City Advertising and Promotion commissioners heard from Paradise Marketing at their July 28 regular meeting regarding their advertising campaign for the second half of 2021, as well as suggestions on how to use an extra $125,000 available due to surplus earnings.
Results of the campaign were positive with Paradise reporting that digital advertising had given them 12 million impressions, a calculation of how many people heard or saw an ad, and 80,000 clicks through those digital ads. This resulted in a click through rate of .67 percent, which is above the industry benchmark of .08 percent.
Paradise also reported on data from online travel-shopping company Expedia, and travel advertising company, Sojern. Both gave positive data with advertising money spent through Expedia giving a $6:1 return, and money spent on Sojern returning at a $15:1 ratio. It was also reported that CAPC-run social media had received 11,000 new followers between January and June, split between Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Cyndy Murrieta and Gregory Reinhart, both part of Paradise’s media team, gave a report through Zoom on how the CAPC could utilize the extra $125,000 in advertising dollars that has come from CAPC surplus earnings this year.
Of the $125,000, $10,000 would be used for advertising development with the rest to the placement of ads. Paradise pitched advertising within a 450 – 500-mile radius, with Murrieta saying, “Road trips are really what people are looking for right now.”
The plan included $58,075 spent on digital media through Expedia, as well as advertising on subscription services like Netflix, HBO, Showtime, etc. They also pitched a drive of advertising in Oklahoma City for four weeks in November with 30-second spots through key television programming, an estimated 140 television spots, and high-profile billboards and media along major thoroughfares.
When asked by Chair Jeff Carter what the timeframe was for this possible advertising to start, Paradises’s Rudy Webb said that they would “ideally” start developing content in September and begin in October.
Commissioner Carol Wright asked if, with the Delta variant, Paradise would be emphasizing safety within the advertising. Webb said that Paradise is keeping a close eye on the variant and outdoor activities, and open spaces would be within the messaging. He also said that if they determine it is best to pause the campaign then they will adjust.
With the CAPC down two commissioners, it was determined that they would wait to discuss the marketing further until the next workshop rescheduled for Aug. 25 at 5 p.m., before the next regular meeting.
Talking Covid
The Delta variant of Covid-19 became a topic of conversation among commissioners toward the end of the meeting with the possibility of events needing to be cancelled. Commissioner Bobbie Foster suggested that contracts for events include provisions should an event be cancelled. Finance Director Rick Bright said one of the Folk Festival shows already had such provisions in the contract.
Bright also suggested that event insurance would be a worthwhile purchase, saying the cost of the insurance is little compared to what would be lost if an event was cancelled. Commissioners asked intern Molly Horton to speak with Folk Festival organizer Nancy Paddock about purchasing such insurance.
Final Items
- Carter gave an update on the new director Madison Dawson. He said that they were working to find her a place in Eureka Springs, wanting her to be in town, but mentioned the difficulties of finding housing.
- Commissioners approved the cleaning and fireproofing of the Auditorium curtains as well as searching for bids on full cleaning of the Aud.