“A strategic plan shouldn’t be a prison, but rather guardrails on the highway to your goals.” MDT has been incredibly successful using and applying limited resources to greatest effect. As we continue on our strategic planning highway, we seek to maintain competitive standards and marketing momentum.

Throughout the planning process, we encourage all of the Missouri Tourism Team to be more systemic, thoughtful and imaginative. Our ultimate goal is for a smart, future-focused plan based on the collective wisdom of the entire industry. Our desire is for the plan to be flexible enough to accommodate changes in the economy and in our industry (and division) as this year progresses, but also plan for the long haul.

I have challenged all employees to embrace and own overall strategic responsibility for MDT development. To get there, we are taking some time to look at job descriptions and job duties. Do they match the work that is actually being done? Also, does our management team have the tools they need to be top performers? Do we have an environment where they are empowered to act, to take initiative and to innovate? Do their work plans and goals support our key initiatives and are they aligned with our

Mobile Internet browsing has taken over PC browsing, according to a new study on the “New Digital Consumer” released by Nielsen this month. Today, the average U.S.

adult spends 25 percent more

time browsing the Internet on their smartphone than the same person does on their PC.

Until recently, brands and advertisers built their online marketing approaches for a PC environment, but as this survey suggests, mobile marketing is not just for telemarketers anymore.

This data means brands have 34 hours of attention to grab from each mobile customer. In the tourism industry, consumers are always on the go, so the importance of a mobile marketing

The Monthly Newsletter of the Missouri Division of Tourism

The Travel VanH&L PartnersSo, you didn’t get the results you were looking for from your latest ad campaign. It is probably because of the creative, right? Not so fast. There are more elements that

make an advertising message impactful besides just the

execution, but perhaps none is more critical to marketing success than the creative brief.

A creative brief is the document your advertising agency uses to develop creative deliverables for advertising, including copy, design and websites. Not only does it contain the framework or foundation for their creative approach, the creative brief is the most important piece of communication you and your advertising agency can produce.

The brief is the judge and jury of whether your advertising message is on target or way off base. And while it’s technically the agency’s job to write the brief based on the information you give them, it is really a team effort.

Here are some basics to keep in mind when crafting and reviewing a creative brief:

Director’s Message

SteadyRainDigital Clarity

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March 2014

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The Missouri Division of Tourism (MDT) and its advertising agency of record, H&L Partners of St. Louis, earned a Platinum Adrian Award for the state’s advertising campaign. The Platinum Award,

one of the most prestigious honors given by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI), was presented for the “Enjoy the Show” complete campaign.

This year’s HSMAI awards were presented Feb. 24 at a black-tie gala at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York City. More than 1,000

MDT Takes Home Platinum Adrian Award

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Got a news item for us to include next month? Send details and contact info to: Mary.Oberreither@ded.mo.gov 2

Keep it simple. This guiding principle should be at the center of any brief written. It is easy to be complicated, but truly hard to be simple. Don’t be afraid an idea is too dull just because it is simple.

It takes time to write.Briefs aren’t a place to cut and paste … unless you expect cut-and-paste creative. Sure, a good template is nice, but remember, you are not just filling out a form. You are telling the story of your brand. Take some time to really write it, and do it with some passion.

Know your target.Not for the eventual advertisement, but for the creative brief. You are not the audience for the brief – that would be the creative team working on your project.

Say one thing. (And say it clearly.)A clear brief saves time and money, making for less confusion and fewer edits, rewrites, or even reshoots. A clear, singular idea allows the creative team to focus. And that comes from you, the client. Believe it or not, the tighter the creative brief, the greater the creative freedom to deliver your message.

Speak English, not marketing.Category relevancy; reconnective growth in Q1; increased frequency of brand engagementality … huh? Keep the language simple, conversational and clear with decisive statements. No jargon or internal lingo. Concrete language makes a coherent point and is measurable. Be single-minded, not multi- headed.Everything can’t matter, because trying to communicate everything translates to communicating nothing. This is not a place to show

off all of the facts you know about your brand and the marketplace. Narrow your focus, and make sure you only include the information and insights that matter most.

It’s a starting point, not the finish line.The brief is not the answer, but it is the springboard to help you find one. Think of it as a road map for the creative team. If the directions are not simple and clear, not only can the creative team get lost, but so can your brand message.

As you can see, a creative brief isn’t so easy to create. Brevity goes a long way. Stick to single, easy to communicate messages that tell what is to be done, not what is to be said. The ultimate goal should be to connect with and inspire the creative team. It is their job to make your message interesting to consumers.

And if you fit it all on one page, well, now you’re really onto something.

The Travel VanContinued

hospitality, travel and tourism marketing executives from across the U.S. attended.

The Missouri Division of Tourism, working collaboratively with H&L Partners, earned a total of 11 Adrian Awards this year: one Platinum, six Gold, one Silver and three Bronze. Over the past several years, MDT and H&L Partners have won more than 20 Adrian Awards for outstanding marketing and creative campaigns.

The platinum-award-winning “Enjoy the Show” complete campaign launched the Division’s new brand and logo. The campaign included new TV spots, outdoor, print, transit and social media advertisements, which launched in FY13. That fiscal year, Missouri received a record 38 million

visitors and saw a $104 million increase in tourism- related business sales, when compared to the previous fiscal year.

The Adrians, presented annually by the HSMAI, recognize excellence in marketing communica-tions programs created for hotels, airlines, cruise lines, car rental companies, destinations, credit card companies and more. Previous winners of a Platinum Award include Montana Office of Tourism, Hilton Worldwide, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel

Company L.L.C. and VisitScotland.

This year’s contest attracted more than 1,200 entries from around the world, with entries judged by top executives from all sectors of the industry.

Platinum Award Continued

MDT Director Katie Steele Danner (center) and H&L Partners Senior Vice President for creative Design Mark Manion (right) receive the Platinum Award from HSMAI ‘s Marina McDonald February 24, 2014, in New York City at the Adrian Awards Ceremony.

plan is crucial to brand success. Try these basic tips to developing a successful mobile online marketing campaign:

1. A Clean Mobile Website Increases User ExperiencePeople have a better opinion of brands when they offer a quality mobile experience. Those browsing on their smartphones are not likely near a PC and are looking for information they need immediately. If you cannot offer them that, they are likely to go elsewhere. User experience is the most important thing to consider if you want an engaging audience, better rankings, a lower bounce rate and ultimately, more sales.

2. Optimize The E-commerce Experience for MobileThis holds true if you sell anything online, but for venues and tourist attractions, it is even more important to capture the mobile audience who may just be going

with the flow. If you are selling tickets to a concert or event or admission to a local museum, chances are you have a mobile audience interested in your product. If you are able to sell tickets to consumers on the go and allow them to scan a digital ticket on their phone at the event, that is even better. A great, hassle-free mobile e-commerce experience can create lasting memories for your customers as well as increase traffic and create sales for your business.

3. Utilize extensions in PPC AdvertisingIf your brand is a player in paid search and has a high enough quality score and bid to appear in the top three results on Google, it is a great idea to implement call and location extensions. If someone is searching for your business online through their phone and needs to call to schedule a reservation or get information about your business, call extensions come in handy. Location extensions and one-touch app download extensions work great, too.

4. Make Your Traditional Online Marketing Work In The Mobile World While it is important to optimize your mobile content to ensure it is SEO friendly and promotes a positive user experience, do not forget about local search and social media, which crossover well into the mobile world. For example, if all of your local listings are up-to-date on Google Places, mobile users getting directions from Google Maps do not get sent to an old, former location. According to Facebook, 48 percent of their users access the social network on their phones. Remember that your social media audience does not live in a strictly PC world, and build pieces of your campaign around mobile.

Given the rise of mobile web browsing in recent years, these trends show no signs of slowing down. Mobile and the digital consumer are, and always will be, a large part of your marketing audience moving forward. Embrace that power.

Digital Clarity Continued

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March 7-16, 2014South by Southwest (SXSW)Austin, Texas

April 5-9, 2014International Pow WowChicago, Ill.

April 22-26, 2014Midwest Travel Writers Association ConferenceSt. Louis, Mo.

April 28-30, 2014Missouri Bank Travel ExchangeBranson, Mo.

June 1-3, 2014MACVB Annual ConferenceLake of the Ozarks, Mo.

Aug. 24-26, 2014ESTOLouisville, Ky.

Oct. 7-9, 2014Governor’s Conference on TourismSt. Louis, Mo.

Coming Events

Recognized as one the premier agricultural showcases in the world by the International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE), the Missouri State Fair brought home more than 30 awards from the re-

cent IAFE convention. Among them were the Overall Best in Division Marketing Campaign and Overall Best in Division Program for Competitive Agricultural Exhibitors awards. Missouri’s state

fair is judged alongside IAFE members with similar attendance of 250,000 to 500,000.

Be sure to Harvest the Fun at this year’s fair Aug. 7-17!

Mo. State Fair Tops at IAFE Convention

strategic goals? When work piles up, stress mounts, and we start to prioritize, these defined goals can refocus everyone’s efforts to keep us on track. Over the next few months, we will be providing ample opportunities seeking and accepting your feedback as we make our strategy actionable for a smooth ride ahead. Thank you for your earnest participation.

Director’s Message Continued

Step back in time to Arrow Rock’s frontier heyday when you dine at the J. Huston Tavern at Arrow Rock State Historic Site. The tavern kicks off the 2014 season Sunday, April 6.

Pre-Season Hours (April 6 through May 31)Lunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Regular Season Hours (June 1 through Sept. 30)Lunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through SundayDinner 5-7 p.m. Every SaturdayWednesday: If there is an evening Lyceum performanceFriday: If there is a matinee or evening performance

Post-Season Hours(Oct. 1 through Nov. 30)Lunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday

Meals at the J. Huston Tavern feature the restaurant’s famous family-style fried chicken, homemade sides and delicious desserts. The J. Huston Tavern is pleased to open at off hours for groups of 35 or more. On Sunday, April 6 and 13, the restaurant opens an hour early, at 10 a.m., to feature a special brunch buffet. The annual Easter buffet will take place Sunday, April 20, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Also, April features several events that put the history of Arrow Rock on display. On Saturday, April 12 at 11:30 a.m., visitors can enjoy “Behind the Scenes—Untold Secrets Preservation Tour.” Lunch and tours of the 1834 tavern, the 1837 Bingham House, the c. 1830s Miller Bradford House and the 1870s “remodeled” John P. Sites

House are included for $25 per person. Reservations are required.

On April 27, enjoy lunch and an opportunity to see one of Arrow Rock’s premier properties: Prairie Park. Lunch, with wine pairings, will be served at the tavern at noon. Dessert will be followed by coffee and a tour of Prairie Park, the historic 1849 plantation house built by William B. Sappington, son of prominent frontier doctor and entrepreneur, Dr. John Sappington. For $30, visitors can enjoy lunch, wine and the tour. Reservations are necessary.

Check out the tavern’s website at JHustonTavern.com for menu information and make sure to follow us on Facebook to keep up with special events. Call 660-837-3200 or e-mail JHustonTavern@dnr.mo.gov for information or reservations.

The Missouri Division of Tourism (MDT) is pleased to introduce the Promote Missouri Fund. This new initiative is designed to build upon the strengths of the current Cooperative Marketing Program by more effectively utilizing MDT’s resources and assets and eliminating excessive administrative requirements.

There are three opportunities to participate in the Promote Missouri Fund:

• Marketing Matching Grant (MMG)• Collective Marketing Initiative (CMI)• Marketing Platform Development (MPD)

The Marketing Matching Grant most closely aligns with the current

cooperative advertising program and is designed to increase visitation and tourism spending in Missouri. Approved DMO media projects are reimbursed at 50 percent. This program is available to county tourism levels 1-7, certified DMOs.

The Collective Marketing Initiative program places media in a collective effort, based on the MDT marketing plan and research. All programs under this umbrella leverage the resources of MDT through a subsidy and media- buying efficiency and allow Missouri DMOs to participate through a menu of options and outlined pricing. This program is available to certified CTLs 0-7 first, then non-certified DMOs and private businesses.

The Marketing Platform Development is a grant program for one-time marketing platform investments to be utilized beyond the fiscal year of the initial investment. Eligible projects include those that provide for improvement or expansion of tourism-marketing programs or development of new tourism programs and products designed to increase tourism from outside the area for greater economic impact. This program is available to CTLs 0-4, certified and non-certified DMOs.

The FY15 Promote Missouri Fund guidelines and documents are available here.

MDT Introduces “Promote Missouri Fund”

Discover J. Huston Tavern at Arrow Rock SHS

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