Focus_Study_VSPC_Creative_Testing.pdf

VISIT ST. PETE/CLEARWATER

QUALITATIVE CREATIVE TESTING RESEARCH

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Company Overview and Background 3

Research Approach & Methodology 12

Timeline, Deliverables & Cost 17

Destination Analysts is a full-service market research company that provides the greater travel, tourism and hospitality industry with a breadth of insights—from the comprehensive understanding of target audiences, to ROI analysis and economic forecasts. Our more clients seek our unique and more deeply thoughtful analysis, our actionable storytelling of data, high quality and defensible findings, and progressive and open approach to research methodologies. Destination Analysts has directly helped over 200 destination marketing organizations—and thousands more travel industry professionals—be even better marketers.

ABOUT DESTINATION ANALYSTS

CORPORATE INFORMAT ION

Destination Analysts has been in operation since 2003.

In addition to our corporate office headquartered in

San Francisco, CA, Destination Analysts has satellite offices located in Denver, CO; Los Angeles, CA;

Seattle, WA and St. Petersburg, FL.

Destination Analysts’ website is:

DestinationAnalysts.com

Our social handles are:

@DA_Research @DestinationAnalystsIndustry

@DestinationAnalysts @Destination-Analysts-Inc https://www.destinationanalysts.com/ https://twitter.com/DA_Research https://www.facebook.com/destinationanalystsindustry/ https://www.instagram.com/destinationanalysts/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/destination-analysts-inc/

RENOWNED INDUSTRY WORK

In addition to our custom work for destinations and the greater travel, tourism and hospitality industry, Destination Analysts conducts the Coronavirus Traveler

Sentiment Index StudyTM , a weekly survey of American travelers that provides timely insights into their feelings and behaviors and gauges the pandemic’s changing impact on travel as a lifestyle priority.

We also conduct The State of the American Traveler TM and

The State of the Global International Traveler TM—the industry’s premier studies for tracking traveler sentiment and global destination brand performance—as well as the annual The CVB and the Future of the Meetings Industry

Study for the greater meetings industry.

Our work is used by both the US Travel Association and

Destinations International and is cited by numerous media, including CNN, Forbes, The New York Times , The

Wall Street Journal , and USA Today .

Destination Analysts answers the following questions for destination marketers:

• Who are the customers we should target?

• What touches them emotionally?

• What are their current behaviors, opinions and perceptions?

• Which customer segments will yield the highest economic impact?

• What does my brand mean to my customers?

• What emotional benefit does my customer get from consuming my brand?

• Who is my current customer?

• How much do my marketing efforts yield in return for what we spend?

• Beyond short-term, what is the long-term value to the brand?

• What can be improved so they speak better to my customers desires?

• How many visitors come to a destination?

• How much tax revenue does tourism generate for a city/county/state/country?

• What is the overall value of the tourism industry to a city/county/state/country?

I L LUMINAT ING INS IGHTS

Destination Analysts provides the greater travel, tourism and hospitality industry with the following primary research services:

CORE RESEARCH CAPAB I L I T I ES

• Strategic Brand Research – Creative and thorough research approaches to support brand understanding and brand development through:

Qualitative focus groups and in-depth interviews

Messaging evaluation

Brand audits

Perception studies

Awareness, attitude and usage studies

SWOT analysis

Brand performance tracking

• Marketing Asset Evaluation – Help companies and organizations better their marketing through:

Advertising concept testing

Usability testing for websites and other digital assets

User research on social media followers, email subscribers and more

CORE RESEARCH CAPAB I L I T I ES

• Audience Identification & Personas Research – Research that empowers marketers and their strategic plans by identifying new and highly convertible customer audiences to target.

• Visitor and Customer Profiles – Comprehensive, deep and actionable understanding of visitors and customers with targeted, custom research plans designed to maximize time and budget efficiency.

• Economic Impact & ROI Studies – Estimate the economic impact and develop ROI metrics for marketing programs, including:

Integrated advertising campaigns

Website

Social Media

Public Relations

And provide reliable data to show:

Economic impact of tourism

Visitor Volume

DEST INAT ION ANALYSTS ’

POINTS OF D I F FERENCE

• We Speak the Language of Travel: We have an understanding of the external and internal polit ical forces that destination marketing organizations grapple with on a daily basis . Destination Analysts’ team is comprised of former destination marketers. This gives us a uniquely valuable understanding of the informational needs of DMOs and the greater travel and tourism industry, as well as an unrivaled expertise in the design and execution of research strategies to meet those needs. In addition to offering clear marketing direction, our research product wil l be carefully planned to address the media and polit ical challenges faced by Visit St. Pete/Clearwater. We pride ourselves on taking the most conservative approach in our estimations and ensuring that our cl ients can be ful ly confident in their results.

• Strategic Research Exper tise: Destination Analysts has exceptional experience in and knowledge of conducting research on behalf of destination marketing organizations, agencies and other travel and tourism industry cl ients. Through our extensive work with destinations and some of the wor ld’s greatest travel brands, our research wil l be carefully and thoughtful ly designed to set up Visit

St. Pete/Clearwater for success.

DEST INAT ION ANALYSTS ’

POINTS OF D I F FERENCE

• Travel and Tourism Industry Specialization: Our team has worked with destinations nationwide and around the wor ld on all types of research required to effectively fulfi l l our cl ients’ goals and objectives. As highly sought industry consultants and thought leaders, our extensive knowledge of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry puts us in a unique posit ion to provide significant added-value to Visit St. Pete/Clearwater.

• Extensive Past Experience: Destination Analysts has experience in developing, managing, executing and conducting research programs on behalf of destination marketing organizations. As a ful l -service yet boutique research firm, we offer a complete spectrum of research methodologies — including both quantitative and qualitative—while providing cl ients l ike Visit

St. Pete/Clearwater the focus, personal attention and service its projects deserve.

• Culture of Client Dedication: Destination Analysts is truly committed to priorit izing the needs of its cl ients. As seasoned tourism professionals, our understanding of the unique challenges faced by our industry colleagues ensures that cl ients are given a sound interpretation of their research results, and thus the architecture of an effective strategy based on that research.

2 0 0 + T R A V E L & T O U R I S M C L I E N T S

RESEARCH APPROACH & METHODOLOGY

RESEARCH OVERV I EW & OBJECT IV ES

This proposal presents Destination Analysts’ recommended research approach to conduct qualitative creative testing on behalf of Visit St.

Pete/Clearwater and its agency BVK to test potential campaign creative.

This research wil l be specifically designed to explore:

• Overall reactions to and resonance with the creative

• Engagement/response to creative and actionabil i ty

• Perceptions of St. Pete/Clearwater as a result of engaging with the creative

• Believabil i ty and credibil i ty of the creative

• Message clarity

• The advertising creative’s abil i ty to motivate leisure travel to

St. Pete/Clearwater

• Differences in reaction and response to the advertising creative and messaging by key traveler segments

• Other topics of interest to VSPC and BVK

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY — IN -DEPTH INTERV I EWS

Qualitative research— through in-depth interviews—allows us to delve more deeply into leisure travelers’ interests, motivations and perceptions, particular ly in response to the creative and in relation to visit ing St. Pete/Clearwater. Destination Analysts recommends conducting 60-minute one-on-one in-depth interviews with at least 20 leisure travelers via online video conference. Travelers wil l represent a mix of past and potential visitors to St. Pete/Clearwater, as well as key traveler segments.

In close consultation with VSPC and BVK, Destination Analysts wil l develop a discussion guide for these interviews that wil l feature conversation points and exercises to address the insights sought. These interviews wil l be moderated by Destination Analysts staff.

As a cost-effective alternative to traditional focus groups, online video conference interviews allow the same level of engagement with participants while saving travel and facil i ty rental expenses.

Respondents are more comfortable in their own environment, making them more apt to share their feelings in greater depth. They also have the time and are in the appropriate environment to think deeply about their opinions and are in an environment more closely aligned with how they would be consuming this creative once released. VSPC and BVK team members may observe the interviews in real-time online and pass questions to the moderator via a private chat function. All interviews wil l be recorded and shared with VSPC and BVK.

Above: Images of the online interview environment with

Destination Analysts’ researchers interviewing travelers.

PART IC I PANT R ECRU I T ING

Destination Analysts wil l work with VSPC and BVK on the demographic and psychographic profi les that are desired for this crea tive testing. We wil l then develop a screener questionnaire, which, once approved wil l be used to begin the recruit ing process. In addition to our own proprietary consumer panel, Destination Analysts wil l also execute a digital/social ad campaign to secure intervie w participants. In addition to the screener questionnaire, all potential participants for this study wil l undergo Destination Analysts screening process including a social media review, follow -up video conference interview and technical check. Participants wil l b e compensated at least $125 for their t ime.

Destination Analysts wil l manage all aspects of executing the in -depth interviews, including research development and design, recruit ing, scheduling, moderating, and fulfi l l ing participant incentives.

D ISCUSS ION GU IDE DEVE LOPMENT

Destination Analysts wil l work closely with VSPC and BVK in developing and designing the discussion guide for the online in -depth interviews. The discussion guide may address topics, questions and/or exercises related to various creative pieces, such as print ads, video spots, mood boards and/or storyboards.

A pre-interview homework assignment can also be given to potential participants. This assignment would be required to be completed at least one day prior to the scheduled interview.

T IME L INE , D E L IV ERAB LES & COST

PROJECT T IMEL INE

Destination Analysts estimates the following timeline to complete this study.

Project Task Estimated

Timing

Project kick-off, discovery and briefing 1 day

Recruiting guidelines and discussion guide development ~1-2 weeks

Recruiting of participants + Execution of In-Depth Interviews ~2-4 weeks

Research analysis and reporting ~3-4 weeks

PROJECT DEL IVERABLES

VSPC and BVK will receive the following deliverables for this study:

• Comprehensive final report of findings

• Digital recordings of all in-depth interviews

• Online presentation of findings

PROJECT COST

Destination Analysts’ estimates the following costs to conduct creative testing research on behalf of Visit St.

Pete/Clearwater and its agency, BVK.

Project Project Cost

In-Depth Interviews with Leisure Travelers (N=20) $31,650

In-Depth Interviews with Leisure Travelers (N=30) $39,650

In-Depth Interviews with Leisure Travelers (N=40) $46,200

Destination Analysts prides itself on providing its clients services and research plans which are flexible, scalable and custom.

The research plan we have outlined within this research proposal should be considered with this benefit in mind. While what is included herewith is what we recommend based on our current knowledge of Visit St. Pete/Clearwater’s goals, we are completely open to adjusting the plan and/or recruiting strategy.

IMPORTANT NOTE