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Integrated Marketing Communications Plan:Chinese-American Market in Bay AreaCreated for:Murray Blaney Director of Base OperationsCreated By:Vertical Ascent AdvertisingAndrea QuiruzMarisa Flickinger Alicia NunezBrandon WrightStefan JohnsonDecember 12, 2011December 12, 2011Murray Blaney?Director of Base Operations?Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe ?22222 Mt. Rose HwyReno, NV 89511Dear Mr. Blaney:Subject: Integrated Marketing Communication Plan for Mt. Rose Ski TahoeThe following is Vertical Ascent’s IMC plan as requested in the fall of 2011.We are pleased to present you with our analysis of the Chinese-Americans in the Bay Area, as well as our plan of attack to attract your target market more efficiently and effectively than the competition. Part 1 of this report contains information pertaining to the target market, as well as the objectives to be achieved. Part 2 of this report describes in detail our marketing campaign strategy and the marketing communication pieces we have chosen.We intend to show the target market that your resort is the destination for family fun, adventure, and an overall great experience. Thus, it was a natural decision to name our campaign, “Destination.”Thank you for this unique opportunity to work with a real company and offer real marketing suggestions. If you have any questions regarding this plan, feel free to contact me by email at renotahoestudents@. Andrea QuiruzInteractive Marketing DirectorVertical AscentExecutive SummaryProblemThe Chinese-American population located in the Bay Area is a potentially substantial source of revenue in the coming years for Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe. Issues pertaining to Environmental factors as well as the competing Ski resorts make understanding the target market’s needs and wants very important. Overall, the goal of this plan is to analyze the target market, gain and understanding of their needs and wants, and create a unique marketing mix that will attract them more efficiently and effectively than not only the other resorts, but more than all other winter activities.Overall ObjectivesIncrease ticket sales for the Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe Resort among Chinese Americans in the Bay Area by 50% before the end of the winter ski season of 2013 (Roughly March-April).Increase the ticket buyer skier average weekend visitation of Bay Area Chinese Americans to 1200 per weekend (up from 600) during core and spring seasons (Jan 2, 2013 – April 1, 2013).Increase Product awareness among Bay Area Chinese Americans attending Universities in the area by 35% before the end of the winter ski season of munication ObjectivesIncrease Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe Facebook “likes” by 7,826 people. The number of Asian American students attending the 3 major colleges and universities in the Bay Area (San Jose State, UC Berkeley, San Francisco State University) are roughly 23,476 students. A third of these students “liking” Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe in the first year of implementing our plan would be an accomplishment.Increase Facebook page click-through to Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe website by 50%. After implementing the marketing plan, hopefully more Chinese Americans will be interested in the product being offered and want to see the website. This would be tracked using metrics offered by Facebook.Overview of Target MarketThe target market is Chinese-American millennials from the “South Bay Area.” Currently, 458,000 people meeting this demographic live in this geographic area. 27% of this population is between ages 18-34 (124,000 people). Approximately 40% of this population is college educated. 28% have spent 6-10 years in the U.S. It is assumed that the average income for this group is above the national average. They are very family oriented, and enjoy traveling with family. Many speak either Cantonese or Mandarin.Suggested Marketing Communication PiecesWe suggest that a combination of two mailers be sent to the target market. The first mailer, to be sent out in early November, would contain pictures of families enjoying Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, a brief biography of the mountain, and a calendar of events. This calendar would have both events taking place at Mt. Rose, as well as Chinese events taking place in the Reno/Tahoe area that correspond with the core and spring Ski Season. The second mailer would also contain pictures of fun on the mountain. This mailer would serve as an information piece that provides the target market with descriptions of promotions and deals offered. It would also include information regarding the “Facebook Likes Contest,” discussed in the plan. Essentially, those who come to the mountain and “like” Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe on Facebook would be entered in a contest to win a package for two people.We have included fortune cookies into our budget. These cookies would be red, and have a special fortune that reads, “Like us on Facebook! Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe.” This piece serves only to build awareness of the brand, and relate to the target market. The Fortune cookie is the more basic symbol for Chinese-Americans.It is important to speak to the consumers as directly as possible. Thus, we felt that including 2, a 30-second radio spot is essential for campaign success. These spots will be heard in the fall on the two most listened-to Chinese stations in the Bay Area.Guerilla marketing has become increasingly prevalent among millennial. What better way to reach millenials in the target market than renting a 9-10 person Chinese dragon costume and parading through various college campuses in the Bay Area? In addition to the dragon dancing, employees would accompany and hand out the cookies, as well as flyers advertising the Chinese New Year celebration to take place at Mt. RoseThe flyer is a crucial piece that accompanies the guerilla-marketing tactic. This will bring the target to Mt. Rose with its information regarding the big Chinese New Year event.Campaign DescriptionMt. Rose Ski Tahoe, being relatively far from the Bay Area needs to be viewed as a must-see destination. It must be seen as THE destination for family fun, for adventure, and for an amazing experience. It is destination family. It is destination escape, and destination ski. The idea of “destination” encompasses this view of Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe.Part 1Situation and Market AnalysesEnvironmental ScanThere are a number of environmental factors influencing Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe. Included are travel expenses such as gas and airfare, an increase in the national unemployment rate, and poor weather that may have an impact on driving conditions. Figure 1 in Appendix A shows a steady increase in gas prices. In the past 10 years gas has risen from $1.624 a gallon to $3.835 a gallon- an incredible 58% increase. An increase in fuel prices also means an increase in airfare. Figure 3 in Appendix A show average prices for domestic flights in the U.S. over the last 10 years for the two quarters relevant to Mt. Rose’s ski season, the 1st and 4th quarter. The increase in fuel prices affects all transportation, and thus, the likelihood and frequency of the target market’s travel. While it is clear that the national unemployment rate has increased dramatically in the last few years, it is important to focus more specifically on unemployment rates in the bay area. The increase in unemployment rates for the bay area is clear from Figures 4 and 5 in Appendix A. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported a 57% increase in the bay area unemployment rate from 2001-2010. This 57% increase will affect the market purchasing power. Lastly, it is important to consider accessibility to Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe. The Sierra Nevada area has recorded some of the heaviest snowfalls in the world. Figure 6 in Appendix A shows the average snowfall in inches for the Sierras taken on the first of each month, starting November 2010 and ending April 2011. Extreme snowfalls and freezing temperature will affect accessibility to Mt. Rose Ski petitive AnalysisDirect competition for Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe includes the surrounding ski resorts:SquawHeavenlyNorthstarBorealHomewood MountainSierra-at-TahoeDiamond PeakSugar BowlKirkwoodAlpine MeadowsMiles from AirportPricingConvenient ParkingFamily ResortTerrain VarietyMt. Rose22 miles$19 child$69 adultYesYesBeginner - ExpertSquaw Valley48 miles$12 child$86 adultYesYesBeginner - ExpertAlpine Meadows50 miles$15 child$71 adultYesYesIntermediate - ExpertHeavenly56 miles$45 child$78 adultYesYesIntermediate - ExpertNorthstar42 miles$44 child$88 adultNoYesBeginner - ExpertKirkwood80 miles$16 child$69 adultYesYesBeginner - ExpertThe comparative chart focuses on the top rated resorts and how skiers perceive the resorts.Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe: Mt. Rose is known for its close proximity to Reno. It has convenient parking and affordable rates. It offers great variety for everyone from beginners to experts. It offers hiking during the summer. However, the resort’s lack of alternative winter activities may be a negative aspect when considering other resorts as a potential ski destination.Squaw Valley: Squaw Valley is a widely known resort. It offers a variety of terrain for everyone from beginners to experts. However, it is often described as intimidating due to the size and difficulty of the runs. It does offer a wide range of activities such as ice-skating, snow tubing, dogsledding, as well as a pool and hot tub. This variety is expanded even further with its season pass that is valid at both Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows.Alpine Meadows: Alpine Meadows is often referred to as a great value. It offers challenging terrain, convenient parking, and affordable rates. Alpine does not offer many runs for beginners. It has teamed up with Squaw Valley to offer a season pass. It also offers the option of a season pass that is valid at Alpine Meadows, Kirkwood, and Homewood.Heavenly: Heavenly is known for its breathtaking views. It is also widely known for its gondolas and convenient location with many lodging options. Heavenly also offers sleigh rides, ice skating, dog sledding, and snowmobiling. This resort is known for having a lot of flat terrain. They offer a season pass valid both at Heavenly and Northstar.Northstar: Northstar is one of the closest ski resorts to the bay area. It is a well-known resort and offers on-site lodging. It offers a variety of activities year round such as biking and hiking, as well as ice skating, live music, and bungee jumping in the winter. A largely mentioned negative aspect of this resort is parking. It offers a season pass valid both at Northstar and Heavenly.Kirkwood: Kirkwood is one of the larger resorts and is well known for having one of the highest average snowfalls and a broad selection of advanced terrain. They also offer hiking and mountain biking in the off season. A clear negative for Kirkwood is its location.Based on the analysis of the direct competitors Mt. Rose has a clear competitive advantage in regards to location and distance from Reno when travelers decide to fly.Indirect competition for Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe includes other winter recreations:Ice skatingSnow mobilesSledding/tubingSleigh ridesCross-country ski areasThese are all activities that can be done during the same time of year. They can also be done in different locations, possibly closer to home, and are inexpensive activities.Other indirect competition:CasinosDue to the location of Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, casinos are also considered indirect competition.Current Marketing MixProductMt. Rose-Ski Tahoe is the day ski area for anyone from beginner to expert skiers. Mt. Rose is seen as the local ski resort as it is only 25 minutes from Reno and just ten minutes from Lake Tahoe. It is a favorite for many locals because of its convenient location and the easy access to the lifts from the parking locations. Although it is a midsized resort in comparison to other local ski resorts, this resort contains a number of different ski runs that everyone can enjoy a full day on. The now popular Chutes have added advanced terrain that the most experienced skiers can enjoy with the convenience of a lift to take them to the top of the mountain. Mt. Rose is conveniently located near Reno, making for an easy and quick trip for someone traveling, or someone with limited time to get to a mountain. Along with the ease of location, for someone pressed with time, Mt. Rose has two high-speed summit chairlifts, getting the guests back on their way uphill in less time. A great deal is offered to entice anyone on the mountain- even those who have no experience skiing. Snow apparel and rental equipment are available at the resort, as well as concessions and food sales, so anyone unprepared will be comfortable. The Resort also offers lessons for beginners of any age for both skiers and snowboarders. Mt. Rose is scheduled to be open November 23rd, every day from 9 am till 4 pm, until the snow melts. Along with being the local resort, there is a comfortable environment associated with the friendly staff and long-term residency on the mountain that has gained a positive place among the Reno businesses.PriceThere are various options for any guest including day passes, online passes, and season passes, for anyone ranging from toddlers to seniors and even group rates. Daily ticket pricesTicket RatesAgeDaily PriceSeason PassesAdult18 to 64$69$377Adult Half Dayam or pm$55Senior65 +$55$255Teen13-17$55$199Child6 to 12$19$133Child5 & under$5$10RentalEquipment RentalOne DayMulti-dayPerformance$49 $44 Adult/ Teen$39 $34 Child$25 $20 Helmets$5 Daily specials:Monday- Bonus Mondays: all day ticket for $49.Tuesday- Two ‘Fer Tuesdays: Full day tickets are sold 2 for 1.Wednesday- Show a lift ticket from another ski resort and get a Mt. Rose ticket for $35.Thursday- Ladies day Thursday- Ladies get a $49 lift ticket with a discount for 25% off in 431 Sports.Friday- TGIF- $69 lift ticket and a free $10 eat and drinks credit.Sunday- Morning half day ticket and $10 Food Card for $49.Family Packs- $138 including 2 adult lift tickets and 2 kids lift tickets (age 17 and under)Pass from another resort- $49 with a season pass from another resortCollege Discount- $49 for college studentsParent interchangeable- Parent/ Babysitter interchangeable ticket.Military discount- $39 lift tickets for Department of Defense active personnel.Happy landings- Ski same day you fly in and get second day free.Location/Address:22222 Mt. Rose Highway Reno, NV 8951111 Miles from Lake Tahoe’s North Shore22 Miles from Reno/Tahoe International Airport25 Miles from downtown RenoMarketing Communication Audit and AnalysisIn the past, numerous advertisements and news articles have been in circulation pertaining to the activities on Mt. Rose. In the last 6 years, yearly “Value Passes” have been offered, as well as occasional “Mix and Match” passes including interchangeable lift tickets with cooperative resorts, added parking, tributes to Elvis, various events such as “Drag Racing” and “Dummy Down”, charities, fundraisers, and various other promotions for the resort have attracted increasing attention. The participation in the SnowFest in the Bay area has possibly been the greatest contribution to the influx of the Asian American target market to the resort. Occurring every year since 2008, SnowFest has attracted many patrons in the area. The increased advertising in the Bay Area newspapers, such as “Sing Tao,” has also directed the focus on the Chinese-American market. The publicity in the “East Bay Express,” and the continuous articles featured in “On The Snow” web news page have kept the name of Mt. Rose on the minds of those looking for a weekend at a ski resort. “On The Snow,” in particular, has done a good job of informing its readers of the temporary night skiing in March of 2011, as well as the beginning of the spring sale of the next season’s passes. In the current advertisements running in the south bay, there are cooperative deals with the hotel casinos in Reno, offering stay and ski packages. Overall, the involvement in the South Bay, with advertising, participation, and sponsorship, has been successful. However, there are also more details that should be focused on in order to advance the participation of the Chinese-American target market of the South Bay Area with Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe. After seeing the advertisements in several of the newspapers in the area, one of the noticeable issues with the advertisements, the cooperative ad in particular, is that the announcement seems cluttered and unclear with too much to look at. Although this is tough in a bilingual ad, the clarity and professional look that we are after is not apparent in this specific ad. The past ad used with the couple skiing, displays this clarity better, as it focuses on the Chinese-American market in a subtle way with the Asian skiers and limited translated text. The campaign we hope to implement will be more direct than before, as we will target specific groups. In particular, we hope to target various colleges and universities in the Bay Area with a high percentage of Asian students. This initiative will hopefully increase the recognition of Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe. These numerous schools in this area have a vast market of Asian students that can easily be reached. While continuing the current advertisements in the same newsprint, additional ads in select areas, such as coffee shops and other high traffic areas, will keep the cost down while getting in the minds of our target market. The advertisements will be directed at the Chinese-American group specifically but each ad will be giving the same offer to anyone looking for a chance to go skiing.Target Market descriptionOnline research regarding Mt. Rose’s brand meaning was conducted on several social media sites as well as ski/snow sport specific web sites. The findings backed up many of the general beliefs and sentiments that were found by other means of research. Yelp reviews averaged four out of five stars and generally voiced positive experiences. Many of the reviews repeatedly noted the friendly staff, the proximity to Reno, and affordability. Some of the less complimentary posts cited the lack of Tahoe views, the weather, and lack of acreage. Will M. from San Jose, CA, sums up the general consensus: “Since there are many reviews here already, I'll keep this short. The reasons why I'm a fan of this place is one: the location, only a 30 min drive from Reno. Two: the lack of a crowd, even on a busy Saturday the lines for the lifts are no more than a minute or two! Three: price, we got discounted adult all day lift tickets for $39 bucks for a Saturday.”Google reviews average four out of five stars, as well. Positive reviews noted the proximity to Reno, affordability, the varied terrain, and the friendly service. One negative post mentioned the lack of a “ski check service.” reiterated many of these sentiments, but there were some insights into what more involved skiers and snowboarders thought about their experiences. The strongest specific ratings on the website were family-friendly and intermediate categories. “Spoiled, pampered skiers must stay away, as this is not the resort for you. You're much better off at Heavenly, Northstar or Squaw paying outrageous ticket prices for mediocre skiing,” was one review of note. Again, the major con listed was the lack of acreage at the resort. One factor that continued to come up throughout the reviews on all three sites was how wind-prone the resort is. While there is likely very little that can be done to extinguish the wind, offering tips on how to prepare for the wind and avoid it (if one side of the mountain is less prone to wind in the afternoon, etc.) may be useful for customers. Primary Survey Research-To gather information about habits and attitudes of the demographic, a questionnaire was developed and delivered to previous customers from an email list. This consisted of nearly 300 email addresses. Attempts were also made to reach Chinese student groups within Bay Area college and universities, but the groups could not supply email addresses of their group members because of privacy concerns. Our response rate was approximately 5.6%. There were several important points drawn from the research questionnaire. First, the email list yielded responses mostly from people outside our target market’s age group, with the median age range of 36-52. All but two of the 17 respondents identified themselves as Chinese-Americans. The median level of education was graduate level. Complete data results from the responses along with an in depth explanation of the methodology is presented in Appendix B. Description of the Market-The target market is Chinese-American millennials from the “South Bay Area” as defined by Mt. Rose management. Current estimate of Chinese-American population within this geographic area is estimated at 458,000 within the counties of San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara. Of this group, census data reports that approximately 27% of that population is between ages 18-34, yielding a total of about 124,000 people (SingTao). Demographic information for the group is difficult to assess because of vastness and varying definition of the “Bay Area,” but several generalizations can be made. Some 40% of Chinese-Americans within the geographic area have either a college or post graduate level education. Forty-four percent of households have four or more people in their homes, and 28% of this group having spent 6-10 years in the U.S. It is important to note that response rates for this group are low across the board. Income information is especially difficult to obtain for this group (36% declined response when asked about annual income in one survey), but given the level of education of the group, the average is presumably higher than the national average. Primary research helped gain some insight as to attitudes and preferences of existing customers. Previous customers of Mt. Rose are “highly likely” to ski again in the 2011-2012 season with a score of 6.24 average (see Appendix B for explanation of these scores). However, when asked specifically how likely they were to visit Mt. Rose, average sentiment was only 5.56. The target market is most likely to ski with family (6.12), but also highly likely that they ski with friends (5.53). Further research is being conducted to examine the possible benefit of segmenting the market into “repeat” and “first-time” guests. Overall feelings about Mt. Rose from previous customers within the target market were positive. From primary research conducted, respondents felt that Mt. Rose offered a family-friendly and fun atmosphere, and was suitable for all ages and levels of ability. Respondents agreed less that Mt. Rose was easy to get to by car (5.31). Similarly, they thought flying into Reno was not very easy (4.18). Online research from review sites supported these general sentiments about Rose, although these reviews are not necessarily within the market parameters. Previous customers view Mt. Rose as a fun, family friendly resort, that is so close to Reno that they will forego the longer drives to larger resorts. A key element to the market seems to be that these customers must come to Reno for lodging. If the potential customer is just day-tripping or staying at Lake Tahoe, they are more likely to go to another resort. Since Chinese-Americans have large family groups, it is presumable that this market would be moderately to very price sensitive. Questionnaire respondents rated price as 6.25 on the continuum of importance, but surprisingly, this group agreed less with the statement that Mt. Rose had affordable ticket prices (5.25). Other research on price positioning of Mt. Rose among the general public repeatedly showed that customers thought they got good value. This potentially points to super-sensitivity to price among this target. Market ProfileMeet Irene Chan, a UC Berkley student earning her Masters degree in Economics. Irene grew up in San Francisco, living with her immediate and some extended family in an affluent area near Chinatown. Her parents had emigrated from mainland China to the United States when she was young, and have been in the Bay Area for over ten years. Her father was a successful entrepreneur and real-estate investor, providing well for his two children. The Chan’s household income is over $100,000 per year. The Chan’s take family vacations together about twice a year. When they travel, they tend to want to see historic landmarks and points of interest for the area. Usually, the group is of six family members or more. While on vacation, the Chan’s are price conscious, knowing that they must stretch their dollars because of the amount of people they travel with. When Irene’s family visits ski resorts it’s a day that is more about spending time with family than riding on the mountain. Most of her family skis, while Irene and her little brother try to snowboard. Their riding ability is beginner to intermediate, with most of the day spent of the green runs so that the whole family can be together. Many times, Irene’s grandmother and grandfather don’t buy lift tickets or rent equipment, instead spending much of their time in the lodge taking care of children too small to be riding. Those that do buy tickets also have to rent equipment, so the Chans look for package deals that reduce the cost of the trip. SWOTStrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesThreats●Geographic Location●Ticket Specials● Parking Ease● Terrain Variety● Weather Exposure/Winds●Facility limitations● Lacking Transition Terrain● Casino Region● Economic slowdown●Injuries and accidents● Poor weather conditions●CompetitorsStrengths: Geographical Location: Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe’s location has a tremendous advantage against the competitors in relation to those who travel to Reno by plane from the Bay Area. The resort is the closest to downtown Reno.Ticket Specials: Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe offers many unique ticket specials. These specials, which are discussed in further detail in pages prior, are offered every day, and are very good deals. This increases the competitive edge of the resort.Parking Ease: Mt. Rose is virtually the only resort that has a parking lot conveniently located directly next to the resort. No shuttles are needed. Thus, guests may come and go to their vehicles freely. In addition, it can take just fifteen minutes to go from the car to the top of the mountain. Terrain Variety: The resort offers many trails for beginner to intermediate level skiers, in addition to the famous “chutes” which are attractive to expert skiers.Good reputation: Ski Tahoe has great snowmaking capabilities; great lift service, and great snow quality. Weakness: Weather Exposure: This resort is very exposed to wind and other harsh weather conditions. High winds can provide for a poor mountain experience for travelers.Facility Limitation: There is a limited amount of space on the property for expansion. There is not much room for more lifts or terrain. In addition, there is not much room for more infrastructure such as concert halls or ballrooms that could aid in attracting more guests.Lacking Transitions Terrain: while the resort offers terrain variety, it is lacking in terrain that increases the ease in which beginners feel comfortable moving to intermediate terrain.Opportunities: Casinos: The fact that Mt. Rose is only 25 minutes from Reno and 10 minutes from Tahoe shore helps increase sales for Stay and Ski passes during the winter season. Mt. Rose has the potential to involve the surrounding Hotel Casinos in acquiring new guests interested in both the outdoors and in.Threats: Economic slowdown: the economic recession may result in loss of customers or a shorter ski period per customer. Injuries and accidents: A serious ski injury would create a negative image for the industry, which may reduce the size of current skiing market. Bad injuries could cause negative feelings for guests, and thus, lower the amount of returning customers received. Poor weather conditions: Customers will seek other activities or other ski resorts due to the high winds, and frozen snow due to those petitors: Certainly, all surrounding ski resorts, as well as resorts all over the nation are potential threats to Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe. In addition, other activities, as previously mentioned are threats to ticket sales at the resort.Marketing and Communication ObjectivesOverall ObjectivesIncrease ticket sales for the Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe Resort among Chinese Americans in the Bay Area by 50% before the end of the winter ski season of 2013 (Roughly March-April).Increase the ticket buyer skier average weekend visitation of Bay Area Chinese Americans to 1200 per weekend (up from 600) during core and spring seasons (Jan 2, 2013 – April 1, 2013).Increase Product awareness among Bay Area Chinese Americans attending Universities in the area by 35% before the end of the winter ski season of munication ObjectivesIncrease Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe Facebook “likes” by 7,826 people. The number of Asian American students attending the 3 major colleges and universities in the Bay Area (San Jose State, UC Berkeley, San Francisco State University) are roughly 23,476 students. A third of these students “liking” Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe in the first year of implementing our plan would be an accomplishment.Increase Facebook page click-through to Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe website by 50%. After implementing the marketing plan, hopefully more Chinese Americans will be interested in the product being offered and want to see the website. This would be tracked using metrics offered by Facebook.Part 2Strategy and TacticsCREATIVE BRIEFOverall Positioning Statement:Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe is the best all-around mountain experience for a diverse group of snow sport enthusiasts. Positioning Statement for the Target:Mt Rose is the family, winter vacation destination for Bay Area, Chinese-American millennials to come and enjoy the Reno-Lake Tahoe experience.Rationale for the Target Positioning Statement:A key to understanding the Chinese-American culture is the importance of family. Many respondents reported in surveys that they would most likely go to a Tahoe resort with family. This is supported by secondary research that we’ve provided as well. Secondly, positioning the resort as a winter vacation destination in the Reno-Lake Tahoe area is important and supported by research. The geographic location of Mt. Rose, especially in relation to other competitors on the I-80 corridor, makes it important to tie Mt. Rose to the Reno-Tahoe experience. Simply stated, the target market must view their trip to the area as a destination, somewhere they can stay and enjoy everything that this area has to offer. Without this tie to the area, potential customers are likely to go to a competitor closer to their homes. The “Tahoe experience” is something that must be catered to the Chinese-American market. Considerations have to be made when looking at the habits of the target and how to accommodate them. Given that many of these customers travel with their family, which usually includes siblings, parents, grandparents, and extended family, a key to marketing to this target is making the entire family comfortable. Grandparents often stay in the lodge, sometimes taking care of young children. The members of the group may spend over half of their time off of the slopes, enjoying the amenities the resort has to offer. Furthermore, because of the limited buying power of the target, in comparison to their parents, making the entire family is critical in marketing to this group. This will also result in brand loyalty as the entire family enjoys the experience, not just the millennials. Key Promise:Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe will be the most fun, highest value, family-friendly part of your Reno/Tahoe winter experience. Rationale:The driving factor in the key promise is the fulfilling the need for fun and family. These two aspects of life are paramount in effectively appealing to this young, Chinese group. At the most basic level, Mt. Rose offers transportation up the mountain, but what is intrinsic in that product is fun. People are visiting the mountain to gain the exciting experiences that Tahoe offers. This winter experience must be in a fun, friendly, and inviting environment. Secondary to this promise of fun and specific to this group is a family-friendly environment. As reiterated throughout our findings, family is very important to the millennials. Family is of core importance in the Chinese culture, but from a practical standpoint, the purchasing decisions for the family unit usually lies with the patriarch of the family. For this reason, emphasizing the family aspect of the Mt. Rose experience is twofold. Perceived value is also important to the target market and their families. While the target audience has achieved a higher level of education compared to other groups, their income level, life-stage, and the fact they often vacation in large groups makes value an important part of where this group spends its dollars. Another important goal of the campaign is to position Mt. Rose as part of the Reno/Tahoe experience. Considering the fact that the target is most likely to drive to the area as opposed to flying, it’s important to emphasize the entire Tahoe experience. The idea of an “experience” inherently depicts a longer duration. For those that “day trip” from the South Bay, there are clearly more accessible options. Emphasizing all of the experiences the area has to offer will develop the mindset that staying in the Reno area is a great vacation. Call to Action:Come to Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe- Enjoy everything Reno-Tahoe has to offer.Mandatories:Company Website- Telephone-(800) SKI-ROSE (no need to include numeric or in-state phone numbers)Facebook-MountRoseSkiTahoeBrand Message:The overall tone and style of the brand will continue to mesh with the overall company’s brand. The fun, smiling images that are part of the company’s existing communications will appeal to this demographic as well. However, there are some specific communication appeals that will be especially effective with this demographic. The brand message will be geared toward logical and personal value based appeals. The most logical way to appeal to our target audience is to focus on Mt. Rose’s competitive advantages. Most important of these advantages are the mountain’s proximity to the Reno area and the great deals offered. Given that Mt. Rose is a mere 22 miles from Reno, 11 miles from Incline Village, and the marketing messages will be coupling the mountain with the Reno-Tahoe experience, explaining the mountain’s accessibility will be imperative. Another important aspect in the logical appeal to the target will be the value offered. Communicating the prices and packages available to customers will be a powerful and effective appeal, given the price sensitivity of the target market. Personal values will also be an effective way in communicating with the target. Clearly, the vast majority of the target is composed of fun-seekers, individualists who seek excitement, leisure, variety, and adventure. Giving the marketing communications a fun, youthful appeal will be key in attracting the millennials. Also, an intimate appeal may be effective with Chinese-Americans since they tend to create strong, deep bonds with friends and family. Images of their peers, enjoying time with family and friends, set in front of the beautiful backdrop of Lakeview will effectively communicate the relationships that can be built exploring the beauty of Tahoe. MARKETING COMMUNICATION PIECESMailer 1:Our first mailer will be sent out to 10,000 people in the Bay Area that we will have learned of through a paid database. The mailer will be 2 11 by 7 pieces of paper folded, stapled, tabbed, and labeled. The Front will have the Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe logo on the front in addition to our campaign theme. The inside left will be a picture of a family skiing down the mountain. The inside first right will have a brief bio of the mountain. If you flip to the last two pages you will find a calendar of not only Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe events for the year, but events pertaining to the Chinese-American culture such as concerts. This first mailer primarily serves the purpose of getting the Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe name out to those who have a small chance of being touched by our other MarComm pieces. In addition it will help to improve product awareness. This mailer will continue with our destination theme, which will be present on almost all of the pieces. It should portray a feeling of adventure and connect that feeling to the warm, family attractiveness of Mt. Rose. The calendar serves the purpose of helping those new to the slopes plan for a trip. It will be a precursor to our second mailer (the first will have a small mention to keep an eye out for the second mailer). Mailer 2:The second mailer, which will be sent out approximately one month after the first, will be informational as well. It will be sent to those same 10,000 we previously made contact with. This is important to note because repeatedly making an impression on this market is how a relationship will be built, and how a lifelong customer is made. It will be formatted similarly to the first. It will let the target market know about promotions occurring on the mountain. One of the promos featured in the mailer will be a Facebook contest. Those that come to the mountain and like Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe on Facebook (they must show the front desk and provided their information to be entered into the database) will be entered into a raffle where the prize is a 2-night stay for two at a casino in the Reno/Tahoe area, as well as two lift tickets, and a meal package. 5 of these packages will be offered. The dates will be located in the calendar as well as in this mailer. Everyone, not just our target market, will be allowed to participate in this contest. However, it will only be advertised to the target market receiving this mailer. In addition, this mailer will contain information regarding the deals already offered by your company weekly. This second mailer serves the purpose of achieving ticket sale goals, as well as achieving product awareness by enticing our target to take the trip to Mt. Rose. Radio Advertising:A large amount of those listening to the radio in the bay area are the commuters and those employed in offices where listening to the radio is permitted. There are several radio stations in the bay area that cater specifically to the Cantonese and Mandarin speaking residents. These stations are relatively inexpensive to advertise with. These stations will be seemingly effective means of advertising due to the highly concentrated listeners of the limited language specific stations. These stations will attract those on their way to or from work when they are driving, or even those who listen to the radio during the work day. The continual advertisements and promotion of festivals and holidays tied to Chinese traditions will attract attention of any family or individual who recognizes Chinese customs, giving them an event outside the Bay Area to focus their attention on. Simple radio advertising to this commuter crowd will inform them of the ski resort which many of them may not have ever heard of yet. The detailed explanation of the celebration of Chinese festivals and holidays will inform the target market that Mt. Rose is looking to accommodate Chinese celebrations. There is one company in particular that broadcasts to the entire bay area through two different radio stations. The Sing Tao Chinese Radio Station is comprised of Cantonese language on AM 1400 and Mandarin language on FM 96.1. Between these two stations, the entire Bay Area is covered with FM 96.1 focusing their coverage on the area south of San Francisco. The costs of advertising with this company are very affordable and range with the time of day and the frequency per month. With these radio advertisements, ticket sales will increase, as will overall awareness of the resort, thus achieving crucial sales and communication objectives.University and College Campus Flyer:Another large concentration of Chinese American populace is located on the University campuses in the Bay Area. Because of recent regulatory changes involving advertising on California State Universities and other campuses, marketing this part of the group will be slightly more difficult to accomplish. The universities in the area do not allow any sort of on campus booths or tables to be set up and the regulations on wall posters are strict and limited to bulletin boards throughout campus. In finding that the advertising on campuses is limited, other methods that are allowed are more basic advertising tactics. The handing out of flyers on campus by an individual that is not set up in one area but moving throughout campus is permitted. The flyers would have a “Quick Response” code that would direct those with a barcode scanning application on their smart phone, to be directed to the website. The purpose of this particular flyer is to attract your target market by placing emphasis on the Chinese New Year celebration taking place on the mountain. This is intended to build a relationship with this market, as well as increase awareness of Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe.Additional flyers that remain unused after the campus walk-through should be placed in the Bay Area in millennial hangouts located in China town, as well as local coffee shops and other locations where bulletin boards are utilized.Fortune Cookies:To further emphasize the feel of Chinese culture on the campuses around the bay, another simple tactic to increase awareness and familiarity with the resort would be to hand out something besides just flyers. Although a mainly American invented food, fortune cookies have made their way into every Chinese restaurant and have become a symbol of Chinese-American food. Fortune cookies are relatively inexpensive and could be handed out to passing students on campuses with the note inside directing recipients to Mt. Rose or even to the website for offers and information of the deals of the week. These are meant to further establish a relationship with the target market by appealing to their heritage. Guerilla Marketing:This form of marketing has becoming increasingly popular as a means of getting attention from millenials in particular. We feel that including this into our campaign is a crucial element in terms of attracting your target market to Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe. We propose that you rent a 9-10 person Chinese dragon dance costume to bring to the various campuses previously mentioned in Part 1, in order to make a scene. Alongside those with the costume would be employees handing out flyers advertising the Chinese New Year event that will be taking place at Mt. Rose, as well as the fortune cookies previously mentioned. This could potentially be a two-week event. This piece of the marketing strategy serves a number of purposes. First, it would generate awareness of the brand, as well as the events taking place. I would help to achieve a number of objectives included increasing Facebook click-through to the Mt. Rose website. We are hoping that this grand scene will generate earned media in the Bay Area as well. Having a video of the dragon displayed on local news stations in association with Mt. Rose could generate a lot of positive discussion and interest in the brand. The dragon will serve the purpose of attracting Chinese-Americans. However, we figure if others viewing are attracted as well, that’s even better.Marketing Communications and Objectives Matrix:The following is a graphical representation of the goals achieved by each marketing communication pieces. These goals correspond to those previously mentioned in part 1. As shown below, each piece is aimed to affect change in at least three of the five sales and communication objectives.Increased Ticket SalesIncreased Average Weekend VisitationIncreased AwarenessIncreased Facebook Likes by 7,286Increased Facebook to Website Click-throughMailer 1XXXMailer 2XXXXRadio AdXXXFlyerXXXCookieXXXDragonXXXMedia PlanWe recommend advertising be consistent throughout Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe’s operating months with raised efforts during the opening month of November to gain awareness, and again in January due to events such as the Chinese New Year’s and your Facebook check-in weekend giveaways. This is why we have recommended you run a radio spot on a popular Chinese-American radio station from November through January and add a second station during the months of November and January. In the months of November and January we will also send out mailers and in January we will visit campuses. As you can see from the calendar located in Appendix C, the “Destination” campaign for Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe will be executed during Mt. Rose’s operating months, November-April. Mt. Rose will kick off the campaign in November by advertising on two local Chinese radio stations in the Bay Area, AM 1400 and FM 96.1, both of which are popular stations for your target market. AM 1400 broadcasts in Cantonese while FM 96.1 broadcasts in Mandarin so you are sure to reach the entire Chinese-American market. The radio spot will air 60 times each month between November and April on AM 1400. They will air on a rotational schedule between 7-10am and 4-6pm. The same spot will run 60 times in November and again in January between 7-10am on FM 96.1. During the month of November we will also send out an extensive direct mailer to 10,000 homes in the bay area. The mailer will introduce Mt. Rose as well as include a calendar of events for Mt. Rose and surrounding areas. In January Mt. Rose will send out a second mailer to the same 10,000 homes. This mailer will serve as a promotional piece for upcoming events such as the Chinese New Year’s and our Facebook check-in weekend giveaways which will take place in February. Overall, this mailer takes up $28,094 of the budget, and will reach 10,000 people. Thus, the cost per thousand is: $2,809.40. Taking into account the previously stated sales objectives, if 50% of those receiving these mailers purchased a lift ticket, revenues would increase by $345,000, giving you a return on mailing investment of almost 123% with the marketing piece alone.During the month of January we will also visit campuses to promote our upcoming events. By using Guerrilla Marketing we can achieve high reach and keep costs extremely low. In order to draw attention we will use a large Dragon operated by 8 individuals as we run through various campuses and hand out a total of 10,000 flyers and 5,000 fortune cookies.We believe our plan is best suited for the Chinese-American Bay Area market with a focus on Millennials. Our campaign focuses on peak months as well as keeping cost low by targeting college campuses. The budget for Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe located under Appendix C will show that you are using your budget efficiently by staying under and still reaching thousands of Chinese-Americans.EvaluationThe following is a detailed account of how we feel the marketing communication pieces should be evaluated in terms of their effectiveness in achieving the sales and marketing objectives as previously mentioned:Mailer 1:This may be one of the most difficult pieces to effectively evaluate, however it is one of the most important as it serves as a relationship and awareness builder. We will be evaluating using a post-campaign survey at Mt. Rose. This survey serves two purposes. First, it will determine how many of your visitors came because they were intrigued by events located on the calendar. Second, it will aide in strengthening your database for this target market. This survey should show whether or not awareness has been achieved.Mailer 2:For the mailer two, we are using a coupon book for our Direct Mail Marketing; one of the coupons will be a contest. If you come to Mt. Rose and check in on Facebook and show the front desk, you will be entered in a drawing. We will be checking how many people in our target market will use the coupons we sent out. We will use the check-in as a way to enter into our database. We will be keeping track on how many people enter into our drawing for the contest coupon. We will evaluate it by identifying how many consumers participated in the Facebook “likes” competition. We will keep track on Facebook “likes” and “check-in” number increases. This will prove whether or not this mailer was successful in attributing to increased Facebook “likes” because this contest will be exclusively offered to those receiving the mailers. It will also prove awareness and ticket sales objectives were achieved as a result.Radio Advertisement:A 30 second commercial will be provided by two different Chinese stations at the bay area. As with the first mailer, this tactic will be primarily evaluated using a post-campaign survey. A question will pertain to how costumers from the Bay Area heard of your ski resort. This will prove whether or not ticket sales and awareness were achieved as a result of these radio advertisements. Marketing tools such as Return on Investment would be particularly useful in conjunction with this survey.Flyer, Fortune cookie, Chinese dragon:A major measurement to be used in order to evaluate these last three marketing pieces would be the amount of earned media generated as a result of the guerilla marketing. This will be tabulated after monitoring Chinese, and Bay Area television and radio stations, as well as newspapers, and online outlets. Facebook “likes” should also be affected by these pieces, so after monitoring “likes” we will attribute increases to the combination of the aforementioned pieces.APPENDIX AEnvironmental scanFigure 1Figure 2Figure 3Figure 4Figure 5Figure 6Appendix bSurvey resultsRespondentGenderGender CodeRaceAgeMarital StatusEducation1m1C36-52MGrad2m1c36-52mGrad3m1c36-52munder4m1c36-52munder5m1c36-52munder6f0c36-52dGrad7m1c22-35sGrad8f0c22-35sGrad9m1c22-35sGrad10m1c36-52mGrad11f0c22-35mGrad12f0c<22under13m1c36-52mGrad14f0c36-52mGrad15f0c36-52mGrad16f0other22-35sGrad17m1other>52mGradRespondentLikely to Skiseason passski w/ friendsski with familyImportant travel distanceWiFi1747767252275637777774716777541255264277747735453862723297774881071777711737767127366561363465614715764157277671675775517411757RespondentDrive to TahoeParking importantfood varietyprice of tickets important?Rose for all ages?All Ski levels177776526666773776777477767454555666765777766465586566769??????1077457711776777126537771366776614774675157767771677664517775566RespondentRose affordable tickets?Rose Fun?Rose easy by car?Easy to fly to renovisit Rose?1765472665543667774775145666246555747555368377569???57105775711476571245444137655514763251547547164663617444465.256.005.314.185.65Average to Scale Questions-AVGHow likely are you to ski this season?6.24How likely are you to purcase a season ski pass?2.82How likely are you to ski with friends?5.53Ho0w likely are you to ski with family members?6.12How important is travel distance for you?5.76How important is WiFi availability at a ski resort?5.59How likely are you to drive to a Tahoe Ski Resort?6.50How important is parking convieniece at a ski resort?6.38How important is food variety and quality at a ski resort?5.44How important is thte price on lift tickets at a ski resort?6.25Mt. Rose is suitable for all ages.6.44Mr. Rose is suitable for all ski levels.6.06Mr. Rose offers affordable lift tickets and season passes. 5.25Rose offers a friendly and fun atmosphere.6.00Rose offers easy access by car. 5.31It is easy to fly to Reno4.18I intend to visit Mt. Rose this season.5.65ProfileChineseFemaleAge 36-52Married Graduate Level Education ................
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