The Basic Concept of Pod Marketing:

It is often said that there is strength in numbers. Hamilton’s Fab Four has many common denominators including central downtown locations, seasonality of business, subscription base and a commitment to the collective. Hamilton’s Fab Four generated additional revenues and peaked the interest of both media and business partners during its first year as a formalized group. Each partner attracts visitors from generally the same feeder markets and is vying for the spending of similar demographics and vertical market segments. As all four members of Hamilton’s Fab Four are not for profit arts and cultural icons in the Hamilton area, they similarly struggle with availability of funding, or lack thereof, which increases the challenge and motivation to work collectively and find new ways to generate revenues.

Who made up the pod marketing group:

Hamiltons’ Fab Four

The Show Stoppers Include:

Art Gallery of Hamilton
Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra
Opera Hamilton
Theatre Aquarius

The purpose of the newly established pod tourism business or association or event and a description of the product/services provided.

Hamilton’s Fab Four is a new age marketing concept that was formalized in 2006 to include four of Hamilton’s key professional not-for-profit arts and cultural organizations. The mandate of this unique arts and cultural “pod” is to increase awareness and generate revenues and/or ticket sales through innovative marketing and communications.

Mandates:

Develop opportunities to create incremental business
Increase local and regional exposure
Develop new tourism partnerships
Develop cost effective marketing and communication programs
Target common arts patrons and existing data bases to cross pollinate/promote
Generate revenue
Be creative, think outside the box – even get rid of the box!

Examples of marketing strategies that were adopted to attract tourists to your business, event or attraction:

Press Release – “Hamilton’s Fab Four Join Forces” – Distributed August, 2006 to regional, local and national travel trade, media, arts and cultural publications and organizations
Fab Four Discount Coupon sample – 20,000 printed and distributed locally, regionally through chambers of commerce, business associations, tourist associations, events, trade shows, airport information centers and more
Press Release – “Hamilton’s Fab Four Creates a December Culture Cure” Distributed August, 2006 to regional, local and national travel trade, media, arts and cultural publications and organizations
Fab Four, Coop 1 Page, full colour advertisement – Experience Hamilton magazine, circulation 100,000+ via Tourism Hamilton channels
Winter/Spring Culture Cure weekend - created in 2006 for launching early 2007

Activities/Marketing::

Monthly Meetings
Advertising – Experience Hamilton - 1 page, four colour ad (using existing member budgets, saved over $200 per member by purchasing one page collectively)
Press Release: August 2006 – Announcement of Fab Four
Press Release: December 12 – Announcement of Culture Cure - Overnight Packages in partnership with local Bed and Breakfast –for 2007 visitors
Creation of Partner Profiles
New partnerships created– Rutherford House Bed & Breakfast
Creation of Culture Cure package – overnight accommodation and two or more member events at discounted rates
Development of supplier partnerships that will increase 2007 exposure and generate revenues (information is confidential at this time due to negotiations)

Coupon creation and distribution – 20,000 circulated to:

Tourism Hamilton information centers
Hamilton Airport information centre grand opening March 29
Food & Drink Fest March 23-25 Hamilton Convention Centre
Pavlo Concert – March 24/25 – Studio Theatre, Hamilton Place
Hamilton Tourism Ambassador recognition program awards – April 25
Fab Four Member subscribers
Fab Four Member volunteers
Tourism Burlington Ambassador Program June 7
Fab Four Member events i.e.: Vine Dining June (Theatre Aquarius)
Hamilton Chamber of Commerce membership
Performing Arts Burlington membership
Oakville Arts Council Membership
Oakville tourism information centres and shopping centres
Ontario Chamber of Commerce Conference - May 3-7

Event Participation:

McMaster University Meeting Planner event – April 12
Hamilton Waterfront Festival – May 27
Feast in the City – May 28
Feast in the City - October 29
Travel Media Association Familiarization

Dollars & Sense Show Results:

How Pod concept demonstrated potential to generate and/or service future tourism growth:

Collectively, Hamilton’s Fab Four impacted almost seven million dollars in visitor spending during 2006. Over $800,000 of that was spent on visitor accommodations and $1.6 million dollars was spent in restaurants/bars while visiting any one or more Fab Four member events or shows. There is nothing to indicate that these numbers will decrease in the coming year(s).

With a strong awareness built during its first year of operation future growth is not a question, but to what extent is. Using some of the financial mechanisms available and with the persistence of the Fab Four membership, this unique group is not going to disappear and has the ability to transform, adapt and react quickly due to it’s size and composition. Key partners in Hamilton and the surrounding area have already indicated interest in assisting in programs that will generate revenues and expose the Fab Four to a larger “audience”.

New programs will be investigated to generate revenues that will assist with operational costs including government grants and funding.

Article in Hamilton Spectator – Thursday, August 10, 2006 Estimated Value: $1,200
Arts Hamilton June/July newsletter – coupon inserts Estimated Value: $400.00
Interview with Cable 14 – September – priceless!

Expenses per member during 2006 - $457.00 (for coupon creation)
Revenues – incremental from coupon redemption as of Dec. 31, 2006 from all Four Members: $2,530 Net ROI: $702.00