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THORPE PARK - 2009 - Marketing And Promotion
- 1. Marketing and Promotion 2009
- 2. Colossus
- 4. Stealth
- 5. SAW – The Ride
- 6. Copyright Merlin Entertainments Group Ltd Let the game begin…
- 11. Thorpe Park ticket sale channels
- 17. Copyright Merlin Entertainments Group Ltd Easter Holidays May Half Term Schools Weeks Fright Nights School Holidays Feb Half Term Open Full Time
- 20. Exit Survey Data Capture Staff Feedback Your Voice Counts The Wizard Wants to Know Customer Focus Groups Mystery Shopper Ad Hoc On-Park Research Postcards Workshops Customer Research Intention to Visit Research
- 22. Fright Nights - Guest Feedback - Communication & Reasons to Visit How did you hear about Fright Nights? What influenced your decision to come to Fright Nights? Base: Communication: 2006 (47); 2007 (182). Reasons to Visit: 2006 (51); 2007 (132). Please note: ‘Other’ most commonly relates to visiting Fright Nights in a previous year. N/A
- 26. Targeting Our Consumers Mid-Teens Thrill-seekers 855,000 20+ Singletons Thrill-seekers 1,807,000 Families (kids aged 10+) Up-For-It 1,451,000 Aged 15-19, living in London/SE with thrill-seeking attitudes Aged 20-29, living in London/SE with thrill-seeking attitudes Families with children aged 10-15, living in London/SE with an up-for-it attitude
- 27. Thrill Hunters 15 – 30 Adults (slight male bias) Living in London / SE Thrill-seeking attitudes I can’t resist buying magazines I wear designer clothes Celebrities influence my purchase decisions I want to get to top of my career My car should catch people’s attention I spend a lot on clothes I am a regular cinema goer I like to try new drinks I like to stand out in a crowd My car should express my personality I like taking risks I am influenced by comments from other internet users I tend to spend money without thinking I like to keep up with the latest fashions I spend a lot on toiletries & cosmetics Designer label improves a person’s image I buy new products before most of my friends I like to listen to new bands
- 28. Inspiration for a day out comes from a wide variety of sources Source: Mintel ‘Days Out’
- 29. Media Consumption (16-34’s) Thinking about your day to day life, how do you spend most of your spare time? % Online and TV are the central touchpoints for our target audience
- 31. Stealth Shunt
- 32. 2008 Campaign
- 33. Primeval
- 34. Dirty Sanchez
- 35. Fright Nights
- 38. Objectives: - Secure volume – matching 2007 levels - Ensure cut through of new news Message: - Fright Nights – Bigger and Better Targeting: - Thrillhunters Everywhere - Teens/Twentysomethings 2008 Attractions: - New Attraction for 2008 - New 5D Horror Show - The Mazes: Asylum, Hellgate, Seven - Rides in the Dark Revenue Generators: - Late entry ticket offer off peak - Advance Book guaranteed entry message - VIP Fright Nights package - Fright Nights merchandise
- 39. Advertising: - MTV sponsorship – creative linked to Fright Nights - 2 week radio advertising on Capital/XFM/Virgin/Kiss - 2 week radio promotion and OB with Kiss FM - Email and offer to Kiss and MTV online databases Online: - Viral videos seeded to all social network sites - Microsite for new attraction Promotions: - Existing promotions still live - The Sun - Local press and radio PR: - Press Preview and Media Party - ‘Screaming’ creative mailing (what’s on) - Profile of maze creators - Radio interviews & Photo call On Park: - Fright Nights 2008 will be promoted all season on park
- 41. 2009 Coaster Launch Timing Activity Plan November 2007 Planning submission press release distributed to trade press March 2008 Planning Approval press release In park advertising awareness created around the build site June 2008 Microsite goes live June 2008 onwards Regular online updates/Developer Diary October 2008 January 2008 Call to action in-park for 2009 launch Recruit ‘test riders’ launch competitions in media to be first to ride March 2009 Media Launch Enthusiasts Event Launch March/April 2009 Launch Advertising campaign commences June/July 2009 Summer Advertising commences October 2009 Halloween Advertising commences
- 43. The story so far …. SAW 13.1
- 45. Copyright Merlin Entertainments Group Ltd Key Timings Mar – Apr – May – Jun – Jul – Aug – Sep – Oct – Nov Generate buzz about the new coaster and deliver volume over the Easter holidays Finish on a fright at Halloween TV & radio media will follow the PR launch on w/c23rd March and will make use of the media multiplier effect by phasing TV, cinema and radio simultaneously to give scale PR 13th Maintain a presence during late-Spring/early-Summer and drive volume over Whitsun break
- 46. Copyright Merlin Entertainments Group Ltd TV Programming Our core programming is focussed on horror & shocking youth culture TV. To ensure that we reach a widespread audience. We also need a broad programme environment eg: Saturday night TV Typical Horror Programming Shocking Youth Culture TV
- 47. Copyright Merlin Entertainments Group Ltd The Channel Mix Core mass market & regional channels deliver widespread reach & quality programme environment Will also reach the sub audiences of HWK’s 10-15 Satellite Channels will add coverage & provide excellent youth programming
- 50. Copyright Merlin Entertainments Group Ltd Creative – Work in Progress
- 51. Copyright Merlin Entertainments Group Ltd Creative – Work in Progress
- 54. Copyright Merlin Entertainments Group Ltd Radio – Extended Station Coverage Core target audience & regional coverage
- 56. Copyright Merlin Entertainments Group Ltd The Year Laydown Mar – Apr – May – Jun – Jul – Aug – Sep – Oct – Nov 290 TVRs 300 TVRs TV Launch TV Summer Cinema Radio Airtime Radio Promotions Viral In-game Social Networks Search
- 61. Copyright Merlin Entertainments Group Ltd Blue = Confirmed Orange = +50% Red= Risk Green = Thorpe Solus @ 50% ’ 09 Promotional Plan Global – Travelex 241 22k CWoA/TP Door Drop 241 Tesco 241 Press 241 Press 241 Horror films with Lionsgate HMV/LOVEFILM 241 The Sun Group Restaurant ELC/Mothercare KGF Capri Sun WHSmiths 241 Burger King Disc Sains/Matalan/Ice 241 NOTW – SAW Launch Persil KGF Walkers Brit Trips Disc Coke Disc SAW V – DVD Mastercard 241 GAME 241 Cross Group Initiatives MEDIA: SKY KGF London Reader Offer PAID FOR CONTRACTS: TESCO CLUBCARDS / AIRMILES / NECTAR 586k Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec MEG Strong Control ATL MEG Third Party Link MEG 100% Control PAID FOR/ OTHER
Editor's Notes
- Welcome and domestics Welcome to Thorpe park and Welcome to ‘The Workshop’. Introduce self Domestics Mobile phones off, silent or vibrate. Bins available for litter Nearest toilets are public toilets in the lower dome Fire exits and extinguishers. Side doors or main entrance. Assemble in open area outside education room. #Drink and snack machine in outer room #Teacher zone – drinks and wireless #if all goes to plan Establish questions allowed during or at the end. Staff will get a copy of PowerPoint presentation and back up files on CD at the end of the presentation. 2009 sees the introduction of Thorpe Park’s fourth roller coaster – SAW – The Ride. When we have a major new attraction to launch the marketing budget is larger to let our customers know what the new product is and we will have a TV advertising campaign. Previously we have seen ……. Show Colossus, Nemesis and Stealth adverts
- Colossus - Dizzy
- Nemesis Inferno – Hot Feet
- Stealth – second campaign – the first was scary.
- This SAW – The Ride advert is not a TV advert but was used on the internet. It incorporates a simulation of the ride from one of our fans which was picked up on You Tube and incorporated into the campaign with the creator’s permission.
- Talk about marketing and promotion and most people naturally think of the end product – the TV advert or the poster. Behind the campaign is the theory and research on the audience and the product that makes sure that money spent on marketing and promotion is invested effectively. Ask group if they are familiar with the 4 Ps – marketing mix.
- The Marketing department is a vital part of the organisation. The team commission and interpret data collection – produce forecasts and strategies and determine the pricing and campaign for the season so that Thorpe Park can achieve its commercial objectives. They also work with agencies to decide the best strategy and produce promotional material that will appeal to our customers. IP = intellectual property. Lionsagate ‘SAW’ films These are the main challenges for the Marketing team of 6 on-site this season. There is also a national trade sales and marketing team who produce offers and promotions based on the complete Merlin portfolio in the UK and negotiate with partners such as Tesco and Sky.
- At the beginning of the season, the marketing team set out their objectives and measure their progress towards them. Group – all the Merlin attractions SOLUS = Thorpe Park on its own.
- You can see the objectives reflected in the web site at the beginning of the season: SAW Thorpe Breaks Annual pass Online bookings
- There are basically two factors in deciding the price for entry to Thorpe Park: Volume – the number of guests attending the park. and Yield – the amount of money each guest spends. £35 looks like a huge amount of money but in reality only a small proportion of our customers walk up to the park and pay this on the day.
- You can see that well over 50% of our guests get into Thorpe Park on promotions.2 for 1 or BOGOF. How these are publicised and balanced is very important.
- Good marketing depends on use of the marketing mix to deliver objectives. The four elements of the marketing mix are: Product, Price, Promotion and Place. In the case of Thorpe Park, the 4 P’s are: Product – Theme Park plus on site merchandise and photos and food and beverage sales Place – The most rides for one entry fee between Alton Towers and leaving the country. Promotion - Communications mix - PR and sales. Price – Compares with London day out prices to cover overheads, generate reasonable profit. The marketing mix is essential to a successful product or service. A good marketing mix: Provides a product that the target market wants Makes sure the target market can purchase the product Ensures the target market can buy the product at an acceptable price Promotes the product effectively to the target market
- Good marketing depends on use of the marketing mix to deliver objectives. The four elements of the marketing mix are: Product, Price, Promotion and Place. In the case of Thorpe Park, the 4 P’s are: Product – Theme Park plus on site merchandise and photos and food and beverage sales Place – The most rides for one entry fee between Alton Towers and leaving the country. Promotion - Communications mix - PR and sales. Price – Compares with London day out prices to cover overheads, generate reasonable profit. The marketing mix is essential to a successful product or service. A good marketing mix: Provides a product that the target market wants Makes sure the target market can purchase the product Ensures the target market can buy the product at an acceptable price Promotes the product effectively to the target market
- The graph shows the 4Ps in operation – 2004 was a quiet year because there was no new ride and because of the lack of BOGOF promotion in the early part of the year but there are other factors as well. We hope to exceed our budget figure in 2009 and hit the magic 2 million customer mark.
- This is another way of looking at the challenges and advantages of our current position. Ask the students what the biggest threat to Thorpe Park is …………. weather
- The increase in inflation and food and fuel prices is beginning to affect secondary spend on food and drink and merchandise but we hope to get through the current downturn if more people stay in the UK for their holidays and feel the need for escape from the normal routine.
- Promotion and price are used to try to level out the peaks and troughs of visitor volumes throughout the year. Promotions appear in the quiet times to boost attendance and at busy times to maintain volume by highlighting special events. Look at the two ends of the season. We open before any other theme park in the UK and have the busiest part of the season just before we close with Fright Nights Generally there will be special offers advertised on the website when the park has a low forecast and special events advertised when the park is expected to be busy to maintain volume.
- Play through different offers. Point out the use of alliteration and tie into the quiet times at either side of May Bank holiday and September.
- It is important that we know what our customers want, what they like and dislike, and what the future trends will be.
- We use a lot of different methods to collect information from our customers about what they like and dislike about the Park: The exit survey is the main method but it is long and complicated to fill in. We are looking to improve the response with on-park touch-screen feedback. Customer focus groups are used on site to see what one segment of our audience thinks Mystery shoppers are used to measure the quality of our product (hand out sample to staff) We listen to the internal customers – our staff through the your voice counts forum (like a student council) and the Wizard Wants to Know staff survey. We capture data on line from our customers when they visit the web site, book tickets or request our newsletter We also go onto the park with short surveys to pick up a response to a special event like Fright Nights
- The exit survey collects high quality information about Thorpe and the other parks but has a low take-up because of its complexity.
- On-site primary research is important and gives accurate indicators of what works and what needs development.
- We look at what the media are saying about us
- We take into account what our audience thinks.
- We keep information about where our customers come from. This shows the 1/2/3 hour drive-time that is typical for Thorpe Park. We hope to increase this and establish our position as a whole UK destination by offering short breaks and increasing the concentration of thrill rides..
- We use secondary research produced by agencies to tell us where our customers are and what their behaviour is.
- We have an identikit picture of our typical customer formed from responses to surveys undertaken by agencies.
- Thanks to what our customers tell us; we know how they find out about days out and destinations and concentrate on those channels of communication.
- Thanks to the secondary research, we know how our target audience members spend their spare time.
- With a 15 – 30 age group and the back up of secondary research we are using the electronic communication methods that will attract our core audience – Thorpe park has been leading the way with this and the rest of the Merlin group is catching up. Facebook, YouTube, Myspace and mobile phone technology are what our customers use and you will find a lot of interest and discussion on Thorpe park in cyberspace including the unofficial websites Thorpe Park Insider and Southparks.org
- Just a few examples of what is out there. Ask students with internet access to research the ‘noise’ on the internet about Thorpe Park and SAW – The Ride
- Just a few highlights from 2008 before we look at the 2009 plans.
- Extract from Primeval. The company paid to film on site and although Thorpe Park is not mentioned by name we had obviously recognisable riedes on prime time TV around the time when the park opened for the season.
- Advertisement on Sky for extreme weekend featuring Dirty Sanchez. Great idea but volume was hit by snow and cold weather during the event. This very much targets the core audience 15 – 24 thrill seekers.
- Viral adverts on the internet have proved effective as part of our on-line presence. – watch out for the students that jump!
- The big three promotions on site are: BounceBack, Thorpe Park annual pass Merlin annual pass And of course…..Fastrack. The emphasis is on repeat visitors and secondary spend. This year for the first time we have a national TV advert for the Merlin Magic Pass emphasising the importance of repeat visitors and secondary spend ‘I’ve got in free this time. I’ll treat myself to….’.
- Fright Nights is the biggest event of the year and has built up from small beginnings. It started as a way of increasing volume at a time when the park was quiet and heading for the closed season. Remember the graph of busy and quiet times and the big peak at the end of the season?
- Even with a successful event – the marketing team still has to ‘pump up the volume’ and provide new attractions on a regular basis.
- The secret of promotion is to use lots of different channels and to repeatedly remind customers of our presence.
- We finish the season with a bang – an event aimed at local customers. Local customers, goodwill and word of mouth are important factors in local promotion especially when advertising for staff.
- This season the big news is SAW – The Ride. This is officially the world’s scariest roller coaster and a marriage in hell of Lionsgate film franchise and the Gerstlauer Eurofighter custom roller coaster. The campaign has been running since before August 2008.
- Initially we had a general concept of a thrill ride teamed with a horror film franchise. The makers of both SAW and Texas Chainsaw Massacre were approached with SAW being much more proactive and a continuing series. Negotiations included the use of the characters, props, artwork, merchandise and Fastrack income and were spearheaded by the Head of Marketing at Thorpe Park and Tussauds studios.
- Using the horror film theme opened up a new audience and channels of communication.
- Timings and meeting deadlines are vital in the marketing strategy. The media ‘hit’ must be early enough to allow people to react and book and not so early that the message fades and is overlaid by other campaigns. The coincidence of the proximity of Friday 13 th March and the opening of the season was too good to ignore and prompted the 13 campaign. PR = Public Relations
- TV adverts are very expensive and placed specifically to catch our target audiences. Early March saw TV companies literally Qing up to feature the new ride e.g. Paul O’Grady show. You might want to try a quick survey to see how many of the group have seen or recognise the featured programmes and what channels they watch ahead of the next slide.
- The type and spread of channels is also important
- Definitions of TVR and HWKs
- See the difference between last season where we had nothing new to sell and this season with the SAW –The Ride campaign.
- A lot of work goes on behind the scenes incorporating the SAW and Thorpe Park images into something that works.
- Not just the ride theming and the promotion but also the merchandise.
- The SAW – The Ride campaign will enter cinemas and be shown ahead of the main feature in the ‘Pearl and Dean’ slot.
- These are the films you should see SAW – The Ride advertised with this season.
- We are pushing the boundaries out this season from the London stations, Kiss, Capital, X FM to stations further afield supporting the brand UK’s trill capital.
- The future is online especially considering our core audience and we follow new media developments closely.
- Here is the promotional campaign in a nutshell – timings and media types.
- The campaign starts with a big bang – shame Friday 13 th march was also Red Nose Day.
- Pulic relations is hugely important and effective and should generate around £10 of coverage for every £1 spent.
- As well as the Thorpe Park driven promotion there is also a close link and balance with the Marlin Trade Sales and marketing Team to make sure that promotions complement each other and do not undercut.
- Student groups are an important part of our volume and yield – why else have education talks at a theme park? Watch out not just for Thorpe Park but also Merlin promotions
- Questions. Picsolve half price vouchers.