December 2004
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| From the State Travel Director
The morning session consisted of updates on tourism trends and how effective our campaign has been. We were very pleased to hear that our new slogan, “Illinois. Mile After Magnificent Mile,” is already proving to be quite successful. Recognition and branding levels are eight times higher than they have been for any previous slogan. Focus groups conducted earlier in November showed that the campaign has improved the image perception of Illinois with a focus on the wide variety of interesting attractions and its ability to offer something for everyone. Other key findings include a 37 percent increase in consumer inquiries between 2003 and 2004, and significant increases in Web inquiries in September and October of 2004 showed a 120 percent rise over the same time period in previous years. As of October 2004, hotel motel tax revenue is already up 3 percent as well. One particularly useful Day One exercise was to look at three specific potential tourists and determine what kind of campaign would best suit their needs. For instance, Nancy from Naperville rarely travels, but, living close to Chicago, she is a prime candidate for a Chicago getaway to provide new experiences and a chance to take a break from family responsibilities. Mark from Cleveland is married without children and travels often. Information about Mark indicates that he is looking for an Illinois adventure, probably focusing on sports and outdoor activities. The key point here is to target our consumers because different demographic groups will respond to different messages. Participants also studied some of the commercials and ads that our competitors have been running and analyzed their consumer messages. Indiana advertises itself as a state with countless hidden treasures. Iowa, on the other hand, is branded as an ideal place to live, work and visit. Michigan emphasizes its beaches and positions itself as the place to get away and relax. Similarly, Minnesota promotes an escape from daily life. Missouri takes a more nostalgic approach offering vacations the way you remember them. Finally, Wisconsin positions itself as the state with more ways to play. It was interesting to see how these themes were incorporated into each state’s advertising efforts. In the afternoon, we split into smaller groups to brainstorm ideas for future campaigns and promotional efforts. There were many inventive and useful suggestions. Among them were increasing our advertising in niche market publications, targeting minority markets with a “magnificent miles of friendly faces” campaign, increasing the use of the Lincoln image as a branding device, creating more business partnerships, utilizing celebrity endorsements, providing free e-mail services and so much more. As we look toward future promotions, there is no shortage of Illinois attractions and events to showcase in 2005. The list of products includes – but is by no means limited to – the opening of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, the Jane T-Rex exhibit at the Burpee Museum in Rockford, the 25th anniversary of Taste of Chicago, the first full year of events at Chicago’s Millennium Park, the National Indian Pow Wow and ecotourism opportunities in Danville, and the Illinois Great Rivers Ride. All in all, Day One was a success. It demonstrated the importance of open communication and a free flow of ideas. I’m sure you will hear more about some of the exciting new developments resulting from Day One in the months ahead.
Seasons greetings to all |
Just a few weeks ago, our advertising partner, J. Walter Thompson, hosted a day-long seminar for IBOT marketing staff and representatives from the Illinois tourism industry that focused on Illinois tourism – where we are as an industry and in what new directions we can go. This session, called Day One, was enormously productive and I would like to thank all those who put so much work into its planning and execution.
