Although his sweatshirt gave away the secret, Executive Director Mike Maloney waited until the end of the Nov. 9 City Advertising and Promotion Commission meeting to unveil the 2017 marketing campaign – Made in Eureka Springs.
Maloney said the state is promoting a Made in Arkansas campaign, but no other area produces as much as Eureka Springs. “Our output far exceeds the residency,” he commented, adding a million people come here annually and take home something from Eureka Springs. He said this campaign has limitless possibilities, and the best part is everyone participates, adding that the CAPC would encourage the public to submit ideas for where the campaign can go, and challenged each commissioner to submit 10 concepts by the December meeting.
Maloney then showed several 15-second ads focused on the theme of Made in Eureka Springs produced by Rightmind Advertising of Ft. Smith, and said he wants to budget funds for making at least two dozen and as many as 40 of these ads to run online. “We can take an inventory of Eureka Springs products and use them in our ads,” he said, “and there are a phenomenal number of things we have in this town.”
Maloney passed around Made in Eureka Springs buttons and stickers, stating, “We can move forward showcasing what Eureka Springs has to offer.”
Group travel
Sales Director Karen Pryor said she attended the October 21-23 Boomers in Group Conference in Columbus, Ohio, which she said would be her last trade show for the year. She reported she got 24 leads and learned that four groups there had already come to town. Her next show will be in Cleveland in January. She intends to include the small meetings market in her itinerary next year.
Other items
- Maloney said he would begin looking for an events coordinator whom he hoped to have on the job by Feb. 1.
- Finance Director Rick Bright announced he would begin posting business closures on the capc.biz site.
Commissioners voted to move the workshop to Wednesday, Nov. 30, at 4 p.m., at the CAPC office. The next regular meeting will be Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 6 p.m.