The vendor is required to provide advertising agency of record services for the overall creation, management, and execution of annual marketing plans that include strategies and tactics, campaigns, and programs to advance authority three (3) strategic priorities:
• Increase ridership - increase ridership by focusing on the convenience, ease of use, and cost savings brought about as the result of the continued implementation of reinventing metro (new transit centers, new routes, route enhancements, new amenities/technology, and bus rapid transit.
• Become an employer of choice - assist authority in recruiting operators for its various services to the community.
• Drive economic development - educate the community about the importance of public transportation to the region’s continued economic growth by highlighting access to jobs, innovation, community involvement, diversity and inclusion efforts, transparency, sustainability, and customer satisfaction
- Tasks
1. Marketing
• Identify and present marketing messages and work closely with authority external affairs communications and marketing staff to create integrated marketing plans outlining all aspects of authority promotional and advertising efforts for the life of the contract.
• Create and implement comprehensive and limited-scope marketing campaigns to build ridership and increase public awareness of authority services.
• Authority expects to have several major initiatives in 2025 and beyond that will require integrated advertising and social media campaigns, including:
o New authority services and facilities
o Raise awareness of the benefits of authority to build ridership and community support for reinventing metro service improvements.
o Continued ridership development efforts with area employers, communities and universities.
2. Advertising media
• Create visuals and copy for print and digital ads, brochures, outdoor, digital and/or direct mail campaigns, videos, presentations, events, and other communications vehicles to support authority marketing and awareness-building efforts as directed.
• Recommend, purchase, and analyze media on authority behalf that is consistent with authority messaging, budget, target markets, goals, and objectives.
• Stay abreast of new media opportunities and trends and suggest these to authority if audience, cost, etc. coincide with and will help further authority goals.
• Conduct and utilize available research and trends to track public opinion on issues related to authority and public transit and recommend appropriate marketing responses.
• Coordinate professional photography and/or videography to document authority events and activities for use in communications and marketing programs if requested.
• Work collaboratively with authority staff and other third-party contractors as necessary to extend marketing messages’ reach and effectiveness.
3. Research focus groups
• Contract with local research providers to set up and conduct focus groups designed to test awareness of authority and perceptions of service quality, reliability, safety, etc.
o Research provider will work with authority staff to develop subject matter and focus group participant make-up.
o Research provider will recruit participants from the following groups and demographics: riders, non-riders and former/lapsed riders representing ages 25-35, 35-45 and 45+ within each cohort.
o Participant selection should also strive for diversity in gender, race, culture, ethnicity, disability status, and orientation.
o The research provider will provide facilities and staff to facilitate focus groups and provide follow-up reports on findings to authority staff, up to and including the executive leadership team and/or the authority board of trustees.
4. Plans and reports
• Provide a comprehensive marketing plan with key messages, strategies, tactics, timelines, media, and budget information that will govern advertising and marketing efforts throughout the year.
• Provide, within three business days, written recaps of all meetings and calls listing overall discussion topics, agreed-upon deliverables, roles, and timelines, if appropriate.
• Provide after-action reports for all campaigns that should include, at a minimum:
o Copies of artwork, logos, photos, copy treatments, etc. developed in support of campaigns suitable for authority staff to use in social media posts, transit advertising, etc.
o A post-buy media analysis showing impressions, click-through rates, CPM/CPC, VCR, reach and frequency, web visits, and/or any other available analytics appropriate to measure the effectiveness and ROI of the campaign(s.)
o A campaign recap report listing overall effectiveness of the campaign, challenges, lessons learned, and recommendations for future campaigns in narrative format.
o Copies of all creative advertising materials created and placed in support of the campaign.
o After-action reports are due no later than three (3) weeks after campaign completion, or as agreed to by both parties.
- For the duration of the contract- the selected vendor must provide:
• Detailed creative and media plans
• Suggested approaches to marketing challenges as identified by authority
• Pre-and post-buy analyses of all media purchases
• Creative development for advertisements
• Video scripts and video production
• Social media posts, websites, etc.
- Contract Period/Term: 5 years
- Pre-Proposal Meeting (Non-Mandatory) Date: May 22, 2025
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: May 29, 2025