TDA Board Meeting July 6 2011
NEW HANOVER COUNTY TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
JULY 6, 2011
PRESENT: John Andrews, County Restaurants
Jonathan Barfield, Chairman – New Hanover County
Commissioners
David Cignotti, Mayor – Wrightsville Beach
Anne Marie Hartman, Hotel – (150+) Wrightsville Beach
Kim Hufham, President/CEO – NHC TDA
Frank Jones, Hotel – (150-) Wilmington
Mike Keeler, Hotel – 150 (+) Wilmington
Carl Marshburn, County Attractions
Bob McKoy, NH County Vacation Rentals
Sabina Newman, Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce
Chuck Pennington, County Bed and Breakfast
Avril Pinder, Authority Finance Officer
Bill Saffo, Mayor – City of Wilmington
Dan Wilcox, Councilman – Carolina Beach
EXCUSED: Anne E. Brodsky, Jimmy Pope
ABSENT: Dean Lambeth, Mayor – Kure Beach
STAFF: Karla Thompson, Recording Secretary
Shawn Braden, Executive Vice-President of Marketing
Mikie Wall, Vice-President Sales and Services
Connie Nelson, PR/Communications Director
Jette’ Lawrence, NHC Finance
GUESTS: Shannon Bowen, Wilmington Star-News
Kip Damrow, Hilton Garden Inn
Brandon Agency (Andy Kovan, George Durant,
Scott Brandon, Wendi Burrell)
Clean Design (Stephanie Perri)
Patricia Matsen, Lumina News
Linda Mosely, Great Southern Publishers
Chairman Bob McKoy called the meeting of the New Hanover County Tourism
Development Authority Board to order at 5:35 p.m. at the Hilton Wilmington
Riverside. Thanked Mike Keeler and staff for hosting the meeting and for the
wonderful meal.
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ITEM #1 – EXCUSED
Anne Brodsky, Jimmy Pope
ITEM #2 – MINUTES APPROVAL – MAY 25 AND JUNE 20, 2011
[Motion made by Sabina Newman, seconded by Mike Keeler and
unanimously accepted to approve the May 25 and June 20, 2011 TDA Board
minutes as read.]
ITEM #3 – FINANCIALS AND ROT REPORT – AVRIL PINDER
Avril Pinder, New Hanover County Finance Director, reported that thru April,
2011, ROT destination report up 9.6% year to date. Looks like May and June
should be good. Carolina Beach up 6.27%; Kure Beach up 10.29% and
Wrightsville Beach up 8.67%.
[Motion made by Carl Marshburn and unanimously carried to approve the
financial report as presented.]
*June 30, 2011 Income Statement will be presented at the August TDA meeting.
ITEM #4 – BRANDON AGENCY PRESENTATION
George Durant of the Brandon Agency opened his remarks by thanking the Hilton
for hosting tonight’s meeting and to Kim and staff for all they’ve done. He also
thanked Clean Design for partnering with the agency the entire time. He said they
are definitely thrilled with the opportunity they’ve been given to reshape what the
CVB is getting prepared to do to market this destination (the 4 players individually
as well as what will be done as an umbrella organization.)
George indicated there have been a few challenges:
Challenge number one is taking four very distinct communities (historic area and
urban river setting of downtown Wilmington through which the Cape Fear River
runs and the three beaches which make up our coastal area) and tying them
together into a package which will be viable and saleable. Branding to be focused
on this.
Challenge number two is to determine what we think about ourselves and/or what
the consumer thinks about us.
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Several goals discussed:
Branding – Memorable feeling – people will leave knowing something and
feeling something.
Leads – Want to make sure that when someone is interested in this entity, it
will be converted to people actually wanting to come visit.
Compliment a very specific campaign that the beaches have undertaken –
focus on families and children and focus on shoulder season. Make sure we
enhance and not duplicate. What is done as the umbrella organization will
compliment very specific goals and tactics and strategies that the beaches are
employing.
Want to get new business. Feel that giving a competitive brand important;
something people can remember; clip away at other entities’ business.
Want to be memorable; have people talk about us.
Considerations: Water (whether on it, beside it or in it) is ever present;
diversity and variety; independent spirit of the area; re-energizing,
renourishing, rejuvenating. Make sure people leave feeling better and being
better.
Andy Kovan said the plan for the evening is to look at a portion of the brand
exercise which the Agency went though initially, where they are now are and
what is important from an objective point of view.
In addition, there are some preliminary research results which the Agency did
while testing the platform. He said the important part of the research is from
the voice of the consumer. It’s no longer our opinion, but actually the consumer
validating things which were told in the stakeholder groups when the focus
group sessions were done. He said Brandon feels good about where they are at
this point and excited to share the campaigns. He believes this area is special,
has uniqueness and hopefully all of this has been brought to life:
Core customer – families of all types.
What we are not – we are not another Myrtle Beach.
Unique – Historic downtown area; 3 beach communities; river = Diversity.
Balance – Sense of community – town and resort = tourists feel they are part
of the community instead of just a visiting guest.
Independent Spirit – very important and a key component. This area a
definite leader with its own attitude – is real – not something that has been
created.
Water – 75% of those included in Brandon’s study says water helps relieve
stress; 63% says water helps their health and well being.
Andy defined Macrotrends. They were developed by a research company
out of Minneapolis. They do observational research by watching how
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consumers are behaving and understand specifically what they are doing. A
Macrotrend is a critical mass of current and emerging trends that share
common values. They signal a major shift in consumer needs, wants, desires
or passions.
Samples of Macrotrends:
Get Real – Grounded firmly in reality – get real laughs in the face of
convoluted lifestyles and contrived media messages that mangle what
consumers really want.
Merit Badges – The shift in values to collect experiences rather than things;
the recasting of social status from what one has to what one does.
Memory Marketing – Using history as an active resource to take a nostalgic
trip through time, recycling the stuff of our collective past.
Family and Friends – Even though the structure of family has shifted, our
need for all it provides is constant.
Brand values (included in July presentation package.)
Logo options for Board to consider presented (see presentation.) Different
options shown so everyone could see the distinctiveness of including Wilmington,
N.C., River District, Island Beaches. Gives ideas as to how they can be used in
different logo patterns and how they blend together in each logo pattern.
Comments from Board: Want to know if word “historic” can be added as well
as an option with beach names in appropriate applications. Brandon Agency
discussed challenges some of this might cause but can possibly look at again after
visiting the application of the ads.
Board asked for logos to be reviewed again for clearer understanding and then
discussed some scenarios.
Three different campaigns presented (see presentation for actual ideas and
generic pictures which will be changed prior to actual ads being printed.)
First one is called Merit Badges. Is all about collecting experiences rather than
collecting things. Titles of ads include “Feast and Gather”, “Catch and Tales”,
“Pick and Quest”, and “Big Guns and Heroes”.
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Second campaign is called Voice of the Water and depicts different concepts on
what the river or ocean is saying to tourists. Incorporates the river and the
ocean, historic area, shopping, dining, etc.
Third campaign is Extraordinary Characters. This one is definitely very
different. Brandon feels this campaign has the potential to be talked about
beyond advertising. Is special, but will take some bravery; is a little out of the
box. This one brings unique characters to a unique setting.
Much discussion followed on the logos as well as the three campaigns.
Chairman Barfield requested that new photography include diversity in the
images.
[Sabina Newman made a motion to go with the second campaign “Voice of
the Water” which was seconded by Anne Marie Hartman. (7) ayes – Mike
Keeler, Sabina Newman, Anne Marie Hartman, Bob McKoy, Avril Pinder,
Mayor Bill Saffo, John Andrews; (5) nays – Carl Marshburn, Dan Wilcox,
NHC Chairman Jonathan Barfield, Frank Jones, Mayor David Cignotti; (1)
abstained – Chuck Pennington.
[Motion made to go with logo number one “WilmingtoN.C./River
District/Island Beaches.” (10) ayes included Frank Jones, John Andrews,
Anne Marie Hartman, Dan Wilcox, Avril Pinder, Bob McKoy, Sabina
Newman, Mayor Bill Saffo, Mike Keeler, Carl Marshburn; (3) nays - Chuck
Pennington, Mayor David Cignotti, NHC Chairman Jonathan Barfield.]
ITEM #5 – PRESIDENT’S COMMENTS – KIM HUFHAM
The annual report required by the General Assembly by June 30 has been
sent.
Connie Nelson attended the Society of American Travel Writers Conference
and met with over 30 travel writers.
Hosted the Association Executives of North Carolina’s annual meeting and
got rave reviews. Had the largest attendance ever for an annual meeting.
Thanks for to collaborative efforts of the Wilmington Convention Center and
the Hilton Wilmington Riverside. Had over 60 meeting planners in
attendance.
Distributed the post-July 4 survey. Should have results in by the end of the
week.
Very busy right now with the web site completion and will hopefully have it
ready to show the Board within the next couple of months.
Beginning work on our annual Marketing Plan to be presented at the August
meeting.
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ITEM #6 – OLD BUSINESS/NEW BUSINESS
New Business:
Sabina Newman mentioned the New York Times article which was recently on line
and in the newspaper.
Chairman Barfield mentioned the addition of the 2 new flights to Chicago which
American Airlines is doing and the amount of business this will generate.
Old Business:
John Andrews inquired where the TDA Board stands on the WCC booking issue.
President/CEO Kim Hufham said that at this point it is on the shelf. It has been
moved to the Convention Center Advisory Committee to look at. Looking at other
booking policies of convention centers. Next meeting is in July.
Dan Wilcox asked where the Board might obtain a copy of the Brandon Agency’s
presentation which was presented this evening. They will get a copy of it to Shawn
for dissemination.
ITEM #7 – CHAIRMAN’S COMMENTS – BOB MCKOY
Chairman McKoy asked if there was any further business. If not, motioned to
adjourn, seconded by John Andrews and unanimously carried.
Adjourn at 7:35 p.m.
______________________________ __________________________
Kim Hufham, President/CEO Chuck Pennington, Secretary
Minutes located in TDA Board Minutes Book X
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