City Advertising and Promotion Commission Executive Director Mike Maloney gave an enthusiastic report from the marketing arm of the city at Monday’s city council meeting. He said there has been a concerted effort at the CAPC to get the attention of millennials through social media, and data indicates they’re responding. Maloney said he is maintaining his outreach to traditional target groups, and regardless of the age group, 80 percent online viewers are female.
The CAPC has extended its reach to cities in the 8–12-hour drive area by putting Facebook ads in Omaha, Houston and Chicago. He was pleased with the response, and in April the focus has been Cincinnati, Atlanta and Nashville. One factor considered is cities with non-stop flights to XNA.
Maloney said he is expecting 400 cars to participate in a revamped Antique Automobile Show Sept. 8-9. The event will be staged at the Great Passion Play facility, and 50 percent of the proceeds will go to the ECHO Clinic.
He blew the trumpet on new Events Coordinator Andy Green, who “has been a busy guy.” Green has established a roster for the Basin Park Music Series for the year, and will bring an emerging country star to town this year. Maloney said there would be one other surprise he could not yet divulge.
“We want to see the auditorium being used,” Maloney said. “We want to see shows like we’ve seen in the past,” and said he expects a stellar lineup in 2018.
The May Festival of the Arts will be a major marketing effort as TV ads will be aired in Dallas, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Shreveport, Little Rock, Fort Smith, Springfield/Branson, Joplin, Kansas City, St. Louis and Northwest Arkansas.
Maloney said Eureka Springs received more than $20,000 in free publicity through an editorial written about the recent US Army Jazz Band at the Auditorium, adding that it was an outstanding performance. The CAPC uses Cision, a media monitoring service that evaluates the value of Eureka Springs being mentioned in media outlets everywhere.
Maloney said he would be ready in June to report on Vision 2022, a five-year plan that would keep the CAPC on track to accomplish its goals.
Who is producing the television ads? What is the marketing schedule? $20,000 in free publicity is really a very small drop in the bucket in the realm of advertising. I hope there is someone overseeing the accountability of this office. As a former Marketing Executive at the largest advertising agency in our region, my professional opinion is that there should be a tad more interest in the operation of this office. Thank you.