Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

The Trap

The quicksand in which so many marketers find themselves is they believe they know what good marketing looks and feels like. Like, tourism video always needs a golf shot (we've proven that's a complete fallacy through DMOvizion...indeed it's the worst image you can show in run-of-schedule TV).

They believe they know the mediums that will be most effective to capture the imagination of their target markets. And...radio? No one listens to terrestrial radio anymore (which couldn't be further from the truth).

I haven't listened to local radio for years. I do when I'm on the road to get a sense of the communities in which I'm working...but, my home choice is always satellite, internet or my own playlist. But, what I do or prefer means nothing...research means everything. And this recent post from Roy Williams is a must read for any marketer that believes radio is dead.

Can We Do Better?

A destination that has gone through its fair share of political turmoil just announced they are rebranding their DMO to include the county's name (rarely a good idea, as most consumers don't know county names). 

But hey, good for them. They're moving on...but, they're not.

Inspired by the article, I went to the DMO's website...and it's still showing the old brand (wouldn't you wait on the announcement of a new brand until the new look was up?). And, I'm confronted with this as the banner image (click above left to enlarge)?

I'm sorry. The county's median age is 36...and you're leading with a bunch of old farts drinking beer with some Zs? And, they're all white?

Oh yeah...and the DMO abandoned their old URL when they should have used it as a redirect so they don't lose their existing customer base?

Sigh...

The Challenge

This is the challenge, n'est-ce pas?

When the late former Illinois Tourism Director Donna Shaw announced that her office would be cutting back on promoting State Parks in favor of the rich experiences of Chicago, she defended the move as an attempt to attract the "high value consumer," referring to those that spend more than those that bring their own bed, beer and bait.

Cathy Ritter, another former Illinois Tourism Director, shared her definition of a high value consumer on the DMOU podcast as one that shared the values and honored the culture of a place.

Both are clearly in play in Hong Kong, according to this story in the New York Times.

But, what a conundrum, eh? How to be a welcoming destination (and DLO) when you really don't want "locusts" weaving through your community.

The Definition of "All In"

Ocean City unleashed its new brand last week. And, when it comes to "all in," one can't do better than Ocean City CVB Director Tom Perlozzo, who launched the brand dressed in a suit covered in the new logo.

OC's longtime Mayor Rick Meehan was also on hand...and we smile every time we see him, because it brings back memories of the only tourism ad by a politician that ever worked.

Don't Break Out the Champagne Yet

Last week, we shared the good news that Minnesota and Indiana finally joined the club and will be investing meaningful dollars into their Destination Marketing efforts. The proposal to knee cap Florida Tourism stalled and an attempt to eliminate the Hawaii Tourism Authority failed.

But, not so fast. While the HTA survived, the State Legislature ended their legislative session last week without budgeting a single dollar for Destination Marketing.

The HTA will have to "apply" for funding and the requests will be vetted by the Department of Budget and Finance. Lawmakers and the Governor's Office. According to a news release from the Governor's Office, this is the result of a "compromise solution" with HTA...one that HTA CEO John DeFries says he is "thankful for a funding approach that will allow HTA to continue its important work in destination management and visitor education to keep supporting our top economic driver.” 

Let's all hope so.

Some Good News

We often, with disbelief, report on the unwarranted attacks upon Destination Marketing Organizations...but we gotta say, the past couple days have been pretty sweet.

A proposal to kneecap Florida Tourism marketing received a pretty stellar punch in the nose as the State Legislature not only appropriated revenues to Visit Florida but increased its budget by $30 million.

And, the attempt to disband the Hawaii Tourism Authority failed.

In both cases, it is clear that legislators ultimately set aside their personal interests for headlines and accepted that, while there may be issues to be resolved, the DMOs in question produce so much State revenue that it's best to keep them in play.

Can we hope that the future will bring more sophisticated decisions? Fingers crossed.

And then, there's this. Minnesota, which has traditionally trailed its Midwest neighbors (except Indiana) in its investment in Destination Marketing is now considering doubling its Destination marketing budget.

And Indiana? Long the "why do you even bother" budget? The Legislature is considering more than doubling its investment.

Pretty cool news for those of us that have, for so long, preached the value of Destination Marketing. And congratulations to all that have advocated for such investment in your States and communities.

Don’t be a Tourist – be an Explorist

For all the good (and evil) Artificial Intelligence can unleash...sometimes you just gotta laugh.

Like this video from Visit Denmark, written by ChatGPT and utilizing classic paintings and statues that talk.

10,000 views in two weeks. Not bad for asking a computer to have a little fun.

New on DMOU

Next up on the DMOU podcast series is BVK's Victoria Simmons. The agency, probably best known in Tourism circles for their highly successful "That's WY" campaign for Wyoming, released its 2023 Trend Report over the holidays...and we sit down with Victoria to get a more nuanced view into to the findings.

That and over 100 interviews with some of the brightest minds in destination marketing await you in the DMOU vault. And...be sure to subscribe to be alerted each time a new episode drops.

Solvang...Sigh

Solvang is such a cool town. Dubbed the Danish Capital of America, it's where California wine cellars mix with European bakeries and shops. Home to over 120 wineries, it's a great destination...with a completely dysfunctional governmental view of how this all works.

In the months before COVID, the City Council cut the contract with its DMO, dispatching a highly successful DMO CEO, and hired an outside agency to run events and festivals for the City (really?). When that didn't work out, they appointed a Tourism Advisory Committee to provide counsel to the Council. But City staff has apparently become so difficult to work with that the current out-of-market marketing agency of record has resigned their contract.

This is why there are Destination Marketing Organizations. There must be professionals, on the ground, that can curate and represent the community. It can't be done by outside agencies. It never could. It never will.

But there are governments that continue to think it can.

 

How Often do you Change Out Your Jeans?

I'm a Lee Jeans guy...have been since High School. They just fit my butt better than Levis, Wranglers and the others. I had a brief fling with Calvin Klein...but Lees were always my go-to.

Today, shopping for jeans is tedious. Realizing that it was time for an upgrade, I ventured out to a couple stores...which present buyers with messy stacks of product with a dizzying array of styles and cuts (and few in my size).

So, I went online and ended up buying some upgraded jeans for those I bought a decade ago. So now, they got me.

Three months later, I get the e-mail that it's time to "restock."

Really...I need to upgrade my jeans every quarter?