Marketing Recap 8.7.2020 — original pdf
Backup
Visit Austin Marketing Recap M A R K E T I N G , P R , T O U R I S M , M U S I C A N D F I L M | M A R C H - J U L Y 2 0 2 0 While all paid advertising efforts are paused, we’ve ensured that our website and social media accounts remain active engaging our audience with timely, relevant and inspiring content. Meanwhile, efforts are also underway to develop a recovery campaign that will deploy when the market is ready. As part of our ongoing commitment to our local hospitality community, we are bringing additional attention to the products and services Austinites and visitors can take advantage of from home. These efforts are engaging with thousands of locals and non-locals every day. W E B S I T E In March, we launched our new (temporary) homepage “Visit Austin, From Home” which highlights Austin content users can take advantage of from home. www.austintexas.org Later this summer, we are launching a new homepage (and other web & social content) designed to support travelers in trip-planning mode, as well as provide Austin content for those that remain at home. S O C I A L M E D I A P E R F O R M A N C E The current goal of Visit Austin’s social media platforms, including leisure, meetings, film, sports and music, is to be a source of entertainment for its followers during the COVID-19 crisis, while continuing to promote local businesses and attractions. Despite paid efforts on pause, between May 1- July 31, Visit Austin’s leisure channels still earned: ● ● ● 971 new followers 126,913 engagements 3,745,758 impressions @visitaustintx @musicaustin @meetaustin @filmatx @sportsaustin All of this signals that while fans can’t travel now, people are still dreaming of visiting Austin. Follow us today at: @visitaustintx @musicaustin Music Austin Visit Austin, Texas VisitAustinTX R E C E N T M A R K E T I N G A C T I V I T I E S Hire an Austin Musician We deployed an eblast to more than 22,000 customers promoting Austin musicians for virtual and hybrid events. Since the email deployed on July 28th, we’ve already received more than 900 page visits and booking inquiries. This is a very promising tactic to help keep musicians working safely. Learn more about the program here. Destination Video Update We updated our destination video with new music - “Wanderlust” by Jackie Venson. Watch our destination video here. Austin Table Cookbook During National Travel and Tourism Week, we launched Austin Table in partnership with R/GA Austin. 100% of profits went directly to participating restaurants. After six weeks, the cookbook generated nearly $17,000 in sales and donations to support local restaurants. Sales ended on June 19th. Austin Doodle Face Mask In June, we launched face masks at the Austin Visitor Center. Our goal is to continue to give back to our local hospitality industry through a “Buy One, Give One” program. With every mask purchase, we plan to donate a mask to a local business or group in need. Visit our online gift shop to purchase a mask. Spotify Austin Music Playlists We recently created a variety of playlists on Spotify featuring local Black, Latinx, queer and female musicians. Listen today. Best Seat in the House Video Series The Best Seat in the House video series aims to promote our local restaurants, bars, attractions and more while providing entertainment for Visit Austin social media followers. This also lives as an editorial series on VisitAustin.org. Each weekly episode features an “expert” from a bar, restaurant or other local business teaching viewers how to make – at home – a drink, a dish or an activity they’re known for. View episodes Best Seat in the House: Live(stream) Music Edition The Best Seat in the House video series aims to promote our local music community while providing entertainment for Visit Austin social media followers. Each monthly livestream features Austin musicians performing covers from another iconic Austin musician. In May, we honored Willie Nelson and in June, we paid tribute to Daniel Johnston. In August, we will honor the contributions of Austin’s Black musicians to the city’s musical legacy. National Travel and Tourism Week This year’s National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW) theme was #SpiritOfTravel. Visit Austin celebrated NTTW in May with a series of virtual activities appealing to both our visitors and local community. Learn More Interactive Instagram Games During March and April, we shared Austin-themed interactive games on Instagram – This or That, Austin Favorites and Bingo. Local Industry Communication We are staying in regular communication with the local business community, offering timely resources and support. Interested in sharing ideas for our next newsletter? Contact us. Meeting Professional / Customer Communication We are staying in regular communication with meeting planners. View our latest issue here. Not yet subscribed? Sign up here. Consumer Communication We are staying in regular communication with our 150,000 consumer subscribers. View our latest issues here. Not yet subscribed? Sign up here. U P C O M I N G - M A R K E T I N G C A M P A I G N S Travel Texas Advertising Co-op To efficiently maximize our advertising reach, we partnered with Travel Texas on co-op marketing opportunities, scheduled to launch later this summer. The state tourism recovery campaign efforts are informed by a couple of key findings in their research: ● While travel has declined, likelihood to visit Texas in the future remains strong. ● When travel resumes, it will be carefully planned and occur closer to home (e.g., road trips). I N D E V E L O P M E N T - M A R K E T I N G C A M P A I G N S Drive Market Digital Campaign We have been developing a campaign that will target in state and contiguous state drive markets. We are currently working with media partners and identifying co-op opportunities for local hospitality businesses. Target launch: TBD 130,000 Reasons Campaign This additional recovery campaign in development will target local corporations and in-state meeting and convention groups. When the time is right, this grassroots effort will help sell Austin as the first-choice for in-person meetings. ● More than 130,000 Austin-area residents rely on our industry to provide for their families. ● If we’re successful, we have the opportunity to positively impact the quality of life for all Austin residents. R E C E N T “ V I S I T A U S T I N , F R O M H O M E ” C O N T E N T Local Business Support We have an ever-growing list of articles highlighting ways to keep funding the local businesses and workers who make Austin so unique, including restaurant takeout / delivery, online shopping (including gift cards), virtual events and activities, and fitness / yoga streaming. We are continually updating these and producing more articles each day. Local Live Music Promotion For both visitors and Austinites missing local live music experiences, we’re promoting live streaming events and concerts by Austin bands and musicians. Users are encouraged to tip the musicians via each event and artist's website. Read more Instagram Stories Our content shared in Stories has real-time and contextual value. Several recent series include Supporting Live Music Venues, Local Curbside / Delivery, and Virtual Cultural Art Experiences. View in Instagram Highlights here. A U S T I N F I L M C O M M I S S I O N Production Starts Since the Governor added Media Production to the Open Texas Executive Order on June 3rd, we have seen a big return with commercial productions. Austin has always had a very healthy film, television and commercial industry with diverse locations, facilities, vendors and professional crew. Now, we are one of the few production hubs that are open. In the past 6 weeks we have had major brand national campaign shoots for: Ford (partially filmed at FC Stadium), Amazon, Nissan, State Farm (with Aaron Rogers and Patrick Mahomes), Otezla, Wayfair, Dell, HEB, and Amazon as well as a number of local commercials including CapMetro. A number of the larger studio produced television series are preparing to return in August/September. That has been slowed down by July 2nd implementation of the state-wide minimum outdoor gatherings restriction of 10 people outdoors on a property. The productions readying to return when the restriction is lifted or modified include: Panic (Amazon Studios), Fear the Walking Dead (AMC Studios) and Walker (CBS/CW). Both Walker and Fear the Walking Dead will be in production in Austin for about 9 months, employing over 400 locals, spending an average of $250,000 a day locally each and both having a minimum of about 8,000 room nights. There is also a feature film called Hypnotic project set to be directed by Robert Rodriguez and starring Ben Affleck that may go into production later this fall if talent scheduling permits.. Wear a Mask! To echo the City of Austin and Austin Chamber, the Austin Film Commission ran a “Wear a Mask” social media campaign using iconic Austin made movies and television series. This was aimed to get the word out to consumers but also film and television workers to make sure work can continue on filming projects. Stream #MadeInAustin Films Continuing Friday sharing of #MadeInAustin films. In this series, we look back decade-by-decade and explore films that are available to stream from the comfort of home. Best of 1970s Best of 1980s Best of 1990s Part 1 Best of 1990s Part 2 View all of our recent posts here T R A V E L T R A D E Visit Austin has been participating in various opportunities to educate travel trade and agents over the past few months. Since March, we’ve virtually trained agents and travel trade in the U.S., Mexico and Canada and through the Brand USA Discovery platform trade, the UK, German, Netherlands, Australia, France, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea have ongoing access to learn about the Austin product for future packaging. These activities have also provided us with an opportunity to include performances from Austin musicians as part of the training. A U S T I N I N T H E N E W S We continue to work with consumer and travel trade media to provide inspirational content to keep Austin top of mind for future planning. We also work with local media, providing data and comment on issues relating to the local hospitality, music and film industry. Recent coverage: Wayfarer Lifestyle Magazine pg. 68-77 (Read Here) KXAN Impact of COVID-19 on tourism (Read Here) ACL Festival Cancellation (Read Here) Austin Chronicle Lights, Camera, Safety: Film and TV Production is Coming Back to Texas (Read Here) Austin Monthly A New Charity Cookbook is Raising Funds for Austin’s Hard-Hit Restaurant Scene (Read Here) Pride Journey (Read Here) Adweek Austin Agencies Launch Projects to Support Local Businesses and Restaurants (Read Here) KTBC Fox 7 Visit Austin Highlighting Virtual Activities (Watch Video) Austin 360 / Austin American-Statesman Austin restaurants, bars share recipes in new fundraiser cookbook (Read Here) Lonely Planet Ultimate Eats: The World’s Top 10 Food Experiences (Read Here) Wayfarer Travel The Best of Austin, Texas, Series 02 Episode 15 Episode 16 Episode 17 Episode 18 Americanos 5-part Latinx travel series from GoUSA TV (Brand USA) and La Reyna (Robert Rodriquez) Watch Austin Episode