Storytelling + ROI = OMG Event Marketing s Role in Place Branding Presenter: Russell Reimer, Manifesto Sport Management Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance 2014 Sport Event Congress
WHAT IS OMG? OMG: Events that build your regional reputation, bring vitality to your facility icons, deliver economic impact, and position your place brand in the minds of targeted consumers through a meaningful story
WHY IS OMG IMPORTANT? A robust brand is the single most important asset for any destination. It drives an emotional connection to consumers that travel through the activities they re most passionate about.
OMG OBJECTIVES STORYTELLING Editorial/media impressions Cumulative national and worldwide television within target markets Thematic integration, visual engagement, cultural identity becomes a character Residual event impact RETURN ON INVESTMENT Hotel room nights Out-of-region (OOR) spectators/participants (VFR) Net economic impact (STEAM Assessment) Advertising Value Equivalency (AVE) Residual hosting value and legacy facility value
RED BULL X-FIGHTERS OMG Objective: To bring together Calgary s traditional western cultural identity and a new growing national and international audience of adrenaline sports fans
RED BULL X-Fighters Calgary RED BULL X-FIGHTERS
World Cup Roundtable RED BULL X-FIGHTERS
World Cup Roundtable RED BULL X-FIGHTERS
RESULTS STORYTELLING Traditional western culture meets freestyle motocross Full thematic, brand story and iconic venue brand integration Calgary s cultural identity becomes a character in the event story ROI Sold-out crowd of over 21,000 Economic: 43% OOR spectators; 4276 hotel room nights; $6M Net GDP Editorial: 39,000,000 impressions Broadcast: 29+ hours of national/international television coverage OMG!
WORLD CUP ROUNDTABLE OMG Objective: To position Alberta as a must-see and must-do international winter sports destination through World Cups hosted in Calgary and the Bow Corridor
WORLD CUP ROUNDTABLE
WORLD CUP ROUNDTABLE
WORLD CUP ROUNDTABLE
RESULTS STORYTELLING High-participation sports created must-do context in targeted markets Travel Alberta international in-broadcast features Supplementary target-market advertising ROI Over 455 cumulative hours of international broadcast coverage 300,000,000 viewers over 10 World Cups 86% of viewers within Travel Alberta s primary markets in Europe AVE of over 41,000, 30-second commercials (2010) 50 times ROI for Travel Alberta OMG!
TRANSROCKIES CHALLENGE OMG Objective: To completely redefine a mountain bike stage race, amplify the challenge through visual storytelling and position the Rockies as a must-do destination
TRANSROCKIES CHALLENGE
RESULTS STORYTELLING Rebranded as the Tour de France Rocky-Mountain style High-participation sport created must-do context Travel Alberta international in-broadcast features with targeted athletes Editorialized worldwide as the toughest mountain bike race on earth ROI Sold-out TransRockies Challenge in following year (350 teams) Over 250 cumulative hours of coverage, FREE broadcast distribution Storytelling assets for Travel Alberta to strengthen summer offerings OMG!
RED BULL CRASHED ICE OMG Objective: To work collaboratively with Red Bull Canada to win the international bid for Edmonton, Alberta and align with the Winter City Strategy
CASE STUDY RED BULL CRASHED ICE EDMONTON RED BULL CRASHED ICE
Please change the background image as required. RED BULL CRASHED ICE
Please change the RED BULL CRASHED ICE background image as required.
HOW TO OMG? 1. Identify Platform: Events, Team, Place/Venue Where is the opportunity to build reputation? 2. Assess Infrastructure: Historical venues, location assets and facility icons to create potential for differentiation and story 3. Define Concept/Story: Winter sport, action sports, golf, curling, hockey etc. What is your story? 4. Effectively Distribute: Launch the brand and event story into targeted markets nationally and in the global marketplace Source: Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, Volume 3, 1 (2007)
CONCULSIONS If you want an OMG result, begin with an OMG objective Target and bid for events that build a region of reputation Focus on must-do (not just must-see) destination storytelling Consider events as an extension of your civic brand strategy Amplify brand integration and storytelling for all events
Manifesto Sport Management Russell Reimer, President Office: (403) 719.0780 Cell: (403) 585.8242 Email: russell@manifestosport.com Web: www.manifestosport.com Twitter: @manifesto_sport