storytelling + roi =...

Event Marketing’s Role in Place Branding Storytelling + ROI = OMG

Presenter: Russell Reimer, Manifesto Sport Management Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance

2014 Sport Event Congress

WHAT IS OMG?

OMG: Events that build your regional reputation, bring vitality to your facility icons, deliver economic impact, and position your place brand in the minds of targeted

consumers through a meaningful story

WHY IS OMG IMPORTANT?

A robust brand is the single most important asset for any destination. It drives an emotional connection to consumers that travel through the activities they’re

most passionate about.

OMG OBJECTIVES

STORYTELLING •  Editorial/media impressions •  Cumulative national and worldwide television within target markets •  Thematic integration, visual engagement, cultural identity becomes a

character •  Residual event impact

RETURN ON INVESTMENT •  Hotel room nights •  Out-of-region (OOR) spectators/participants (VFR) •  Net economic impact (STEAM Assessment) •  Advertising Value Equivalency (AVE) •  Residual hosting value and legacy facility value

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS

OMG Objective: To bring together Calgary’s traditional western cultural identity and a new growing national and international audience of adrenaline sports fans

RED BULL X-Fighters Calgary

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS

World Cup Roundtable

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS

World Cup Roundtable

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS

RESULTS

STORYTELLING •  Traditional western culture meets freestyle motocross •  Full thematic, brand story and iconic venue brand integration •  Calgary’s cultural identity becomes a character in the event story

ROI •  Sold-out crowd of over 21,000 •  Economic: 43% OOR spectators; 4276 hotel room nights; $6M Net GDP •  Editorial: 39,000,000 impressions •  Broadcast: 29+ hours of national/international television coverage

OMG!

WORLD CUP ROUNDTABLE

OMG Objective: To position Alberta as a must-see and must-do international winter sports destination through

World Cups hosted in Calgary and the Bow Corridor

WORLD CUP ROUNDTABLE

WORLD CUP ROUNDTABLE

WORLD CUP ROUNDTABLE

RESULTS

STORYTELLING •  High-participation sports created “must-do” context in targeted markets •  Travel Alberta international in-broadcast features •  Supplementary target-market advertising

ROI •  Over 455 cumulative hours of international broadcast coverage •  300,000,000 viewers over 10 World Cups •  86% of viewers within Travel Alberta’s primary markets in Europe •  AVE of over 41,000, 30-second commercials (2010) •  50 times ROI for Travel Alberta

OMG!

TRANSROCKIES CHALLENGE

OMG Objective: To completely redefine a mountain bike stage race, amplify the challenge through visual

storytelling and position the Rockies as a must-do destination

TRANSROCKIES CHALLENGE

RESULTS

STORYTELLING •  Rebranded as the Tour de France Rocky-Mountain style •  High-participation sport created “must-do” context •  Travel Alberta international in-broadcast features with targeted athletes •  Editorialized worldwide as the “toughest mountain bike race on earth”

ROI •  Sold-out TransRockies Challenge in following year (350 teams) •  Over 250 cumulative hours of coverage, FREE broadcast distribution •  Storytelling assets for Travel Alberta to strengthen summer offerings

OMG!

RED BULL CRASHED ICE

OMG Objective: To work collaboratively with Red Bull Canada to win the international bid for Edmonton,

Alberta and align with the Winter City Strategy

CASE STUDY RED BULL CRASHED ICE EDMONTON

RED BULL CRASHED ICE

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RED BULL CRASHED ICE

Please change the background image as required.

RED BULL CRASHED ICE

HOW TO OMG?

1.  Identify Platform: Events, Team, Place/Venue – Where is the opportunity to build reputation?

2.  Assess Infrastructure: Historical venues, location assets and facility icons to create potential for differentiation and story

3.  Define Concept/Story: Winter sport, action sports, golf, curling,

hockey etc. What is your story?

4.  Effectively Distribute: Launch the brand and event story into targeted markets nationally and in the global marketplace

Source: Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, Volume 3, 1 (2007)

CONCULSIONS

•  If you want an OMG result, begin with an OMG objective •  Target and bid for events that build a region of reputation •  Focus on must-do (not just must-see) destination storytelling •  Consider events as an extension of your civic brand strategy •  Amplify brand integration and storytelling for all events

Manifesto Sport Management Russell Reimer, President

Office: (403) 719.0780 Cell: (403) 585.8242

Email: russell@manifestosport.com

Web: www.manifestosport.com Twitter: @manifesto_sport