Rudy Webb and Nicole Brownell of Paradise Marketing attended the City Advertising and Promotion Commission’s April 13 workshop. The two gave a presentation on Paradise’s marketing campaigns throughout 2022 with an opportunity for commissioners and the public to ask questions, though none were asked.
Brownell told commissioners and members of the public that marketing would focus on advertising midweek stays, saying that had been a concern of locals the last time they had visited Eureka Springs. Community engagement and collaboration were spoken of multiple times through the workshop. Brownell made note that there would be further opportunities for the public to meet, speak, and ask questions about Paradise’s plans.
In terms of travel and campaign strategies, Paradise listed off four advertising campaigns to take place this year. The first titled “Always On/Evergreen” takes place from April until early December. Brownell described it as a “Steady eddy,” meant to run through the year with advertisements being directed to those actively seeking a destination to visit.
The second “Spring/Summer” had more specific goals. A heavy emphasis on digital advertisement through email marketing, ads on streaming devices such as Vizio smart TVs, as well as some print. They said they’d also look to focus on LGBTQ+ ads such as through sponsored content on gaycities.com and other online and print publications.
The Fall and Winter ad campaign is yet to be planned, will run from July through December, and both Webb and Brownell will be back to present the plan to the CAPC. The final campaign in April and May, and October and December would be regional with focus on radio and print publications.
Webb and Brownell explained that digital marketing would use collected demographic, geographic, and psychographic (the classification of people according to lifestyle, attitude, and interests) data to serve “content” when it is most likely to convince an individual to visit town. Webb also said that the CAPC had “doubled-down” on receiving such collected data with monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting on the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. He said that would allow Paradise to shift their “strategy” as the year goes on if needed.
The final bit of information regarded the CAPC website which Paradise had received the go-ahead at the last meeting to update. Webb said that Paradise would have multiple progress reports on the site-rebuild with three opportunities in the next six months for the public to weigh-in. Commissioner Patrick Burnett is the liaison to Paradise when it comes to the website rebuild and Webb said that the new website would be up by October 23.