiates Vail in ways that build its competitive edge, and inspires all to care for Vail. Lead Stewardship Position Vail as the Premier International Mountain Resort Community and work with community partners to define, support and deliver on the brand. Brand Positioning V L S B Action Requested of Board: Review and confirm or adjust the goals below. These have been created to be sure we are quantified and specific with our objectives for requested supplemental expenditures. Goal to increase occupancy by 5% between 4/15 - 5/31 to be added for 2025 Operating Plan Detailed VLMD Draft Goals Goal 2022 Actual 2023 Actual 2024 Goal Increase Length of Stay 6/1 - 9/30 2024 ____ nights average 2.541 nights average 10% increase YOY 2.79 nights average Increase Occupancy 10/15 - 12/15 2024 36.6%37.4%39.3% 5% increase YOY Build Loyalty: Repeat visitation 6/1 - 9/30 3.7% of 2021 summer WiFi visitors returned in 2022 summer 5.6% of 2022 summer WiFi visitors returned in 2023 summer 6.4% of 2023 summer WiFi visitors will return in 2024 summer 1st 2024 Supplemental Request Action Requested of VLMDAC: Approve or approve with changes the total $ 886,863 1st Supplemental request including: -Phase 1: Reviewed in April 18 meeting. Changes have been highlighted in orange. These will NOT be reviewed again but can be discussed/changed. -Phase 2: Expanded upon big ideas and other opportunities. These will all be presented and discussed. Supplemental has been grouped in 3 sections. We will discuss any change requests on the overview slides for each section: 1.Content and Personalization Enhancements 2.Building the Brand 3.Drive Visitation P1 P2 CONTENT AND PERSONALIZATION ENHANCEMENTS Overview: Purchase an email personalization and testing tool that enables improved personalization functionality, testing across all email readers, and enhanced analytics. Analysis: ●Engaged contacts in our Database drive $5 in incremental tax revenue per year ●150k contacts (75% of our current database) are engaged ●Currently driving $750k of incremental tax revenue per year Goal: Drive an increase of $115k in tax revenue per year KPIs: -Drive a 10% improvement in the value of our engaged contacts ($75k/year) -Move 20% of our 50k unengaged contacts to engaged contacts ($40k/year) Budget: $35,000 (annually) Email Personalization P1 Overview: Email Marketing & Email Content Support (6300.55.13) ●Current contract outlines 3 emails per month + AI versioning support. ○Deployments Jan-Mar were more frequent than that; however, we’ve been able to accommodate. ○Deployment frequency increases in summer with current plan. ●NEW! Dynamic Content Collaboration Goal & KPI: Provide continued and expanded content support for our email marketing program to ensure content meets the needs for BAAG’s deployment and testing schedule and continue to inspire our subscribers. ●Measurement: Engagement metrics such as email content engagement, clicks, and email opens. Budget: $20,160 Email Personalization Content Enhancements P1 Overview: Content Support & SEO Optimization (6300.55.21) ●Increase Content Creation using E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness) framework that Google uses to evaluate the quality of a website's content and search results. 45 additional hours April - December 2024 based on learnings from January - March in which blog topics required more external communications with experts than anticipated. ○Past Examples: Taste of Vail, Vail Comedy Festival, Hygge Food, ○Future Examples: Accessibility, Fly Fishing, Flower Hunting, etc. Goal & KPI: Continue to generate positive return on investment through organic content creation. Maintain strong presence of Page 1 KWs and expand presence identified areas of opportunity. Year-to-date organic is up 86% YoY due to implementation of strategy - continue incredibly strong YoY growth. ●Measurement: Provided by two SEO measurement tools monthly to evaluate MoM and YoY performance to drive continued optimization. Budget: $6,300 Content Enhancements Content Creation P1 Overview: Content Support & SEO Optimization (6300.55.21) ●Invest 63 hours April - December 2024 to allow for strategies, insights, and recommendations as it relates to web content and structure from an SEO and content perspective. In addition, increase support and attendance for monthly Partner and VLMDAC meetings by those on Miles’ content team. ●Currently Miles budget is dedicated to content production and optimization with an annual strategy budget for the upcoming FY planning. Goal & KPI: Provide proactive solutions and continued collaboration for major web updates that ensure all features are fully supported. ●Measurement: Ad hoc depending on feature and balance between UX/UI and organic metrics Budget: $8,820 Content Enhancements Strategy and Insights P1 Overview: Content Support & SEO Optimization (6300.55.21) ●Capitalize on recent wedding/romance trends and begin nurturing this audience/segment we have not thoughtfully targeted. ○63% of Gen Z and Millennial travelers report strong excitement for wedding and romantic travel (SoTAT) ○Destination weddings have grown 30% since 2021 and one out of 4 weddings are now destination weddings ○Projected wedding market size for 2033 is $103B up from $30.3B in 2024 Goal & KPI: Increase engagement with mountain destination wedding content. ●Measurement: Target for Q1 2025: Increase pageviews and users by 20%, and improve engagement rates (e.g., average time on site). To be monitored monthly as content is published as well. Budget: $10,500 Content Enhancements Wedding Site Section P1 Overview: Content Support & SEO Optimization (6300.55.21) ●Address two areas of opportunity with a single project. ○Expanding our definition of family travel and lean into booming multi-generational travel trend. ○Provide action on our pillar of welcoming and inclusivity with other 25% of Americans currently self-reporting as having a mobility issue - from needing a cane at times to full wheelchair necessity. Goal & KPI: Expand our content offering on the website via execution in this budget for family travel beyond spouse + child. ●Measurement: SEO and GA4 to not only produce this gap in content but also expand Page 1 KWs for SERP visibility.To be monitored monthly as content is published. Budget: $10,500 Content Enhancements Multi-Generational Travel P1 Website Conversion Study Overview: Database Systems & Strategy (6300.55.05) ●Largest-ever official tourism website conversion study led by industry leaders Miles Partnership, Simpleview, and Future Partners. ●Participate in a three-month examination integrating research data collected from a survey of your DMO's website users through Google Analytics (GA4) data. Goal & KPI: Budget: $5,900 P1 Overview: Increase Content Support & SEO Optimization (6300.55.21) ●The Essentials License provides an entry level personalization tool and provides Vail with everything they need to get started with effective website personalization at an approachable price. Goal & KPI: Provide an entry-level tool with Miles full support to provide recommended content and personalization to our website to drive user’s deeper (pages/session) and for longer. ●Measurement: ○Monthly examination of performance, along with recommendations to optimize campaigns/content, to have a significant lift in targeted user engagement metrics when comparing a user you was targeted by our campaign versus those who are not. ○Begin to test website personalization and develop learnings from our audience to drive future strategy and considerations Budget: $14,400. $6,000 platform fee + $8,400 setup, strategy, and monthly reporting + updates. Website Personalization Enhancements Personalization P1 Overview: Use new channel and platform for user’s not using traditional search engines, Apple Guides, as content support & SEO optimization. Goal & KPI: Drive impressions, shares, downloads, engagement, and clicks to DiscoverVail.com from a non-traditional platform and where we currently have no presence and create 3 initial guides. ●Compete and begin to own Apple Guide real estate with our messaging compared to competitors like Breck who are being served when a user searches for Vail. Measurement: During the first 6 months ●800 views per guide per month ●150 clicks to POIs per guide per month ●75 visits to DiscoverVail.com per guide per month Budget: $5,040 Content Enhancements Apple Guides P1 Build 20-40 Website Experience Pages including copywriting, photography, mapping, and population -Develop all content for the experiences including copywriting and photography selection -Build and populate experience pages on the website including hiking, walking tours, scenic drives, Epic Mountain Discovery, site-seeing, fishing, snowshoeing, nordic skiing etc. Goal: Improve guest experience in planning and stay phase of travel to support Vail's position as a premier mountain destination KPI: Increase time on site of website users within the ‘Things to Do’ pages by 15%, Increase total users accessing the ‘Things to Do’ funnel by 10%, Increase partner directory clicks by 3% Budget: $1,000/experience - $34,200 Interactive Experiences Pages P2 Develop a marketing campaign to promote the new map. This campaign will specifically target visitors to the Vail Village and will be promoted at the visitor center, hotel concierges, and other locations. We will design and have all assets ready for launch in Summer 2025. Goal: Increase website and map engagement and drive awareness in support of our database growth strategy KPI: 2024 usage will be established as a benchmark 15% Increased website traffic, 100% increased map sessions (noting this will be measured in 2025 once launched) Budget: $40,000 -Campaign Strategy + Production: $35,000 -Printed map run of 10k: $5,000 -Local media placement: 2025 budget Interactive Map Campaign P2 2024 Supp. Email Personalization Enhancement Tool Testing tool that enables improved personalization functionality, testing across all email readers, and enhanced analytics. $35,000 Personalized Content for Increased Email Segmentation Customize content for additional segmentation in e-newsletter strategy $20,160 Website Article Content Enhancement New EEAT, Wedding and Multi-Gen Content, Strategy and Insights, $36,120 Website Conversion Study Website conversion study including 50+ tourism websites for baseline comparisons $5,900 Website Personalization Trial Provide personalization to website to increase engagement and time on site $14,400 Apple Guide Development Create 3 Apple Guides to compete with other DMOs using the platform and provide information to those not using Google search. $5,040 Interactive Map Experiences and In-Resort Campaign / Map 20-30 unique experiences (ie: walking tours), awareness campaign and printed map $74,200 TOTAL Content and Personalization Enhancements $190,820 Optimize Visitation Build Loyalty Lead Stewardship Brand Positioning Content and Personalization Enhancements ✓✓ ✓✓✓ ✓✓ ✓✓✓ ✓✓✓ ✓✓ ✓✓✓ BUILDING THE BRAND Social Media Overview: ●Increase boosted post budget for new @DiscoverVailColorado handle for increased visibility, faster growth and specific demographic targeting. ●Boosting 5 posts/week with an increased budget per of $300. Goal & KPI: ●Monthly reporting on boosted content performance ●Instagram Engagement rate per month — 0.11% (reasoning: this would get you to an engagement rate close to the benchmark in the travel industry in 1 year) ●Facebook Engagement rate per month — 0.07% (reasoning: this would get you to an engagement rate close to the benchmark in the travel industry in 1 year) ●Instagram & Facebook Follower growth rate per month — 2% per month (reasoning: this would get you a growth rate close to the benchmarks and for context) Budget: $28,200 Request: Increase social media organic boosting by $24,000 and support by $4,200 P1 Overview: In addition to the budgeted Brand Perception Study, awarded to Future Partners, in-depth interviews of leisure travelers can be incorporated. This adds r ichness and depth to quantitative work by hearing directly from our audience. -In-Depth Interviews with 10 Leisure Travelers: $22,950 -Minimum of 10 45-minute interviews is recommended -All interviews will be recorded and shared -Participants will be compensated for their time Brand Perception Study via digital survey currently under contract for $40,000 Budget: $22,950 Brand Perception Study: In-Depth Interviews P2 Overview: In addition to the budgeted Brand Perception Study, this qualitative research shares reactions to logos, messaging -Testimonials from 10 Leisure Travelers -Online survey of leisure travelers -2 questions/prompts relative to creative/messaging Brand Perception Study via digital survey currently budgeted at $40,000 Budget: $10,500 Brand Perception Study: Testimonials P2 Overview: Future Partners study on the effectiveness of the Vail Moments 2024 campaign with a survey-based questionnaire fielded amongst residents who live in campaign key markets. The survey questionnaire can be designed to cover topics such as: -Awareness of the campaign -Ad recall/Perceptions of the ads -Perceptions of Vail as a result of seeing the ads -Media usage -Other performance metrics of interest (ie: length of stay, geo, etc.) ROI of the campaign will be estimated with the following: -Direct visitor spending -Tax revenues generated -Hotel room nights generated Budget: $59,000 Marketing Campaign Effectiveness Study P2 Building the Brand 2024 Supp. Social Media Kick-Start Fast tracking the new handles with increased post boosting and campaigns $28,200 Brand Perception Study (In-Depth Interviews) Add-on to Brand Perception Study with in-depth interviews of leisure travelers $22,950 Brand Perception Study (Testimonials) Testimonials from 10 Leisure Travelers through an online survey on creative/messaging $10,500 Marketing Campaign Effectiveness and Economic Impact Study Determine ROI of campaign with tax revenue, nights stayed and direct visitor spending $59,000 TOTAL Building the Brand $120,650 ✓✓✓✓ Optimize Visitation Build Loyalty Lead Stewardship Brand Positioning ✓✓✓ ✓✓✓✓ *Note: The idea of “Visit Vail and We Will Plant a Tree” is something we want to focus on as a 2025 initiative. We are excited to build it out with a longer runway to make the most of PR and Group promotion. ✓✓✓✓ OPTIMIZE VISITATION Overview: Summer Media Spend (6301.55.03 [80%] and 6302.55.03 [20%]) ●Shore-Up Existing Partners ●Channels and partners can accommodate additional spend to reach more travelers in our audience/geos without sacrificing efficiencies in performance. Goal & KPI: Continue to invest in strong paid media foundation to capture and convert travelers throughout the funnel. ●Measurement: Continue to outperform Summer 2023 campaign in key media metrics such as clicks, conversions, and Adara Revenue. To be reported on and reviewed monthly along with a campaign wrap report post-campaign. Budget: $47,602 ●Native Display: increase budget by $15,500 ●Paid Search: increase budget by $13,150 ●PreciseTV: increase budget by $8,125 ●Paid Social: increase budget by $6,500 Capitalize with Existing Summer Partners Paid Media P1 Overview: Summer Media Spend (6301.55.03 [80%] and 6302.55.03 [20%]) ●Introduce a new strategic partners into the Summer Media Plan media mix. ●Amazon CTV: $104,500 ○Tap into Amazon's first party customer data to target Vail's audience. ○73% of Amazon streamers plan to travel in the next 12 months ○:15 and :30s Video Commercial ■Non-skippable ads to tell the Vail Moment story ■Show up alongside premium, brand-safe content line TV shows and movies ●Measurement: To be reported on and reviewed monthly along with a campaign wrap report post-campaign Budget: $104,500 Expanding to New Summer Partners Paid Media P2 Overview: Summer Media Spend (6301.55.03 [80%] and 6302.55.03 [20%]) ●Introduce a new strategic partners into the Summer Media Plan media mix. ●Pandora Sponsored Playlist: $110,000 ○Sponsored Stations are part of SXM Media’s Custom Solutions offerings - giving advertisers the opportunity to break through the clutter and sponsor a popular, pre-existing station that solves for contextual relevance. ○Sponsored Stations are the only stations to have a mix of hand-curated musicologist expertise with the personalization of the music genome & listener thumbs, making them a perfect fit for advertisers looking to align with moments through music ●Measurement: To be reported on and reviewed monthly along with a campaign wrap report post-campaign Request: $110,000 Expanding to New Summer Partners Paid Media P2 Overview: Summer Media Spend (6301.55.03 [80%] and 6302.55.03 [20%]) ●Introduce a new strategic partners into the Summer Media Plan media mix. ●Undertone Booking Unit: ○We just recently developed a brand-new unit type that is a geo-targeted actionable booking ad ○Shows flights and cost to EGE (ORD & HOU). We’d preset the dates the align with our booking window. Unit offers both an awareness tactic to inform folks direct flights exist and also provides an immediate low funnel opportunity. ●Measurement: To be reported on and reviewed monthly along with a campaign wrap report post-campaign Request: $110,000 Expanding to New Summer Partners Paid Media P2 Overview: Summer Media Spend (6301.55.03 [80%] and 6302.55.03 [20%]) ●Introduce a new strategic partners into the Summer Media Plan media mix. ●NBC/Peacock: ○Peacock will be the official streaming hub of the Olympics which allows Vail to have your marketing messaging in front of global audience throughout the games - summer messaging meeting interest in summer games ○Through Miles relationship with NBC/Peacock - Vail gets to leverage our access to this audience and platform ●Measurement: To be reported on and reviewed monthly along with a campaign wrap report post-campaign ●Request: $147,000 ○Media: $137,500 ○Creative: New Script and New edit - $9,500* *Option to use Existing spot (Outdoor Enthusiast) Expanding to New Summer Partners Paid Media P2 Overview: Media Spend (6301.55.03 [80%] and 6302.55.03 [20%]) ●Shore-Up Existing Partners ●Channels and partners can accommodate additional spend to reach more travelers in our audience/geos without sacrificing efficiencies in performance. Goal & KPI: Continue to invest in strong paid media foundation to capture and convert travelers throughout the funnel. ●Measurement: Outperform all 2023 campaign’s in key media metrics such as clicks, conversions, and Adara Revenue. To be reported on and reviewed monthly along with a campaign wrap report post-campaign. Budget: $30,250 ●Fall (9/8 – 10/31) - $9,900 (+20%) ●Early Winter (10/28 – 12/8) - $18,700 (+20%) ●Events (11/4 – 10/31) - $1,650 (+10%) Increase Fall & Early Winter Paid Media P2 Overview: Media Spend (6301.55.03 [80%] and 6302.55.03 [20%]) ●Attribution model is based on Device ID’s. ●Near pixel is appended to our existing AdGenuity campaign tags. ●Near compliments Adara by allowing us to track foot traffic into the destination that is directly attributable to our paid media campaigns which will in turn help measure effectiveness, impact, and identify opportunities. ●Recommending this is pursued through Miles versus Rove considering dramatic cost savings. ○Rove offers a $0.90 CPM & 52M estimated impressions vs Miles rate of $0.50 CPM Goal & KPI: Data from Near will help us better inform and optimize media plans as we’ll receive more data on which tactics are driving actual visitation versus awareness. ●Measurement: Reviewed alongside monthly, campaign, and annual media performance/planning. Budget: $20,640 Near Media Attribution P2 2024 Supp. Build Upon Existing Partners Increase existing plan to expand awareness of 2024 campaign to key markets $47,602 Amazon CTV Tap into Amazon's first party customer data to target Vail's audience. $104,500 Pandora Sponsored Playlist Break through the clutter and sponsor a popular, pre-existing station $110,000 Geo-targeted Booking Pop-up / EGE Awareness Geo-target users and show flights and cost from EGE to ORD & HOU with custom booking windows. $110,000 NBC Olympics Advertise on Peacock / NBC Olympics and target our active, affluent audience. $147,000 Increase Fall / Early Winter Marketing Efforts $30,250 Near Media Attribution Track media campaigns to enhance measurement, effectiveness, impact, and identify opportunities. $20,640 TOTAL Optimize Visitation $575,393 Optimize Visitation ✓✓ ✓✓ ✓✓✓ Optimize Visitation Build Loyalty Lead Stewardship Brand Positioning ✓✓✓ ✓✓✓✓ ✓✓ ✓✓✓ Vail Local Marketing District Advisory Council approve or approve with changes, the 2024 1st Supplemental Plan and budget request of $ 886,863 -Content and Personalization Enhancements $ 190,820 -Building the Brand $ 120,650 -Optimize Visitation $ 575,393 Supplemental will be taken to Vail Local Marketing District on June 4, 2024 for final approval. Action Requested ANALYTICS UPDATE Email Database Growth Our database has grown almost 9x since September 2020 Email Database Growth in 2024 Our database has grown 19k in 2024, 56k in last 12 months Database Size by Source The vast majority of our contacts come from Wifi ●Since Oct 2023, there’s been an increase in mix from Events and Newsletters Analytics Accomplishments ●Introduction of the Audience Analysis Tool ○Our first dashboard that connects all our available customer demographic data (1st and 3rd party) and engagement (email activity and wifi login visits) to provide a full customer profile to inform targeting Analytics Accomplishments ●Hypothesis Process – continue to expand and establish the process of setting campaign expectations and measuring success ○Vailcation (in progress) ○Email A/B testing ●Ongoing process improvement – streamlining monthly reporting, data governance and report accessibility via Tableau Online ●Rove Data Analysis (in progress) - using data based on mobile location tracking, benchmarking Vail visitors’ demographic mix against other similar mountain towns in Colorado (Steamboat, Breckenridge) Analytics Q2/Q3 Focus ●Marketing impressions report from Adara ●Booking Curve report – using current data from Destimetrics to create a tool to help quickly identify key booking periods and build forecast to identify opportunities to drive increased bookings ●Develop segmentation schema to be used across channels ●Introduce value-based segmentation ●Define lifecycle segments beyond email engagement (loyalty, return rate, etc.) ●Tracking growth of new sign-ups via wifi and other sources associated with new in-town initiatives ●Updating 3rd party appends (Epsilon) to our database with new pieces of information CRM UPDATE Email Metrics CRM Accomplishments ●24 unique email blast campaigns sent YTD ●13 lifecycle emails updated YTD for summer and optimized to include new brand campaign content ●Addition of 4 new lifecycle emails: ○In-person trigger email ○Website activity trigger email ○Vailcation confirmation email ○Event Calendar Opt-In confirmation email ●Addition of 2 new email blasts: ○First Snow ○Snow Excitement ●Improved and increased split testing -> 27 split tests ran YTD driving continuous optimization - up from 10 YTD 2023 ●Testing and learning with chatGPT for increased versioning and personalization ●Increased harvesting and use of 1st party data ●2nd annual subscriber survey with positive results Overall Email Performance Engagement Trend by Email Type ●Lifecycle email click rates dip in 2024 as inactive segment grows and re-engagement click rate decreases ●Marketing email click rates up in 2024 with addition of more targeted emails in Q1: Events, Lodging & Snow Excitement ●Transactional click rates up due to increased click rate of newsletter opt in email & added Vailcation confirmation Email Performance by Specific Type Discover Vail emails continue to bring joy. 71% of respondents are happy with the emails they receive and find feel the frequency to be just right. Content-wise, respondents prioritize information that guides their decision to visit Vail and aids in planning their stay. These key content topics include mountain updates, events/festivals, dining, visitor guides, and outdoor activities. Personalization has become increasingly important, with one-third reporting it is very/extremely important (up 23% YOY). Conversely, text messaging continues to be of lesser importance. Split Tests by Volume & Category Over Time Split Test Successes Over Time Split Test Results and Key Takeaways Vailcation Update 317 Entries to date ●204 with email address ○29 new contacts (7 newsletter subscribers, 20 not opted in, 1 bounced, 1 unsubscribed from non-opt in emails) ○175 existing contacts completed the quiz ●103 without email address Email Marketing ●Included in 9 emails to date with various placements ●Harvesting 1st party data for future personalization CRM Summer Focus Ongoing ●4-5 Marketing emails per month with segmentation and split tests ●Update of 13 lifecycle emails for fall ●Continued segmentation, targeting and testing utilizing 1st and 3rd party data ○Focus on Family, Net Worth, Location, Interests, Lodging Clicks & Event attendance/Clicks ●Additional Split Testing to drive open rate, click rate and contact re-activation ●Reporting, analysis and campaign optimization ●2024 Fall & Winter planning New ●Addition of Instagram content, Choose Your Adventure and Event Category content to drive click rate and progressive profiling ●Potential addition of lifecycle email: Pre-arrival/ trip ideas ●Potential increased personalization with live email content ●Potential implementation of advanced email metrics and workflow/review process improvement VAIL BRAND POLL RESULTS Vail Brand Poll Results Poll has been distributed to board. Results t0 be presented at time of meeting. 2025 BRAND CAMPAIGN CONCEPTS 2025 VLMD CAMPAIGN CAMPAIGN CONCEPTS SETTING THE STAGE As we step into the conceptual phase of the 2025 campaign, we at VLMD are thrilled to continue the narrative that has successfully defined Vail as more than just another mountain town. Over the past year, our “Discover Your Vail Moment” campaign captured the unique essence and spontaneous joy that Vail brings to everyone, enhancing our brand’s visibility and emotional connection with our audience. This creative brief lays the foundation for our next chapter. Building upon the accomplishments of 2024, we aim to deepen the resonance of Vail’s story, crafting even more authentic, memorable moments that not only reflect our village’s character but also enrich our visitors’ experiences. This document serves as our navigational tool, guiding our creative endeavors with a clear direction and purpose. It will ensure that every piece of communication not only aligns with but also amplifies the spirit of Vail, as we continue to position it as the premier international mountain resort community. 2024 CAMPAIGN A MOMENT FOR SPONTANEITY EMPTY NESTER & NON-FAMILY LATIN X (IN SPANISH) OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST WEBSITE UPDATES, PRINT & DIGITAL ADSVIDEO ASSETS SEGMENTED BY AUDIENCE Social Media Edits (Vertical and Horizontal) :06, :15, :30 second spots FAMILY DELIVERABLES - 2024 CAMPAIGN WHAT WE HEARD Such a great encapsulation of what makes Vail special! - LOCAL BUSINESS “ Even though we are just weeks into our campaign, the early feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. This encouraging response from both locals and guests reinforces our confidence in continuing and expanding the “Discover Your Vail Moment” campaign. Below are some of the heartfelt endorsements that showcase the impact of our efforts so far. A stunningly beautiful spot that captures so much of this very special mountain village! - VISITOR Perfectly embodies the spirit and charm of Vail. - VISITOR Really makes me want to spend more time in Vail. - VISITOR This film does a great description of Vail! I’ve been here from 1976. - LOCAL Made me a lil misty thinking about my childhood. Some of the best memories are from my Vail vacations. - VISITOR Beautifully put together and nothing like what Vail has ever done. Makes it seem like a real place with real experiences and real people. - LOCAL A breath of fresh air. A lot of heart in this campaign. - VISITOR This video brings back so many irreplaceable memories. - VISITOR 2025 VLMD CAMPAIGN CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES LOOKING AHEAD The following pages will present our goals for the campaign along with various creative directions and strategies to execute this project within the timeline and budget. 2025 CAMPAIGN CREATIVE BRIEF Building on the strong foundation set by the 2024 campaign, which effectively captured and communicated the rich historical roots of Vail, the 2025 campaign seeks to expand our narrative. This year, our goal is to deepen the engagement by showcasing the abundant variety of experiences and moments that Vail has to offer. We aim to broaden our audience reach and convert new visitors by presenting a more expansive view of what a stay in Vail can entail. 1. Enhance Narrative Diversity: Expand our narrative by including diverse experiences, locations, and village highlights, showcasing Vail’s richness. 2. Build on Established Essence: Integrate last year’s campaign elements and brand essence developed with partners, ensuring a cohesive and familiar feel. 3. Promote Longer Stays: Motivate visitors to extend their stays, increasing the average visit from 2-3 nights to longer, immersive experiences. 4. Apply the RED Test: Ensure all campaign elements are Relevant, Easy to Understand, and Distinct, maintaining the effectiveness of our communications. THE SITUATION THE OBJECTIVE 2025 VLMD CAMPAIGN CONCEPT01 CONCEPT 01 ALL ABOUT THAT ACTION This direction builds on last year’s video, but with a more adventurous and energetic tone. Expanding beyond our previous limitations, this year we aim to include a wider range of hotels, dining options, and activities—all centered around the enriching village experience. All scenes will feature spontaneous moments around Vail, woven together with unique and dynamic transitions. This approach does not follow a traditional narrative flow, but instead creates a sense of wonder and excitement through the pacing and creative framing choices designed to mimic the thrill and energy of discovering your new favorite place. SCENE EXAMPLES • Pool to Raft Transition: A child dives into a pool and re-emerges on the front of a raft, gliding along a scenic river. • Blanket Transition: A mom covers her kids with a blanket, which transitions to a couple using it to sit at an outdoor concert. • A couple hikes through a lush mountain trail, transitioning to them climbing the lawn during a live music festival at the AMP. • A woman picks fruit along a mountain trail, then finds herself browsing fresh produce at a local farmer’s market. CONCEPT 01 INSPIRATION This direction uses bold colors and fast paced action shots to evoke a sense of energy and discovery. The planned transitions would be the wow factor of this edit. WHAT WE LIKE • Bold, saturated colors • Wide range of locations and actors. • Creative transitions • Fits seamlessly with last year’s video style Get Your Guide - That Moment 2025 VLMD CAMPAIGN CONCEPT02 CONCEPT 02 UNFOLDING DAYS Building on the energy from last year’s dynamic portrayal of diverse visitors and scenes, this year’s “Unfolding Days” adopts a more focused approach. We will closely follow specific demographics—a family and a couple—through their entire vacation in Vail, Colorado. By documenting these tailored experiences, we aim to present a series of connected, authentic moments that capture the essence of Vail. This strategy not only deepens the narrative by showing how different visitors uniquely engage with Vail’s offerings but also emphasizes capturing raw, real moments—those unexpected, genuine experiences that aren’t part of your stereotypical mountain town spot. These authentic snapshots build lasting relationships and a sense of community, highlighting the profound, relationship-enhancing experiences that characterize a Vail vacation, encouraging longer stays and deeper connections with the destination. SCENE EXAMPLES • Couple laughing as they gets their Blue Jeans painted by local contemprary artist • Waking kids up for an early morning hike • Dad carrying a sleeping kid up to bed CONCEPT 02 INSPIRATION This video tug at heartstrings and creates a genuine connection with the actors. The non traditional family structure makes the brand feel inclusive and relatable. WHAT WE LIKE • Non traditional family structure • Show-not-tell narrative structure • Genuine and relatable without being “preachy” or cliche We want to tell a story without relying on voice over narration. This video tells the story by showing the small moments and interactions a child has through out their day. WHAT WE LIKE • Lighthearted yet still sentimental and warm • Excellent sounds editing to pull the viewer into the scene • The moments featured feel authentic to the individual story, but still universal and relateable to a wider audience. Volvo - Little Things Decathlon - Niños 2025 VLMD CAMPAIGN PHOTOGRAPHY POTENTIAL PHOTOGRAPHER AARON COLSSI POTENTIAL PHOTOGRAPHER CHIP KALBACK 2025 CAMPAIGN SCOPE DELIVERABLES OVERVIEW SCOPE ONE (1) 60-SECOND SPOT: The 60-second brand anthem is the Tier One asset with an extended time frame to convey a more comprehensive message and is designed to include all target audiences. This primary asset will be featured on the website, distributed through PR channels, shared on social media platforms, and made available for select advertising placements. FOUR (4) 30-SECOND SPOTS: Four distinct 30-second spots segmented and directed for each of our segments (Family, Empty Nester Spot, Outdoor Enthusiast, Spanish Speaking) VIDEO FOUR (4) 15-SECOND SPOTS: Four distinct 15-second spots segmented and directed for each of our segments (Family, Empty Nester Spot, Outdoor Enthusiast, Spanish Speaking) FOUR (4) 9-SECOND SPOTS: Four distinct 9-second spots segmented and directed for each of our segments (Family, Empty Nester Spot, Outdoor Enthusiast, Spanish Speaking) THIRTY (30) TIER I PHOTOS The secondary campaign encompasses a two-day photo shoot, followed by finishing and post-production to create 30 final images for use across digital advertising, the website, and social media platforms. PHOTOGRAPHY TIMELINE MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC • Present Creative Brief and Concepts to the board • Select to board members as sub-committee • Work with committee to finalize concepts CONCEPTING FINALIZE CREATIVE PRODUCTION POST PRODUCTION DELIVERY • Present Final Creative Concepts and Campaign Brief to the Board • Board input + sign off • Begin Pre-Production • Location scouting • Casting • Permits • Transportation • Lodging • Food • 2-3 day video production • Includes 1/2 day photo shoot? • Post-Production Editing • Reviews and Revisions • Deliver Assets • Deliver Campaign Guide DMO + STRATEGIC VISIONING Strategic Planning Offsite Proposed date options for a strategic planning session offsite with the VLMDAC, Town of Vail and Facilitator October 9 - 11 | Steamboat Springs, CO Wednesday afternoon - Thursday afternoon, 1 Night ❏Wednesday, 10/9: Arrive, lunch, site tour, group dinner ❏Thursday, 10/10: Facilitated strategic planning AM/PM, optional dinner PM ❏Friday, 10/11: Optional overnight, breakfast and travel home Alternative Dates ❏September 10-12 ❏September 18 - 20 (would involve VLMDAC monthly meeting included in offsite) TOWN OF VAIL UPDATES Town of Vail Strategic Plan See full strategic plan in packet materials and here: Focus on Priority C. Measurements noted in plan. C. Strategic Priority - Provide an Authentic Vail Experience: Vail’s vision of being the premier mountain resort community despite a trend towards homogeneity in the ski industry will be achieved by creating programming and events authentic to Vail’s pioneering and entrepreneurial spirit. We are a community that celebrates the sport of skiing and mountain town living. Thank you! Upcoming Meetings: VLMD (Town Council) Supplemental Meeting Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Grand View Room VLMDAC Board Meeting Thursday, June 20, 2024, Virtual