HomeMy WebLinkAbout02. VLMDAC February Meeting MinutesVail Local Marketing District Advisory Council
Thursday, February 15, 2018
8:30-11:00am
Packet Link: http://bit.ly/2GvxuRf
VLMDAC Members Present:
Phil Metz (Vail Resorts)
Laurie Mullen (West Vail Liquor)
Jenn Bruno (Vail Town Council)
Jessie Klehfoth (VRD)
Beth Slifer (Slifer Designs)
John Dawsey (CME)
Cindy Krieg (Doubletree)
Skip Thurnauer
Also Present:
Mia Vlaar (Town of Vail)
Carlie Smith (Town of Vail)
Hannah Eflin (Vail Resorts)
Jess Sweetin (Vail Resorts)
Kristin Yantis (MYPR)
Chris Romer (VVP)
Laura Waniuk (TOV)
Meggen Kirkham (SITE)
Nell Davis (VRD)
Ariel Rosenberg (Vail Bluegrass)
Sarah Berkheimer (Cactus)
Hannah Green (Cactus)
Mike Lee (Cactus)
Ainslie Fortune (Cactus)
Jeff Strahl (Cactus)
Henry Hougen (Deadline MotionWorks)
Satchele Burns (Deadline MotionWorks)
Jack Affleck (Affleck Photo)
Sandra Perrig-Holst (VVP)
Chris Cremer (Bridge Street Ski Haus)
Carlie West (Bravo Vail)
Sarah Franke (Vail Valley Foundation)
AGENDA
• January 2018 Monthly Financial Report, Carlie Smith
Carlie Smith (ToV) gave brief overview of budget; final 2017 lodging tax
collections of $3.27m (slightly less than budget but 2.5% above 2016).
Fund balance of $1.2m (36%) at year end. Supplemental budget
planned for March and expected to dip slightly below the 25% fund
balance target.
• Approval of January 18, 2017 Meeting Minutes
Motion/second/unanimous (Thurnauer/Krieg/all).
• 2018 Strategy & Tactics (120 minutes), Cactus
Ainslie Fortune (Cactus) reviewed where we are today: overview of
brand, strategies, go to market approach, feedback from board.
Objectives (see presentation for details) were reviewed and discussed.
Mike Lee (Cactus) reviewed background research, personas, product,
comp set, and brand to help identify best prospects for Vail. All this led
to “Destination Dynamic Families with kids 13-17” as an opportunity
area, leveraged by Destination & Front Range Super Boomers, and
Front Range events across all personas. See slides and details in
presentation deck.
Discussion ensued with advisory council re: likelihood to return? How to
measure by working with RRC on data collection?
Katie (Cactus) presented media cadence (overview), media allocations
by target persona, and tactical breakdown (social, video, traditional, etc).
Kirkham shared that we do not plan on out of home, and will focus on
live sporting events vs standard television.
Discussion ensued re: timing of being in market with live sports to
impact summer 2018 business, and how to best leverage data
resources through DestiMetrics and others.
Hannah Eflin (Vail Resorts) reviewed the progress of the Vail brand
evolution; many mountain resorts (Aspen, Jackson Hole, others) are
pushing new advanced messaging. Recognition that Vail brand needs to
focus on core “Like nothing on earth”; brand pillars and brand characters
reviewed in detail – see slides for complete details. Creative to point
back to this brand positioning and will continue to evolve; ideas and
concepts to be season agnostic so all ideas and vision point back to the
brand experience.
Sarah & Jeff (Cactus creative directors) reviewed creative goals and
executions. Details and bullet points in presentation deck. Reviewed
Colorado Tourism Office “Come to Life” campaign as an example of
good creative execution. Sample campaign scripts & execution shared
with group including messaging, visuals, social.
“Coming of Age” concept shared for year one and two (see deck for
details). Discussion around event execution and expansion and
activation opportunities with existing or future events and CSE.
“Connection through Nature” concept shared for year one and two (see
deck for details). Discussion around visuals and ensuring that they
support the Vail experience (i.e., swimming doesn’t resonate).
Discussion ensued around how to engage event producers and
Commission on Special Events; local groups such as Bravo, Vail Valley
Foundation, Walking Mountains, Vail Recreation District; on how to
leverage and partner moving forward. Much of this will take funding
efforts (while CSE funding is flat). Expressed desire by group to ensure
that summer efforts align with future winter efforts to maintain brand
consistency; group also recommends creative testing with teen
audience. Discussion continued around the opportunity to build on
platforms in an experiential manner, with limited aspirational
components that might not resonate with the desired audience. Data is
necessary to move this effort forward, and need to message to both
teens and adults – because adults want to experience with their
children. Advertisements and content need to support each other
(authentic stories exist through event producers and partners).
Advisory Council members shared thoughts on both campaigns;
consensus is that the campaigns are not mutually exclusive (tactics from
one can be utilized in the other), and “Coming of Age” is a better
platform as it better resonates emotionally, and is more engaging.
Desire to engage entire community in the effort (public session,
invitations, etc.).
Supplemental tactics (Super Boomer and Front Range events) reviewed
with tactical shift toward three “hero video” themes for all events
(culinary, action-adventure, cultural) with :15 video montage. Scripts and
concepts to be presented in March, but will be brand level inspirational
videos rather than individual event videos. These will be used primarily
in front range television. Super Boomer videos will also be :15 montage
theme.
Additional ideas (see presentation deck) reviewed including seasonal
cross-promotion, emotional engagement, product/merchandise
partnerships, mobile video gondola, etc.
How do we measure? Data components are point in time (lodging
occupancy, intercept studies), and how do we shift to performance data?
See slides for “data vision” pixel tracking concept, which would require
lodging property participation. This would be a VLMD ‘owned’ space,
data will not be ‘owned’ by Vail Resorts. Discussion ensued on how to
best engage the lodging properties; plan is for VLMD to reach out one-
on-one to understand opportunities and risks.
Board encouraged continued risk-taking to move the effort forward.
• Other Business (5 minutes)
Reminder of March meeting from 2pm-4pm on March 22. Note date and
time change.
• Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 11:11am
Upcoming Meetings
Note date, time and location:
VLMDAC Meeting, March 22, 2018 – 2-4pm, Antlers Lodge