Destinations Council Destiny Awards > Branding and Integrated Marketing Campaign: Destination Marketing Budget More Than $10 Million

Islandology

About This Entry:

People have forgotten how to relax, limit distractions and be present in the moment. They’ve become passive observers, closed off from new experiences. The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel understands this and aimed to develop a new brand campaign that would resonate with its audience and ultimately increase bed tax revenue collection within Lee County, Florida.

More than just appealing to families and couples, our relaxing environment also attracts people who need a break from the daily routine of “real” life. Not surprisingly, this target responds well to “authenticity” in advertising, so while past campaigns relied on staged images from professional shoots, this one was designed to showcase real people having real experiences. The new direction resulted in high-impact creative featuring candid moments captured through user-generated content and natural photography, topped with commentary on the destination’s unique way of life. Many of the user-generated hero campaign images were a result of the destination’s very own photo contest, with nearly 5,000 submissions.

In launching a new brand campaign for the destination, we wanted quantifiable objectives to show that our target audience was responding positively to the campaign and taking action. The primary objectives of our ongoing campaign are to see an increase in occupancy and bed tax revenue collection year-over-year. An increase in bed tax revenue means an increase in visitation and/or an increase in rates collected for rooms-both of which indicate prosperity in the industry.

Our target audience consists of families and couples in the domestic Midwest, Northeast and In-State regions. These consumers are middle-aged, ranging primarily in the 35-54 bracket, with an average age of 52. With an average household income of $101,000, they are mostly married with one third traveling as a family. The destination sees a mixture year-round but does see more couples and matures during the winter months, with more families and younger audiences in the summer.

Primary spot markets include New York, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, St. Louis, Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Detroit, St. Louis, Detroit, and Washington DC. Primary in-state markets include Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Tampa-St. Petersburg, Orlando and West Palm Beach.

Campaign Strategy:

Research provided by Davidson Peterson Associates tells us that visitors are coming to our destination primarily for the warm weather, relaxing atmosphere, white-sand beaches and a clean, unspoiled environment. SQAD, MRI, Nielsen Audio, SRDS, SmartPlus and Scarborough were consulted when selecting markets and media. Through this campaign, we aimed to reach our target audiences with a brand message that speaks directly to the vacation attributes they are looking for in the media channels they are using. To date, the campaign and media mix has consisted of print, television, radio, digital and social media and a website landing page.

We knew our area’s relaxing state of mind was important to our target. But even more inspiring was the unwritten philosophy you learn while here. So, we gave it a name – Islandology - and it serves as our visitors’ guide to island life.
Through this blueprint, we show how Islandology enables you to free your mindset, let go of everyday stress, connect with nature and see things in a whole new light. For example, not all treasure is found on a map. Sometimes hidden gems lie in finding colorful seashells on a secluded beach, or savoring quality time with friends and family at busy waterfront restaurants and eclectic eateries.

These “Islandologies,” or pearls of local wisdom are easy to learn and fun to live by. They are the truths our visitors come to know. Through thoughtful copy, authentic photography, and an environment that surrounds our target with natural experiences, Islandology differentiates us from other Florida beach destinations both visually, and in attitude.

Results:

Both goals for the campaign were exceeded. We increased bed tax revenue by 2.75 percent. The fiscal year to date result was bed tax revenue increasing 10.6 percent to more than $8.76 million, the highest in history. We also increased occupancy rate. With the fiscal year to date result being up to 3.5percent to 89.16 percent. Additionally, air passengers arriving to Southwest Florida International Airport are up 10.2 percent year-over-year during the same period, further showing the impact, the campaign has had on visitation.

The media investment for October 2017 - March 2018 totals $3.5 million, which has garnering more than 314 million impressions. Also, asset development for the campaign totals approximately $187,000, while campaign conceptualization is covered by agency retainer (meaning actual costs are within the monthly budget allocated for creative development).

Why This Is A Finalist: 

The program objectives are well-defined and the campaign achieved positive results. We really like the use of user-generated content in this campaign. The 'islandology' term is innovative. The increase in bed tax revenue is impressive.