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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05. VLMD 2024 Advertising Campaign RFPREQUEST FOR PROPOSAL Vail Local Marketing District 2024 Advertising Campaign CONTENTS I. OBJECTIVE II. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW III. ABOUT THE VAIL LOCAL MARKETING DISTRICT (VLMD) IV. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES V. TERM VI. SCOPE OF WORK VII. TIMELINE & PROCESS I. OBJECTIVE The Vail Local Marketing District (VLMD) is seeking a strategic, creative and digital-first marketing agency to develop a comprehensive summer 2024 advertising campaign. II. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW Location and History: Town and Resort Vail is an iconic destination mountain resort community in North America with world-class offerings and is an industry leader driving the snow sports, outdoor, and travel categories. While widely known for its winter offerings, Vail is also the ideal summer mountain destination. Vail in the summer is relaxing and adventurous with resort and village amenities, events and activities for visitors from across the world to experience. Tourism is the overarching driver of the local economy. The community, like most mountain resorts, is comprised of a mix of full-time and part-time residents and workers. The Town of Vail population is approximately 5,000 and Vail receives over two and a half million visitors annually. The Town of Vail is located approximately 100 miles west of Denver, Colorado at the foot of the Gore Range in the Rocky Mountains. The Town of Vail’s mission is to be North America’s Premier International Mountain Resort Community. Founded as a ski resort in 1962 and as a Town in 1966, Vail is well known for its beautiful mountains, plentiful sunshine, and quaint pedestrian villages. Surrounded by the White River National Forest, the Town of Vail totals 3,360 acres, and is 10 miles long and at most one mile wide. Vail Ski Resort (Vail Mountain), which is adjacent to the town and operated by Vail Resorts in the White River National Forest, is one of the largest ski resorts in North America with 5,317 acres of terrain. Vail Mountain consistently ranks as one of the most visited and favorite ski resorts in North America. III. ABOUT THE VAIL LOCAL MARKETING DISTRICT (VLMD) The VLMD was formed in 1999 to market and promote the Vail destination: its natural attractions, local lodging, businesses and special events. The VLMD is funded by a 1.4% lodging tax that currently generates approximately $4 million annually. The VLMD, sitting as the Vail Town Council, has final approval of the operating plan and budget of the VLMD. The VLMD functions as part of a broader destination marketing organization that includes special event funding and management, welcome centers, and business development for the town. The VLMD appoints a nine-member advisory council known as the Vail Local Marketing District Advisory Council (VLMDAC) which is comprised of marketing professionals who are property owners in Vail, to guide the efforts of the district. The stated focus of the district is to drive overnight visitation during the non-winter months of the year. The VLMDAC meets on a monthly basis. With direction from VLMDAC, Town of Vail staff manages vendors who are contracted for various aspects of the marketing effort. The contracted vendors work together with staff to propose an annual operating plan, which is presented to the VLMDAC for input and approval. All Partners are accountable for results-driven, high-quality service that reports out monthly on project status, measurement plans and campaign results. They work collaboratively to execute the plan and make revisions as the market and needs change throughout the year. Partners work together on projects and consult one another as needed, under the direction of Town of Vail staff and the VLMDAC. Currently, the responsibility for marketing and managing the destination is shared between the resort operator Vail Resorts/Vail Mountain and the Town’s Vail Local Marketing District. These two entities work closely to present Vail as a single year-round brand. Winter season marketing is primarily overseen, funded and managed by Vail Resorts, while non-winter season marketing is primarily overseen, funded and managed by the Town’s Vail Local Marketing District. Prior to 2020, all marketing efforts of VLMD were delivered through Vail Resorts, Vail Mountain channels including website, CRM, Paid Media, Social. In 2020, in an effort to expand marketing, data and guest loyalty capabilities, the VLMD separated its marketing program from Vail Resorts, Vail Mountain channels by creating a new website, DiscoverVail.com. The website was created as the new platform for the destination as marketed by the VLMD, which had prior to this, not existed. To not confuse the user of the site and have harmony with the Vail.com website, the Discover Vail word mark was created using the same font and a similar look to the Vail Mountain brand. Promoting the new website was the reason for creating the wordmark. Today, the VLMD is evolving toward a more intentional destination marketing organization, committed to owning the destination brand on a year-round basis and marketing all assets within the town and adjacent to it. In addition, with the recent completion and imminent adoption of Vail’s Stewardship Roadmap, the VLMD is committed to embracing and integrating the community’s values around stewardship of our natural environment and quality of life into our marketing messaging and brand. Current wordmark: III. COLLECTIVE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES There are many areas that come together to define what Vail goals and objectives are. All should be taken into account when in research and development stage. Vail Local Marketing District Goal: As Vail’s destination marketing organization, the VLMD’s goal is to drive responsible revenue growth in Vail by focusing on quality of guest, length of stay, and guest spend, along with effective communication of community values. Measurement is primarily gained through occupancy levels and average daily rate, lodging and sales tax revenues, guest satisfaction surveys and net promoter score. An emphasis is placed on driving demand during lower-demand time periods. Vail Local Marketing District Priorities As the Vail Local Marketing District Advisory Council looks to the future, and in service of the VLMD’s overarching business goal, the VLMD’s 2023 strategic approach is guided by the following Marketing Priorities: - Optimize Visitation: Target overnight guests who stay longer, spend more and embrace the community’s values, in addition to targeting specific times of the year with an emphasis on lower demand periods including mid-week and shoulder seasons. - Grow Database and Build Guest Relationships: Expand the Vail database, use data to understand the guest, enhance guest engagement and loyalty by optimizing content and 1:1 personalized messaging to achieve stated goals. - Stewardship: Protect Vail’s natural assets and resources, while elevating the guest and resident experience by educating the guest on Vail’s community values including sustainability. Incorporate outcomes of the Stewardship Roadmap Vail in 2023 and beyond. - Brand Positioning: In accordance with the town council action plan, position Vail as the Premier International Mountain Resort Community. Support partners and the community in delivering on the vision of the Town of Vail. Vail’s Stewardship Roadmap: Marketing and Sustainability Priorities The Town of Vail is finalizing a Destination Stewardship Roadmap that will guide marketing efforts in 2024 and beyond. Vision: Vail is the world’s premier sustainable mountain resort community, renowned for its quality of life, inspiring experiences for all, and stewardship of nature. Values: Quality of Life, Community, Environmental Stewardship, Experience, Respect, Fun The main focus for Vail Local Marketing District is Action 5: Energize Vail's Brand: Consumers rank Vail highly as a luxury mountain resort but show more interest in taking trips to competing destinations. The local community wants Vail to target travelers who are in step with local values, including those who care about natural resources and share respect for the local way of life. With U.S. intent to travel softening and other headwinds rising, famed destinations are feeling new pressure to sharpen their competitive edge. Vail can find opportunity -- and the travelers its community wants -- by shaping its brand to amplify qualities valued by its community and claim important attributes valued by visitors. The Goal Develop a brand position that reflects important community values and differentiates Vail from the competitive set in ways that attracts more desired travelers. Targets and Indicators Lodging Tax Revenue Marketing Campaign Performance Occupancy Rate Average Daily Rate Brand Health Town Priorities: Reference this link for 2023 Town Priorities: https://www.vailgov.com/government/town- council-meeting-registration/town-council-priorities Town of Vail Vision: To be the Premier International Mountain Resort Community! Town of Vail Mission Grow a vibrant, diverse economy and community and preserve our surrounding natural environment, providing our citizens and guests with exceptional services and an abundance of recreational, cultural and educational opportunities. Town of Vail Commitment To provide vision, leadership, efficiency, transparency, accountability and fiscal responsibility. Town of Vail Values - Passion - Respect - Trust - Integrity - Innovation - Collaboration - Environmental Sustainability IV. AUDIENCE AND COMPETITIVE SET Target Audiences Primary: High Net Worth Families and High Net Worth Empty Nesters: Based on analysis of VLMD and Epsilon data, 40% VLMD’s database is considered HNW, while only 16% of the total US Population falls into this category Secondary: Young High Income and International Competitive Set Aspen/Snowmass Banff Breckenridge North Lake Tahoe Park City/Deer Valley Steamboat Sun Valley Telluride VI. SCOPE OF WORK Interested bidders are invited to provide proposals and/or documentation including comparable work, testimonials, and content that demonstrates professional qualifications. The proposal includes the following scope of work and areas of expertise: 2024 ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN: Work with contracted Media Agency to include both traditional and new media elements, including but not limited to traditional advertising, digital/social marketing, and paid search. This production includes but is not limited to planning for and executing of photography, video, print, digital and social ads, tagline and media message examples. Video should be the primary medium used with a robust social strategy, working closely with existing Media Agency to determine strategy. Fees must include all production required to implement selected campaign concept in late 2023. The preliminary campaign will launch March 1, 2024. The VLMD can only contract in the calendar year for the year however, if an extended timeline is needed, please indicate in proposal. The VLMD currently has a comprehensive library of destination assets including photos, video and b-roll that may be used as well as a long-standing video production partner that can utilized. Production delivery includes but not limited to messaging and imagery/video of the following assets: - Primary (Tier 1) Video Campaign - Complementary strategy for (Tier 2) other relevant channels including social, email, web, etc. - Animated digital banners - Digital OOH - Print ads General Account Management: (estimated ~100hrs): Please describe your process, collaboration style, project management tools and timeline implementation plans as well as your account leadership and oversight including: - Presentations, preparation, and review with TOV for (5) monthly board meetings - Onboarding with Town of Vail - Town of Vail status and partner calls - One partner call per month - Weekly TOV Status calls - Ability to travel to and from Vail for meetings as needed Timeline: This is a shorter than desired window and we are looking at creative ways to approach with solutions to fit the timeline best, including suggested adjustments to scope. - June-July: Concept and present 3 campaigns with video strategy as the primary focus. - July- early September: photo/video capture on site in Vail, Colorado must be in production. - September–December, 2023: Campaign asset production. NOTE: The creation of a new brand platform will be happening at the same time as the development of this 2024 campaign. The new brand platform will not be a part of this campaign. Estimated range dependent on final agreed upon deliverables: ($85,000 - $100,000) V. TERM The term of this Agreement shall be approximately seven months, commencing early June, 2023 and concluding on December 31, 2023. The parties shall have the option to renew a contract yearly based on the annual operating plan and contracted deliverables. Such renewal is not automatic. VII. TIMELINE & PROCESS Candidates are asked to submit proposals containing the following items by May 19, 2023 by 3:00 p.m MST. Please email to the following individuals: Town of Vail Mia Vlaar, Economic Development Director: mvlaar@vailgov.com Liz Gladitsch, Marketing Specialist: lgladitsch@vailgov.com Proposal Guidelines: Please provide a 12 page (or less) proposal to include specifically how your agency can best fulfill the needs as outlined in the request for proposal. Proposal should focus on content relevant to the RFP only. Include: 1. Three case studies 2. Phases of development and activities 3. Cost 4. Summary of 1,000 words or less as to why this project is a good fit for you 5. Background: A statement covering resources, expertise, client list (indicating any client conflicts) and references. If a team is proposed, please also enclose their backgrounds. 6. Ability to do production work between July – August on site in Vail, Colorado. Selection process: - May 4, 2023: RFP Published - May 10, 2023 by 3:00 p.m. MST: Interested parties can submit written questions - May 12, 2023 by 3:00 p.m. MST: Questions answered. All answers will be provided to all interested candidates for equal information sharing - May 19, 2023 by 3:00 p.m. MST: RFP deadline - May 25, 2023: narrow field to finalists and all candidates notified - June 1, 2023 at 1pm: Selected finalists in-person presentation to Vail Local Marketing District Advisory Council. Hold this date on your calendar if you are submitting an RFP. - June 3: Final selection and notification