The vendor is required to provide includes the following activities: public relations, advertising, digital advertising media buying, and social media services, as set forth below:
1. Public relations
• Provide public and media relations initiatives, including, but not limited to, strategic planning, partnership opportunities, activating media events and programs, content creation and distribution, and to assist other functions of the corporation as needed.
a. Public relations core services
• At a minimum, the proposer(s) should be able to perform the following services under the strategic direction of the corporation’s staff:
b. Strategic planning:
• Support the development and writing of the corporation’s communications plan; conduct research for, and provide input to, a multi-year public and media relations plan; establish program key performance indicators and measures; execute required items from the plan as requested; and provide required reporting to the corporation on performance of the plan.
c. Public and media relations:
• Provide ongoing media relations support, representing state unique story and targeted media opportunities; align partner priorities to provide direct referrals to regional marketing organizations; maintain strong relationships with a diversity of country media across multiple channels in the tourism, lifestyle and other relevant sectors; review and analyze incoming country media queries for information; proactively pitch based on the corporation’s strategic plan; provide recommendations to the corporation and follow up with journalists as required; organize and execute media events and familiarization (fam) tours; arrange and manage media appointments for community representatives in key domestic markets; and secure journalists to visit state either individually or in groups.
d. Content creation and distribution:
• Create and share relevant media materials and messaging; monitor the content being created as a result of the efforts by the corporation and firm(s).
• This includes, but is not limited to: creating press releases, backgrounders, story idea pitches and other press materials, key messages, speeches, etc.; identifying appropriate distribution channels (e.g., newswire agencies, trade shows, media distribution lists and networks, etc.); and managing the distribution of content across these channels.
e. Partnership cultivation:
• Identify potential projects where the corporation would be able to work with appropriate media and brands; identify trade shows and consumer events worthy of consideration for the corporation; and promote and represent the state at relevant events.
2. Advertising
a. Media planning and buying:
• The proposer should outline its process in deciding where, when, and how to purchase media, what tools or analytics it uses, the determining elements that make the proposer’s purchasing decisions, optimization strategy, and co-op strategy.
• The proposer should provide an overview of its philosophy as it relates to planning and buying media domestically.
2. Promotional and strategic partnerships:
• The proposer should identify where its strategic partnerships or alliances fit into its overall approach and how it has used strategic partnerships to extend a client’s budget and exposure.
3. Digital advertising media buying
a. Core services
• The proposer will work with the corporation’s marketing department to achieve agreed-upon goals for growth and must have a successful record of achieving growth through a proactive, analytical, and innovative media buying approach
• The corporation is seeking a strategic partner with a proven, results-oriented background in acquisition marketing.
• In addition to digital media buying, including digital billboards and outdoor advertising, there will be some traditional media, including radio and television commercial placement.
b. Strategy and approach
• Provide the requested services and capabilities below and detail how it plans to approach digital advertising media buying for the corporation to fuel growth in a crowded market.
• Proposers should highlight use of cutting-edge technology and how it will leverage data as a competitive and strategic advantage.
c. Paid search:
• Regular campaign management and optimization via bid management tools; campaign, ad group, and keyword creation; ad copy development; ongoing testing and optimization; set-up and maintenance of audience lists; and landing page recommendations.
d. Display (prospecting, retargeting, native and online video/audio):
• Media planning and buying, utilizing relevant advertising networks and sites; ongoing optimization of campaigns, including pixel mapping; and cohesive messaging recommendations and implementation.
e. Mobile:
• Identify standout media opportunities and maximize conversions through best practices and trends.
f. Paid social:
• Leverage social media sites for acquisition purposes; actively manage, optimize and test campaigns; and create variety of messaging and recommended imagery.
• Work with social media team to maximize paid social efforts and implement effective media placements based on strategy.
g. Explore additional opportunities:
• Including advanced and digital tv, marketing technologies and other digital opportunities as they arise.
4. social media services
a. core services
• proposers should demonstrate how they plan to integrate social media into a brand strategy, complementing ongoing advertising and public relations strategies and tactics to further strengthen the corporation’s brand.
b. strategy and approach
• proposer should demonstrate how they integrate social media into a brand strategy and how they would approach a global social strategy; work in collaboration with the corporation to develop content, provide an overarching social strategy, paid social media plan, and guidance on implementation; and develop recommendations for how a brand should resource to efficiently manage a global social footprint.
c. Content creation:
• Build a strategic content calendar tying in current messaging from advertising creative, aiming to showcase content that is inspirational and offers a look at the variety of accommodations, restaurants, activities and events throughout the state and during all four seasons.
• Utilize a mix of user-generated content along with organic content to diversify the content for a variety of digital audiences and targeted geographies.
d. Channel monitoring and growth:
• Recommend strategies, to include monthly contesting, to increase data acquisition opportunities and growth.
• Monitor trends and identify opportunities on new channels or current features not yet explored.
• Ongoing timely community management to reply to comments and direct messages as well as travel inquiries and complaints, including an escalation plan where appropriate
5. Paid media execution
• Contractor shall research and determine appropriate media outlets for the corporation and solicit requests for proposals from appropriate vendors to assist the corporation in accessing and marketing in such media outlets.
• The contractor shall assist the corporation in compiling and analyzing the proposals submitted.
• The contractor shall negotiate and continually manage buys and added value along with providing the corporation with front end analytics provided by any solicited vendor
• Digital media buying, including digital billboards and outdoor advertising, there will be some traditional media, including radio and television commercial placement.
6. Research and develop media strategies, analytics and search engine marketing
• Contractor shall conduct research necessary to understand the corporation’s target audience and the corporation’s media consumptions, which shall include, but is not limited to, an assessment of the corporation’s competitive environment, a determination of geographic priorities, and an evaluation of opportunities to create a marketing strategy.
• The contractor shall prepare and deliver to the corporation a measurement plan, which will compile research data and have the capability to provide monthly back-end analytics and recommendations for the corporation’s marketing efforts.
• The contractor will procure paid search and search engine marketing, including regular campaign management and optimization via bid management tools; campaign, ad group, and keyword creation; ad copy development; ongoing testing and optimization; set-up and maintenance of audience lists; and landing page recommendations.
7. Creative services
• Provide a range of creative services, to be outlined in consultation with and subject to the approval of the corporation for creative assets which may be required to be created and published in support of any paid media plan.
- Contract Period/Term: 12 Month
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: April 16, 2025