Yesterday, we opined on the convoluted thinking behind local media's fascination with bad news and criticism as clickbait when those actions are certain to result in decreased investment in their communities...which would likely decrease advertising revenue.
Hours later, our friend Gina Speckman, CEO of Chicago's North Shore CVB, copied us on her response to a recent editorial blasting a DMO for it's new advertising slogan. And, she kills it:
Hi Pat,
Yes, you are not a CVB or a chamber, but it seems that you and your team there think they are experts at Destination Marketing. Any campaign any CVB (or product or service for that matter) is going to have people that like it and people that don’t. What we do as professionals is use research, marketing expertise (especially from outside our city, as THAT is who destination marketing is targeted to) to sell our destinations.
I live in Chicago. Seeing a big open beach is enticing to me. I am not aware of your crime and visitors do not look up out-of-town newspapers. They look at travel sites (tripadvisor, expedia, etc.) and DMOs (research shows that they look at 6-8 sources before booking). A nice, wide-open beach advertised to people up north is very enticing.
As the media is being attacked as fake, I am sure you take umbrage as a professional journalist. Why are DMO professionals not afforded the same respect? It is insulting that you picture us as clueless public money spenders. The hotels remit hotel tax from visitors and although it is public money, it is levied in cooperation with the hotels to bring more overnight stays to the area. We know what we are doing and to be blithely second-guessed is to diminish OUR profession. Want me to edit your articles? Decide what stories you should publish? If I gave you a butter knife, do you think you could fancy yourself a surgeon?
If your paper cares about Daytona Beach, you should reach out to the CVB with your “concerns” and help, not tear down.
Sincerely,
Gina Speckman
And.....mic drop.
Nicely played, my friend.
Faaaaaaaaantastic, Gina. I want people like her on my side.
Posted by: Timothy Morrissey | December 06, 2017 at 09:37
Ouch! Nice one Gina.
Posted by: Bill Baker | December 06, 2017 at 12:45
Can't wait for the response!
Posted by: Lee T | December 06, 2017 at 12:56
Go Gina!!!!
Posted by: Ken Fischang | December 06, 2017 at 13:40
Outstanding! Please share their response, if one!
Posted by: Sarah Willoughby | December 06, 2017 at 18:49
Woop-woop! Way to go!
Posted by: Chris Jennings | December 08, 2017 at 03:48
She sounds like my kind of CVB director.
Posted by: dee grossman | December 08, 2017 at 14:30
LOVE IT GINA!!!!!
Posted by: Sandra Burroughs | December 11, 2017 at 10:35
This is frankly fantastic Gina.
Posted by: Rick Gower | January 03, 2018 at 11:07