Critical Mass Forrester 09: Marketing Vegas in a Recession

Viva Las Vegas!
Forrester Consumer Forum 2009
October 27,2009

The Challenge

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The Overall Challenge
Sentiment towards the economy remains flat and relatively negative.
Consumers are worried about potential job loss.
The U.S. travel landscape continues a downward trend.
Source: LVCVA, Hearts + Mind

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The Business Challenges
Air capacity flat
Leisure trips
Forecast to be down 2.5% in 2009
Average daily rate
For Vegas hotels
down over 25%
Business travel
Forecast to be down 5.8%
Hotel occupancy
In Vegas down 6.2 points
Even the smallest downturn in the economy can mean
millions of dollars lost per day.
*August 2009 TTD

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The Marketing Challenges
Travelers want to “escape” all that’s going on around them.
Travelers remain concerned about taking time off from work.
Reports in the media paint a picture that Las Vegas is no longer exciting.
Source: LVCVA, Hearts + Mind

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Key Objectives
Increase intent to travel to Las Vegas
Provide a permission structure for concerned travelers
Show that Las Vegas is alive and well and as exciting and vibrant as ever

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Consumer Insight
“It’s ok to take a break.” Vegas is the perfect place to do it.
Research has shown that consumers have been inundated with negative news. They are overwhelmed by the troubled economy and fearful of the future, yet they still long to travel.
Our strategy reminds consumers that Vegas is an exciting and vibrant destination and gives them permission to take a break.

Targeting the Relevant Channels
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360° Plan to Drive Engagement
“Take a Break USA”
Give consumers permission to take a break through special offers and content that showcases Vegas’ offerings.
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Vegas Bound
Case Study

Showcasing Vegas through the Eyes of Real People
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Who visits Vegas?

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Driving cross-channel integration
*2008 versus 2007

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Vegas Bound: Measuring Success
Video Views
Over 600,000 video views
Paid / Earned Media
800+ million impressions
Over $5.2 million in press coverage
Traffic & Referrals
34% increase in website traffic and
36% increase in property referrals

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Intent to travel to Vegas nearly tripled
from 5% in November, 2008 to
13% in January, 2009
In drive markets, intent to travel to Vegas nearly doubled
over the same time period

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“The research prompted us to develop this campaign to address consumers’ growing concerns. The campaign provided a targeted approach to illustrate the excitement of Las Vegas, to deliver the message that it is OK to take a break and the best place to take that break is Las Vegas. The results far exceeded our expectations."
Rossi Ralenkotter, President, Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority

A Framework for 360° Customer Experiences
1Identify
Identify target and uncover key insights
2Design
Select the channels and build the multi-channel strategy
3Execute
Drive engagement through every touchpoint
4Amplify
Stimulate sharing of the experiences
5Evolve
Adapt approach based on key learnings

Questions?

Critical Mass Forrester 09: Marketing Vegas in a Recession

by Critical Mass

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