HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-013 Visitor & Convention Bureau 2013-14 City Report
ASHLAND
as you like it
Ashland Chamber of Commerce
Visitor & Convention Bureau
2013-14 City Report
Table of Contents
Executive Summary ...............................................................................................................3
Visitor & Convention Bureau ................................................................................................5
VCB Purpose, Mission and Overview ..............................................................................6
VCB Committee ...............................................................................................................7
Implementation of Refreshed Ashland Brand 8
Promotion 10
Outreach & Exposure 15
Partnerships 18
Tools 19
Fulfillment 25
Addendums ......................................................................................................................26-27
Addendum A: 2013/2014 Budget ...................................................................................26
Addendum B:Advertising Samples 27
Appendicies 28
Appendix A: 2013-2014 Board of Directors 28
Executive Summary
Ashland Chamber of Commerce
Visitor & Convention Bureau
City of Ashland Grant Report
Fiscal Year: 2013 - 2014
Submitted: January 28th, 2014
The grant report to follow represents the 2013-2014 Fiscal Year.The work completed in compliance
with the grant guidelines is reflected in the following report. Our success and contribution to
the growth of the tourism industry is made possible not only by the Ashland Chamber Visitor &
Convention Bureau (VCB) and partners but by the Chamber staff of six hard working individuals,
volunteers, business owners and community members who contribute to and deliver the visitor
experience, showcasing Ashland as the unmatched travel destination that it is.
The overarching goal is to deliver an unsurpassed leisure travel experience that creates lasting
memories, encourages repeat visitation, enriches lives and converts visitors into lifelong Ashland
ambassadors and potential residents through servicing individuals, industry partners, small groups,
tours, large conventions and conference attendees.
We accomplish this through our scope of work that is described in this report within the main
categories of promotion, outreach and exposure, partnerships, tools and fulfillment. You
will find a goal for each category and a thorough description of how we succeed in the goals set by
this grant in addition to the growth and expansion we constantly seek and strive for.
Within this fiscal year of reporting, we expanded our reach using our refreshed Ashland brand
and messaging set forth by the VCB and branding committees. The refreshed brand showcases the
established marketing pillars of cultural, culinary and outdoor experiences while inviting visitors to
enjoy Ashland,'as you like it'. We created the new Ashland Map to promote the outdoor pillar and
stewardship of our natural resources. We generated return on our investments through effective
promotions, events and measurements while expanding our database and partnerships. We saw a
strong summer and fall followed by strong holiday business with growth in the tourism industry by
increased investment and participation. Through promotion, outreach and exposure, partnerships,
tools and fulfillment, we continue to expand our capacity to extend our reach, message and audience.
We tell the "story" of Ashland to attract and create relationships with our visitors, attracting new
targeted niche audiences, while maintaining the compelling invitation to Ashland's loyal, traditional
visitor.
Ashland Chamberwears many hats, including the traditional responsibilities of a Chamber of Commerce
and the added workload of a destination marketing organization and an economic development entity.
Ashland's designation as Oregon's first Google a-city in 2013 and again in 2014, speaking to our
broadband capacity and innovation as well as being the # I TopTown to Live and Work as a Moviemaker
by Moviemaker magazine (2015) continue to prove that with a population of 20,000 and a visitor base
of over 300,000, steeped in culture, Ashland has created a top environment and economic platform
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for innovation and creativity that attracts not only a highly educated resident but sustains a highly
educated visitor base.
Ashland VCB serves as the gateway to Ashland, Southern Oregon and the entire state with
approximately 60% of visitors arriving to Oregon through our corridor. We are open to the public
year-round, free of charge, providing an authentic message and superior travel experience.We submit
this report for your review and thank you for your continued partnership and investment.
Katharine Cato Sandra Slattery
Visitor & Convention Bureau Director Executive Director
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ASHLAND
as you like it
Ashland Chamber of Commerce
Visitor & Convention Bureau
2013-14 City Report
5
A'*k
ASHLAND
as you like it
Ashland Chamber of Commerce
Visitor & Convention Bureau
2013-2014
Purpose
For thirty-two years, the City of Ashland and the community have relied on the Ashland Visitor
& Convention Bureau (VCB) through an annual grant, to promote Ashland, year round, to visitors
traveling from more than 50 miles to Ashland and to visitors who stay overnight in Ashland. Efforts
include promotion, outreach and exposure, partnerships, the tools and materials to deliver the
message, analysis and fulfillment showcasing Ashland as a desirable travel destination.
Mission
The mission of theVCB is to promote visitor stays year round with a primary focus on the fall, winter
and spring seasons by increasing our capacity to extend our message, reach and audience. The goal
is to deliver an unsurpassed leisure travel experience that creates lasting memories, encourages
repeat visitation, enriches lives and converts visitors into lifelong Ashland ambassadors and potential
residents through servicing individuals and small groups. Soliciting, servicing and welcoming large
meetings and conventions has begun with inquiries and bookings for the opening of the convention
center at Ashland Hills in June of 2015.
Overview of 2013-2014 Ashland VCB
In addition to fulfilling the mission of the VCB as set by the City of Ashland, in fiscal year 2013 -
2014, we expanded our reach using our refreshed Ashland brand and messaging set forth by the
VCB and branding committees.The refreshed brand showcased the established marketing pillars of
cultural, culinary and outdoor experiences while inviting visitors to enjoy Ashland,'as you like it'.We
created a new Ashland Map to promote the outdoor pillar and stewardship of our natural resources.
We generated return on our investments through effective promotions, events and measurements
while expanding our database and partnerships. We saw a strong summer, fall and holiday business
with growth in the tourism industry by increased investment and participation. Through promotion,
outreach and exposure, partnerships, tools and fulfillment, we continue to expand our market, inviting
new visitors for new reasons, while maintaining the invitation to Ashland's loyal, traditional visitor. By
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passionately promoting the quality of life & small town charm of Ashland, combined with its world
class amenities, we continue to enhance and deliver that authentic experience our visitors seek.
With anticipated increase in lodging tax revenue with more rooms and large meeting space welcoming
larger groups at the Ashland Hills, we are anticipating an increase in the amount of the Ashland VCB
grant. The three main areas of growth with this increase in the VCB grant will be growing the
social media strategy to extend our reach and audience, identified in the Tools - Social Media
section on page 19; conducting expanded research to study inventory and occupancy of
the lodging sector and analyzing current visitor trends, identified in Tools - Research on page
20 and lastly, expanding our capacity to service and welcome large meeting and convention
business, identified in Outreach - Groups,Tours and Conventions on page 16.
Visitor & Convention Bureau Committee
The VCB, which meets on the third Wednesday of every month, is comprised of members from
various segments of the tourism industry who offer their input, business expertise and knowledge
thus creating a collective voice of the Ashland tourism industry. Industries represented on the VCB
include a variety of lodging, restaurant, wine, retail, spa, theatre, outdoor recreation and attractions.
These industries rely upon the VCB as the organization to gain the most effective market outreach
and the furthest exposure for the Ashland experience by offering various, cooperative advertising
opportunities for small grantees and non-profits.
The VCB serves as Ashland's Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) of which there are twenty-
two within Southern Oregon. The twenty-two DMO's work in coordination with the Regional
Destination Marketing Organization (RDMO) or Southern Oregon Visitors Association (SOVA) now
Travel Southern Oregon. SOVA/Travel Southern Oregon is one of seven RDMO's within the state
of Oregon that work in coordination with the Oregon Tourism Commission dba,Travel Oregon, the
entity that handles Oregon's statewide tourism promotion. Ashland is proud to have a direct and
valuable partnership with Travel Oregon.
VCB Committee Members
Committee Member: Business:
Don Anway Neuman Hotel Group
Bob Hackett/Peter Wickliffe Oregon Shakespeare Festival
Drew Gibbs (Past Chair) Alchemy Restaurant at Winchester Inn
Livia Genise Camelot Theatre Company
Jamie Schectman Mt.Ashland Ski Area
Vicki Capp Ashland B&B Network/ Iris Inn
Graham Sheldon Ashland B&B Network/ Ashland Creek Inn
Julie Gurwell (Chair) Oregon CabaretTheatre
Deb Cleland Waterstone Spa
Brad Niva Rogue Wilderness and Winehopper Tours
Lisa Beam Board Liaison/President 201 1-2013
Katharine Flanagan VCB Director/ Chamber Marketing & Sales
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Implementation of Refreshed Ashland Brand
After implementing the refreshed brand in 2012 & 2013 that was established through VCB, Branding
subcommittee and DVA ad agency out of Bend, OR., we continued to expand our reach.
We implemented the refreshed brand throughout our
entire promotional efforts and tools such as our website,
A4k Visitor Guide and identity pieces. We established
consistency in our branding and refreshed the look and
feel of our event promotions through a new logo, tagline,
ASHLAND destination brand descriptions and style guide of color,
layout and imagery.
as you ae it
Logo description:
A trip to Ashland is not just a single experience. It's the coming together of many extraordinary
people, places and events to create a city that is unique to every single person who comes to visit.
"As you like it", while alluding to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for which Ashland is best known,
truly speaks to multitude of choices and lets our audience know that, here, they will experience the
exact version of Ashland that they love most.
Brand Statement:
At the convergence of the Cascade and Siskiyou Mountains, where forested alpine peaks give way to
some of the most fertile and bio-diverse lands to have ever been shaped by geologic wonder and the
hands of time, lies a town that's just as unique and authentic as the terrain that surrounds it. Nowhere
else do so many experiences- from performing, visual and culinary arts, to education, wellness and
outdoor recreation - combine to create something so inspiring. While others may try, there's only
one authentic Ashland, Oregon.
Pillars within Brand - Culture, Culinary and Outdoors
Culture
"Discover a year-round cultural paradise.Welcome to Cultureland:'
• Home to Southern Oregon University and America's oldest Elizabethan theatre, Ashland's
long cultural history is built upon natural beauty, theatre, education and wellness.
• Enjoy 36S days of theatre, world-renowned art galleries, museums, live music,
independent film, festivals and a diverse shopping experience by exploring
Ashland's eclectic collection of sophisticated boutique shops.
• Most widely known for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, approximately
half of Ashland's visitors are attracted to Ashland to attend plays.
• #1 Top Town to Live and Work in as a MovieMaker - MovieMaker, 2015
• Ashland Independent Film Festival - 25 Coolest Festivals in the World, 2013
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Culinary
"Discover a year-round culinary paradise.Welcome to Cuisineland:'
• Ashland's culinary scene attracts foodie travelers and writers from around the
world.We invite visitors to enjoy year-round culinary excellence with over 80
restaurants, talented chefs and restaurants that showcase the abundance of
locally grown produce and locally made products in their creative cuisine.
• Explore coffee shops, farms and taste delicious specialty foods made
by local artisans who take pride in their sustainable practices.
• Sip and taste local at Ashland's three micro-breweries and distinguished wineries.
• Ashland Culinary Festival, produced by the Ashland VCB, now in its ninth
year marks the center of this pillar, consisting of eight chefs competing forTop
Chef honor using local produce.With educational workshops, participation from
food artisans, farmers, wineries and breweries, it is evident that Ashland offers an
unmatched culinary destination for both locals and visitors to experience.
• Ashland Restaurant Preview Week each February promotes restaurants to the
local visitor region and invites guests to take part in specials and win a night out.
• `Ashland - the Center for Culinary Arts', Oregon Wine Press, 2013
• The culinary adventure also showcases our emerging wine industry described by
Sunset magazine ()an. 2010) as, "The next big wine country: Southern Oregon."
Outdoors
"Discover a year-round outdoor paradise.Welcome to Outdoorland:'
• Ashland's national reputation for the arts is complemented by its burgeoning recognition for
recreation. From downtown's 93 acre, Lithia Park, Southern Oregon's first park established in
1908, to more adventurous pursuits on the Rogue and other nearby rivers and lakes, including
Mt.Ashland, and along the Creek to Crest and Pacific CrestTrails,Ashland's outdoor adventures
are neither gratuitous nor are they an afterthought. It's not the X games extreme and it's not
underwhelmingly easy. It's somewhere in-between, and it's just right.
• Offering four seasons of natural beauty and adventures, Ashland hosted Cycle Oregon's
25th anniversary ride in 2012, hosting 2200 cyclists from all over the world, inviting them each
to return and enjoy Ashland once again.
• "Top 10 places to Visit based on Geotourism". Noted by National Geographic Adventure
magazine (January 2009) Ashland attracts more outdoor enthusiasts each year which is a
younger, more active individual.
• "Best Placesto Live" OutdoorMagazine (June 2009) honoredAshland based on its community
assets and natural beauty. Honored again in 2011 -Ashland was voted the 8th Top town to live
in based on an online poll.
• Looking ahead: the State Scenic Bikeway committee has recommended the
Cascade Siskiyou Loop in Ashland for designation as a State Scenic Bikeway. Of
the thousands of miles the bikeway committee has rated, less than half is recommended.The
route begins at Garfield Park on East Main, travels up the Green Springs Hwy 66, over Hyatt
and Howard Prairie and back down Dead Indian Memorial Road to Roasting Co., totaling 52
miles. Final approval for this will occur by 2015 upon which signage will be provided. As the
Destination Marketing Organization, we are leading the effort on creating more awareness for
the positive economic impact of cycle tourism which brings $400 million to Oregon and nearly
$40 million to Southern Oregon annually (Travel Oregon).
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• NEW Ashland Map - Collaborative Stewardship Map Guide.The Ashland
Chamber &VCB partnered with AFR (Ashland Forest Resiliency) to create a
free Mapguide to foster awareness for the history of fire, source of drinking
water, precious resources and recreational uses of the Ashland Watershed.
To educate locals and visitors, the Map guide includes 7 maps including the
Ashland Watershed, Lithia Park, City streets, Cascade Siskiyou National
Monument, surrounding lakes, mountains and proximity to the Pacific Crest
Trail. Meeting the demand of needing a quality map and way finding to hiking
trails, 25,000 copies were printed in September of 2014. The response has
been very positive from requests of individuals, real estate offices to outdoor
stores and cycling shops. New partnerships have been established through
this project including The Nature Conservancy, Lomakatski and Ashland
Parks & Recreation.The 2nd edition is anticipated to be published in summer of 2015. The
Map App was successfully launched late last fall on ITunes, with an Android version too.There is
also an online presence on ashlandchamber.com as PDF's that online visitors can view and read.
Promotion
Goal:
To increase awareness of Ashland as a travel destination, inviting new visitors for new reasons while
loyally inviting back repeat visitors. To increase total TOT revenue collected and to further grow
and expand our tourism industry's economic impact. To share the collective message of Ashland,
providing further reach to markets with relevant and timely messaging that creates a call to action.
Promotion includes advertising, campaigns, events, publications and seasonal promotions.We expanded
our databases and effectively generated leads through our measurable and interactive promotions
therefore creating a return on our investment and relationships with new visitors.
Promotion-Advertising
Regional & Statewide Online, Print and email
• Sunset Magazine and online:
• With the goal of creating ROI and reaching potential visitors in Northern California, a valuable
market forAshland,we created a strategy providing broad reach in that region and created lead
generation. By utilizing Sunset magazine Travel Planner and Sunset.com together, we reached
an audience of 350,000 subscribers from the Oregon border to the middle of California
including Monterey and Carmel as well as parts of Nevada with the "visit Ashland" message.
o Sunset Spring Campaign online/print: 968 Leads Generated
o Sunset Fall Campaign online/print: 1,100 Leads Generated
• 1859 Magazine and online: statewide magazine promoting lifestyle, culinary and outdoors
• Southern Oregon Magazine and online: Year round exposure to local & regional markets
• Golf Oregon and online: Cross marketing to golfers who enjoy high-end travel
• Record Searchlight and online: Redding is one of the top five sources of traffic to our
webs ite.Targeti ng this market and region, we created a summer outdoor enter to win getaway
and a holiday getaway enter to win promoted through an insert, print and online ad combination.
o Summer Outdoor Enter to Win Package: 436 Leads Generated
o Holiday Getaway Enter to Win Package: 374 Leads Generated
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• Portland Monthly magazine - promoting to the culinary traveler
• Travel Oregon
o E-Newsletter and Interactive magazine: promoting online traffic to niche markets
including culinary and outdoor readership
o Trip Planner is produced by Media America &Travel Oregon. Circulation is 250,000
annually and serves also as the official state resource guide, intended as a visitor's itinerary planning
piece, complete source for statewide lodging accommodations and lead generation.
• Portland Guide: The guide has a circulation of 100,000 at 250 locations around the Pacific
Northwest. Our presence consists of images, text, Chinese translation and events.
• AAAVia Magazine - Oregon/Idaho edition.Targeting travelers and drivers while promoting
Restaurant Week and Ashland's off season.
o Winter Promotion: 817 Leads Generated
• NWTravel Magazine - greater Seattle and Pacific NW readership with expendable income
and travel interest.
• Comcast - targeting the Eugene market and Willamette Valley with two :30 TV commercials
and online ad takeover for Xfinity sign in customers.
• Alaska Airlines and Horizon - inflight advertising reaching business and leisure travelers.
• Edible Portland - online and print mix targeting culinary travelers and foodie enthusiasts.
Local Online and Print
• Oregon Shakespeare Festival: The Ashland Chamber and Oregon Shakespeare
Festival have a cooperative agreement that enables both parties exposure in a variety
of products. The Ashland Chamber &VCB values its exposure on www.osfashland.org,
within their Playbills and annual brochure.As one of the cornerstone's to the amenities of
Ashland, we value the long-term partnership that has grown and strengthened each year.
• Britt Festival: partnership solidified through advertising trade
• Ashland Independent Film Festival: Much like the Oregon Shakespeare
Festival, yet in a smaller capacity, there is an agreement of advertising and in kind
sponsorship between AIFF and the Ashland VCB. Reaching this unique market
• of independent film goers not only enables them to learn of all the amenities
they may find by attending the festival, but it also helps to support AIFF
• Taste of Ashland: agreement for in kind sponsorship and event promotion.
• Southern Oregon University Parent Guide: resource and strong distribution
• Local News sources: Based on events and promotions, ads are placed
in the following places that speak to the local and regional community
which is essential in marketing the off season in Ashland:
o Daily Tidings, www.dailytidings.com and Revels
o Mail Tribune, www.mailtribune.com and Tempo
o Sneak Preview -Ashland,Talent, Medford and Grants Pass
o Locals Guide
• Regional television and radio: To ensure the regional market is reached in more
than one way with our message of visiting Ashland, we often purchase airtime with
KTVL Ch. 10, KDRV Ch. 12, KOBI Ch.S and radio with BiCoastal Media (KRWQ
& KISS) that each match our buy based on our non-profit status. Prior to events,
we visit the morning news segment to generate awareness and attendance to
events such as Ashland Culinary Festival, Fourth of July and Festival of Light.
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• JPR provides access to the valuable audience of Ashland that may not watch
television or be touched by mainstream media and extends our market regionally.
• Ashland TV 20 supports the VCB by airing event videos we produce.
• Facebook & Social Media by increasing our investment with ads, content, current
information and more fans, we increased our traffic from Facebook to our website
by 15% each year.
For Advertising Examples - please see Addendum B on Page 27
Promotion - Events
Events produced by the Ashland ChamberVCB showcaseAshland and the main three pillars of culture,
culinary and outdoors, depending upon the event.They live year-round through video and promotion
on our website, provide a tangible element to each pillar and continue to grow each year.We survey
our event attendees to better understand their preferences and opportunities for growth.
8th annual Ashland Culinary Festival - November 7th - 9th, 2014
Celebrating Southern Oregon's food, drink, talent and creativity
Originated in November 2007, theAshlandVCB created this event, specifically in November to attract
the culinary traveler, showcase the bountiful harvest of Southern Oregon both in food and drink,
highlight the talented local chefs and restaurants and lastly, to take part in the statewide promotion
of the Oregon Bounty created by Travel Oregon.With educational workshops, Chef Competition and
many weekend events, it is a weekend many return to.
Sales and Promotion: Attendance and online ticket sales have grown each year, totaling over 650
guests this past year in 2014. New image libraries, videos, Facebook page, Instagram,Twitter, ads and
travel writer relations contributed to growing the event's exposure.
Top Chef 2014: James Williams of Omar's Fresh Steak and Seafood
Attendance: There is a strong draw for locals that come to support their favorite chef or restaurant.
This event is promoted as a destination event with lodging packages and a long weekend invite.This
event welcomes return visitors from Los Angeles, Eugene, San Francisco and the Redding market.
Networking: The event creates an opportunity for industry networking with farms, food artisans,
wineries, breweries and restaurants to associate with each other and discover new products.
Friday Night Kick Off: Meet the Chefs, food and wine samplings with culinary demos invited a new
group of attendees. Past winning Chefs return that creates a legacy of talent.
Vendors: The number of vendors has grown to total 26 at the Historic Ashland Armory.
Partners:
• Sysco was again a Lead sponsor in 2014, again underwriting the
cost of the kitchen units the chefs use for competition
• Ashland Springs Hotel - catering, staff and volunteers
• Cooks Kitchen - kitchen units used for competition
• Ashland Food Cooperative
• Rogue Valley Growers Market and local farms
• Cory Schreiber - Chef, author and educator - Farm to School program
• Fabiola Donnelly - Food Blogger from Portland with strong following boosted awareness
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• Past Top Chefs- Neil Clooney, Franco Console, Chandra Corwin, David Georgeson,
Billy Buscher and Dustin Farley
• FlowerTyme
• SOU Hospitality Club
• Winchester Inn, Spice & Tea Exchange, Rogue Creamery and Women Enjoying Beer
• Travel Oregon's Oregon Bounty Promotion and marketing
• Culinary Marketing & Economic Development: SAVE the DATE:
Culinary Marketing & Economic Development: With the growth of wine and culinary tourism,
this event is a necessary tool to attract visitors and locals, families and couples alike to experience
the fall and early winter. Highlighting the community of restaurants, artisans, lodging, spas and wineries,
this event supports and promotes other non-profits and small grantees by marketing this event in
Northern California and in all of Oregon. By showcasing the connection of tourism and economic
development, this helps to secure a larger market share and awareness of the tourism oriented
business community of Ashland.This event supports the growth of local businesses.
SAVE the DATE: 9th annual Ashland Culinary Festival November 6th - 8th, 2015
Festival of Light Celebration,Thanksgiving through NewYear's
"Find your Holiday Spirit in Ashland"- 22nd Annual Celebration 2014
Aligning with the mission of the VCB, the Festival of Light invites families and folks to Ashland
during the months of November through January. With lodging packages, events and celebrations,
Ashland attracts visitors not only from Southern Oregon, but from Northern California as well as
Central Oregon.Welcoming over 10,000 people, the Ashland Chamber &VCB organize the festivities
the day after Thanksgiving including entertainment on the Plaza, Santa's Parade, the Grand Illumination
and Santa's workshop. It takes not only staff, but an energized committee and volunteers to facilitate.
Weekends in December: The Festival of Light celebration was extended through the month of
December each weekend since 2008.The ambiance welcomes shoppers, families and locals to enjoy
the quaint element of Ashland during the holidays.
Adopt-A-Wreath 2009: The Chamber and VCB spearheaded this project to refresh the holiday
wreath decorations. After 17 years, the wreaths were looking past their prime. With the help of
volunteers, local businesses and the City of Ashland, we stripped the wreaths down to the frame,
refurbished the frame, eliminated the rust and wrapped them with new garland and LED lights. 56
wreaths were created, most of which were adopted for $250 in 2009.
2011 additions: Adding to Santa's parade and his reindeer, eight'rockettes' and four elves joined the
parade with handmade costumes provided by the Ashland VCB to entertain to the crowd.
Adopt-A-Snowflake 2011: All 33 snowflakes were stripped of the old garland, de-rusted and
refurbished with new garland and LED lights with the help of Boy Scout Troop # 112 and community
volunteers, to continue the effort of greening the Festival of Light event. The snowflakes hang on
Highway 66 in South Ashland.
Adopt-A-Lantern 2012: With the help of the Boy Scouts and Eagle Scouts, the historic lanterns
that used to hang on East Main in the 1950's were sanded and repainted by Anderson Auto Body. Each
of them were adopted and hung on East Main for the 2012 holiday season. 2013 Update: Lanterns
were finished with the installation of LED candle lights in each lantern to provide a bright enough
glow that solar could not provide. More electrified poles are needed to hang all of the lanterns.
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NEWAshland Holiday Coupon Book 2014- a Success! To promote shopping and dining locally
in Ashland while creating awareness for Ashland's retailers, we created, sold and published a new
sophisticated branding piece that had 48 coupons good at local businesses, told the story of Ashland's
holidays and Festival of Light and showcased the winter season and upcoming events. 5,000 copies
were printed and all copies were distributed and utilized by visitors, locals and businesses.
Baseline created by the Chamber's Green - Best Practices Committee: This committee of
the Chamber was created to look at Chamber &VCB events to make them as sustainable as possible,
by lessening the waste created and starting to change the behavior of event attendees to bring
reusable coffee mugs, use less disposable products if hosting and encourage positive stewardship.
Strides were made with Fourth of July vendors and recycling along the parade route,Ashland Culinary
Festival composting as well as Festival of Light.The committee created a baseline of how much trash
was collected at this event so we can reduce the amount of trash and measure our success for next
year. Local coffee shops offered discount incentives for those that brought their own mug during the
event and holiday season to lessen the waste of paper cups.
Promotion - Seasonal Campaigns
Gift Certificate Program
Promoting green gift giving and shopping local, we continue this very successful program of selling
Ashland Chamber Gift Certificates that are good at over 40 participating Ashland businesses year
round. Promoted most aggressively during the holiday months, folks who use the program feel it does
a great job of keeping the money in Ashland during the holidays to support our local merchants.We
promote this program within our Festival of Light marketing, in local newspapers, regional television
commercials as well as online.We are excited to see local entities such as Asante Ashland Community
Hospital and local schools use this program for their volunteer appreciation.We see they make great
gifts for youth athletic coaches, too.We actively sell them online.This program had the highest sales
in 2014 with participation growing to over 50+ businesses and sales steadily increasing.
Ashland's Restaurant Preview Week
For the past three years, this promotion has grown to include over 20 restaurants, lodging and
theatres offering specials and an offer to enter to win a night out. The goal of Restaurant Preview
Week is to draw attention to the restaurants and culinary scene for both locals and regional visitors
to enjoy before the busy season begins.We promote this campaign both locally and regionally inviting
locals and regional visitors to experience Ashland's culinary scene. We've expanded the promotion
to include a brewers' dinner paired with a restaurant and additional lodging properties that see the
benefit of partnering. Each restaurant provides gift certificates to participate and those are what folks
can enter to win by either dining at one of the participating restaurants or by downloading an enter
to win form online at www.ashiandchamber.com/food2Ol5 which is a measurable link that can be
tracked.
Outreach & Exposure
Goal:
To extend our message, reach and audience with the consistent brand. Outreach and exposure
efforts includes participating in the Oregon Welcome Center brochure program statewide, brochure
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distribution of our publications to advertisers, hosting and fostering relationships with travel writers,
public relations efforts to create editorial on Ashland, welcoming groups, tours and the anticipation of
large conventions in the near future.We accomplish this with a staff of six and volunteers.We respond
to all media inquiries, fact checking and serve as the credible source for Ashland's visitor industry.
Attending or providing representation at trade shows is yet another way we provide outreach for
Ashland.
Outreach - Brochure Distribution
We continue to see an increase in demand and distribution points for the in & About Visitor Guide
as well as the Living & Doing Business Guide. The VCB distributes this Guide through a variety
of methods at various locations, both locally, regionally and nationally. Methods include all Oregon
State Welcome Centers including the PDX Welcome Center at the Portland International Airport.
Locations also include Chambers and Visitors Centers throughout Northern California and Oregon.
Through the VCB's membership and participation with SOVA, our Guides are distributed in the Bay
Area Travel Show, Sunset, Portland Ski Show and Golf trade shows in Oregon, Nevada and California.
It is actively distributed and restocked with each advertiser in the Guide. By supporting Ashland's
community events, this Guide is included in welcome packets for events & conventions by request. For
example, it is included in the juror packets at the Ashland Independent Film Festival, any group visiting
and was included in the Cycle Oregon athlete packets at their event in Ashland, September 2012.We
anticipate an increase in demand for the Guide with large groups and meetings coming to Ashland. In
addition, we have increased the number of locations where the Guide can be found including Crater
Lake Lodge that just ended one of their best seasons yet in visitor counts.
Outreach - Travel Writers and Editorial
The editorial coverage from a travel writer is invaluable and offers an authentic perspective of the
"experience" that Ashland VCB works to promote. Hosting a travel writer involves a high level of
coordination and collaboration to provide hosted lodging, dining and access to attractions.All this has
to be done in a timely manner and typically on a short time frame from when the initial communication
is made. Welcoming each travel writer with hospitality and a cohesive presentation is necessary to
create favorable results and reviews. References, past articles written and the angle of the feature
must be checked prior to the work beginning. Below is a recap of travel writers that the Ashland
VCB has worked with during the fiscal year.The result of these visits comes in the form of articles
published online, in magazines, newspapers, e-newsletters, blogs, websites, radio/TV promotion as well
as guide books both in the USA and international.
Travel Writers and Industry visits:
• July 2013 -
o Martin Coutts, Sunday UK Times Press Trip and Oregon FAM
• September 2013 -
o Amon Focus, Brand USA Travel Associate traveling with Travel Oregon
o Christopher Hall, Sunset magazine and online travel writer
o Scott West & Jeff Hampton, Industry check in with Travel Oregon
• October 2013 -
o Mike Shubic, Mike's Road Trip, travel blogger
o Ann Lindeman, Edible Reno Tahoe travel story
o Food Blogger Group of 13 from around the country
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o WILD film crew and team while filming occurred in Ashland
served as the liaison between businesses, film crew and City.
• April 2014 -
o jelly Helm, Principal and Creative Director at Studio Jelly. Speaker
at Ashland Innovators Conference on Technology and Film making
o Nicholas De Wolff, Media and Entertainment industry pioneer and
business strategist. Speaker at Ashland Innovators Conference.
o Tomoko Hori, State of Oregon Japan Representative from Tokyo, Japan
• September 2014 -
o Feast - Food Bloggers including 4 food bloggers from around the
country via Travel Oregon in coordination with the fall Feast event in Portland.
o Suzanne Wright and Verna Gates - wellness and culinary travel writers
• November 2014 -
o Fabiola Donnelly, Food Blogger for Portland, served as
one of the judges at the 8th annual Ashland Culinary Festival.
o Cory Schreiber, founder of Wildwood Restaurant and James Beard award
winner has served as lead judge and emcee each year at the Ashland Culinary
Festival.
• December 2014 -
o Cheryl Strayed - author of the book Wild, made into a major
motion picture. In conjunction with Southern Oregon Film and Media, Oregon
Film and Television office and Travel Oregon, Ashland was one of the four
premier movie locations with Cheryl Strayed attending and hosting the attendees.
Outreach - Groups, Tours and Conventions
While Ashland annually welcomes different sizes and types of groups, associations, school and youth
groups and travel industry representatives, there is major growth opportunities already in motion to
welcome larger groups and the re-opening of Ashland Hills Hotel & Suites convention and meeting
space. Many religious groups and alumni associations annually convene in Ashland.Ashland Chamber
VCB assists in welcoming the groups and supporting our partners through a variety of ways. Some
of our lodging establishments and those who cater to group business continue to see an increase in
2014 in alumni and medical associations returning after 5+ years.
Newly Renovated Meeting and Convention Space opening June, 2015.
Tourism as we currently know it will be changing and expanding with the re-opening and renovation
of Ashland Hills Hotel and Suites Convention Center. Scheduled for opening in June 2015,
large groups are starting to book for 2015, 2016 & 2017. There is a projected increase in lodging tax
revenue with the opening of additional rooms at Ashland Hills and the capacity to welcome groups
of 500+ with the new venue. The Ashland VCB is implementing its role in attracting, growing and
servicing large conventions and groups once again in Ashland. The role of the Ashland VCB is to
assist the private sector, local organizations and businesses in convention and meetings
with solicitation, service, welcoming and support for group and convention business.This
includes outreach, solicitation and service whether prior to, during or following up after their time
here. For each convention attendee, there is an opportunity for the Ashland VCB to invite them
16
back to experience Ashland as a leisure traveler. A meeting web page was launched on the Ashland
Chamber's website in December of 2014 to attract and guide meeting planners to the resources they
need to plan their meeting in Ashland. There is great anticipation for growth and expansion of this
role over the next year.
Projected Growth: With an anticipated increase in lodging tax revenue and large
meetings starting in summer of 201 S and thus, an anticipated increase in the amount
of the VCB grant, one of the 3 main areas of growth and expansion of Ashland VCB's
work would be group and meeting business in addition to growing the social media strategy
and conducting more in depth research to study inventory and occupancy of our lodging sector along
with analyzing visitor trends and behavior.We anticipate the servicing of these groups will take more
staff time, use more materials in welcoming the groups along with attending applicable trade shows
selling to meeting planners.
Groups and Tours:
• July 2013 -
o Puget Sound Antique Airplane Club -Northwest Air Tour - 33 planes
and 65 people landed at Ashland Airport. Provided Ashland information and welcomed
by Ashland VCB
• August 2013 -
o Air New Zealand -Tour operators researching Ashland and statewide
o Lazy KTours -from Nevada touring Ashland
• September 2013 -
o Erickson Air Crane - 82 operators from around the country. Provided welcome
packets inviting them to lengthen their stay.
• November 2013 -
o Rogue Credit Union - coordinated private dinner for 50+ members in
conjunction with the Ashland Culinary Festival
• August 2014 -
o Taube Koret Campus for Jewish Life from Palo Alto group of 30 return annually
for tours on culture, culinary and religion.
• "Please note that we field many inquiries of groups and tours that seek
planning, itinerary building and venues. This is not a conclusive list for all
groups that visited Ashland during the fiscal year reporting but groups that
we primarily assisted with.
• Cooperatively, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, SOVA and the Ashland VCB
are working together to sell Ashland's brand as a consistent message to new groups
interested in visiting.
Outreach - Trade shows
The decision to participate in certain trade shows is driven by reaching our target audience whether
with the region or as a standalone destination. The Ashland VCB participates in many trade shows
around the west coast by either attending, providing In &AboutVisitor Guides or providing information
as part of an itinerary that is sold at the show. For instance with shows in Northern California such as
the Sunset trade show,there is a suggested map with attractions and points of interest that drives tour
17
operators to plan their trips and sell them to their groups. However because we advertise in Sunset,
our Visitor Guides and distributed directly by Sunset staff with a higher traffic count being the host
of the show.Through Ashland VCB's partnerships with SOVA (Southern Oregon Visitors Association)
, Mt.Ashland and Rogue 5 Media, the Ashland VCB is able to have a presence at other trade shows by
advertising or paying a small separate fee to have our brochures and donated products showcased.
The Ashland VCB has a consistent presence at:
• Bay Area Trade Show in Sacramento, CA
• Sunset Trade Show in Menlo Park, CA
• Portland Ski Show, Portland
• Golf Shows in Oregon, Nevada and California
• Canada Sales Mission-VCB's meet with tour operators and travel planners.
• Preview: Consideration to attend NTA (National Tour Association) to promote to meeting
planners with the re-opening of Ashland Hills Hotel & Suites convention and meeting space.
Partnerships
Goal:
To maximize the exposure for Ashland through strong cooperative efforts by sharing the message of
the brand with partners while expanding partnerships within the industry and fostering the growth
of industry relations locally, regionally and statewide.
Regional Relationships and Memberships
Oregon Tourism Commission dba.Travel Oregon (Statewide tourism)
Ride Oregon - bicycle tourism branch of Travel Oregon
SOYA- Southern Oregon Visitors Association/Travel Southern Oregon
Current Board Member: Katharine Cato,Ashland VCB Director
Membership provides opportunities for exposure at trade shows that market directly
to tour operators and group coordinators. Examples are the Go West Summit, Canada
Sales Mission and POWWOW International. Membership results in creating itineraries
and welcoming them to Ashland to experience the town while researching the amenities
for their group.
ORLA- Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (now combined)
SOHO (formerly SKAL) - International Tourism Group
OACVB- Oregon Association of Convention &Visitor Bureau's
Oregon Film and Television Office
OTIC- Oregon Tourism Information Council
NTA- National Tour Association
IFWTW - International Food & Wine Travel Writers
BATW - Bay Area Travel Writers
THRIVE -The Rogue Valley Initiative for aVital Economy
SOFaM - Southern Oregon Film and Media
Oregon State Parks and State Scenic Bikeway Committee
Cooperatively, the Ashland ChamberVisitor & Convention Bureau works with many local organizations
beyond the Chamber membership to assist in promoting Ashland including Ashland Independent
Film Festival, Ashland Bed & Breakfast Network,Ashland Lodging Association, Ashland
18
Gallery Association, Rogue Valley Farmers and Growers, Ashland Wine Trail, Southern
Oregon Winery Association,Ashland Forest Resiliency Project,The Nature Conservancy,
US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Friends of the Cascade Siskiyou National
Monument and regional winery associations.
Looking ahead at Partnerships:
• Ashland Parks & Recreation and the Ashland Rotary Ice Rink - we continue to promote
collaboratively while the cold weather promotes the use of the ice rink though a low
snow year prevents Mt.Ashland from opening. The Ice Rink, with its new cover, has had
a successful year to date while providing an off-season amenity for locals and visitors.
• The former Railroad District Association and Sue Springer approached the Ashland
Chamber/VCB in 2012 asking for guidance as to how the organization can continue
moving forward.With Railroad District Association membership consent, the Railroad
District Association dissolved.The Ashland Chamber/VCB continues to print the Self
Guided Walking Tour map of the Railroad District, continuing to promote the history,
amenities and businesses within the district and exploring way to engage visitors.
• Ashland's designation as the Top #I Town to Live and Work as a MovieMaker
Qanuary 21 st, 2015) showcases the strength of partnerships including Ashland Chamber/
VCB, Southern Oregon Film and Television, Ashland Independent Film Festival and support
from SOU and the City of Ashland. Combining the power of Ashland's tourism and draw
with strong economic development. Ashland was #2 in 2013 and now advanced to #1
small town in the country following the filming of WILD starring Reese Witherspoon.
• Klamath Bird Observatory created a successful Mountain Bird Festival in 2014 and
anticipates the 2nd year to bring more attendees.This is an example of the growth of
partnerships in promoting to a targeted audience of birders who have expendable income
and cultural interests. Ashland Chamber/VCB supports this as a partnership initiative
within the outdoor pillar.
Tools
Goal:
TheAshland Chamber/VCB uses the tools below to effectively implement, showcase and communicate
the message of the Ashland brand set forth by the Ashland VCB and partners, year-round to visitors.
Founded in analysis, our strategy is set by determining the current behavior, needs and trends of
our visitor base and responding to that with timely and relevant messaging through a variety of
mediums and channels. Our tools include social media, research, analysis, brand style guide, website,
publications, video, image library, databases and lead generation, City Directory Board, identity pieces,
volunteers and the Plaza Info booth.
Tools - Social Media Strategy
Similar to a marketing plan, an effective social media plan is just as crucial in delivering relevant
information to today's visitors. Ashland Chamber's Facebook page has grown in traffic and content
along with the Ashland Culinary Festival page. Ashland Chamber and VCB launched aTwitter account
during the Ashland Innovators Conference and launched a presence on Instagram during the Ashland
Culinary Festival showcasing the amazing chefs and food. While much of the efforts have been driven
19
by events, going forward, the Ashland VCB would like to expand the social media strategy to increase
the various audiences and channels through how we reach people. Using website analytics to track
on the effectiveness of each message and topic, the social media strategy would include the channels
or websites, the topics, the message, the timing and relevancy of each along with a calendar of when
each message needs to either expire or be updated. Ashland VCB will be launching a Facebook
page specifically to reach Ashland visitors, this is in addition the existing Ashland Chamber Facebook
page that attracts a local and membership audience. Ashland VCB will be launching a visitor based
Twitter account, maintaining a consistent presence on Instagram and possibly Pinterest where 80% of
women make travel decisions, they are on these sites that we can then target effectively. While some
sites can be trendy such as My Space which is now in the past, the sites mentioned above each have
characteristics that match our visitor needs and demographics along with growth in audiences. With
increased funding the Ashland VCB can enact this plan and increase exposure for Ashland and stay
competitive with other destinations.
Projected Growth: With anticipated increase in lodging tax revenue with more rooms
opening and large meeting space welcoming larger groups at Ashland Hills, and thus an
anticipated increase in the amount of the VCB grant, one of the 3 main areas of growth
and expansion of Ashland VCB's work would be growing the social media strategy
for visitor destination promotion. This would be in addition to conducting research to study
inventory and occupancy of our lodging sector and analyzing current visitor trends and behavior as
well as expanding our capacity to service group and convention business.
Tools - Research and Analysis of Visitor and Lodging Industries
lln 2008, it was determined that the Tourism and Recreation Cluster, so important to Ashland's
economic base, needed extensive research and analysis to better understand the strengths and inherent
challenges. In addition to planning for aTourism BR&E survey, it was decided from conversations with
the City Council and staff that a thorough analysis was required of the tourism sector. First, the analysis
of the base of tourism would be conducted by independent research and second, a study of the visitor
profile would be conducted.These studies continued through 2009 - 2010 and findings were included
in the 2009 - 2010 City Report issued January 2010. In the 2010-2011 Fiscal Year, there was an
additional lodging survey and analysis conducted by Rebecca Reid, Independent Research consultant
and presented to the Visitor & Convention Bureau in May of 2011. One conclusion from this most
recent study shows there is an inherent value in Ashland's downtown. Visitors value the downtown
lodging and proximity to our amenities. This underscores the importance of the commitment and
investment to keep our downtown's physical structure and ambiance vibrant, beautiful and welcoming.
We anticipate further studies on the lodging and visitor sector over the next year to update and
analyze current trends, behavior and growth with the recovering tourism economy which has been
seen through the strength of the fall and holidays with increased revenue.
Projected Growth: With anticipated increase in lodging tax revenue with more rooms
opening and large meeting space welcoming larger groups at Ashland Hills, and thus an
anticipated increase in the amount of the VCB grant, one of the 3 main areas of growth
and expansion in the Ashland VCB's work would be conducting more in depth research
to study inventory and occupancy of our lodging sector and analyzing current visitors
trends and behavior. This would be in addition to expanding Ashland VCB's ability to serve large
groups and meeting business as well as growing the social media strategy. With increased funding
to the grant, the Ashland VCB would build a needed economic model, establishing capacity. With a
tourism focus, the study would look at the number of rooms in Ashland, occupancy and how it changes
20
seasonally, parking inventory for each tourism related business and occupancy of those spaces or lack
thereof. The goal of this research would be to build an economic model of the current situation and
with anticipated growth of both the leisure traveler and meeting attendee, how the increase would
push Ashland's capacity to expand.
Tools - Brand Style Guide
One of the goals of refreshing the Ashland brand was to create consistency in the look and feel of
our advertising.The Brand Style Guide is an internal graphic design guide that provides a framework
with our new brand as to how to implement the logo, tagline, positioning, color palette, orientation,
specified fonts and execution guidelines of brand.The result of using this guide can been seen in the
Advertising examples Addendum B on Page 27.
Tools -Website www.ashlandchamber.com
www ashiandchamber com Year End 2014 Website Performance and Statistics
• 2014 Statistics UPDATE - the power of ashlandchamber.com:
0 138,000 users on the site- 70% are unique (up 15% over year end 2013)
0 195,000 sessions on the site (up 18% over year end 2013)
o Average time on site: 2:15 minutes
o Average pages per view: 3
0 556,000 total page views
0 73% of traffic is from search engines
o `Ashland Oregon' is the number one search term
0 42% of website traffic comes from mobile or tablet device ( up from 10% in 2013)
• Website Ad Performance - average of all ad spaces (Premium and Basic ads)
o Performance of ads increase with strong Call to Action, relevance and engaging link
• Average Impressions: 60,000
• Average Clicks: 1,200
• Average CTR: 2% (Industry average is 2%)
Effectiveness: One of the most effective tools we have to market the Ashland brand is our website.
Demand for print is strong and continues to grow. While visitors find information online they still
desire to be inspired by our print publications using both.
Local and Visitor web traffic: Our site remains a strong resource for visitor traffic with the
lodging section of the site remaining one of the most visited sections. Upon the re-launch in February
of 2011, we set out with three annual goals.The first goal was to increase local traffic and we continue
to grow our local following what has increased by 53%.
Member Directory: By enhancing each Member page to house video, photos and multiple links,
our Member Directory is one of the most visited sections of our site with over 70,000 visits in that
section alone.
Events: We have enabled our events to live throughout the year with photo galleries, videos and a
more interactive presence to assist visitors in making their travel plans.
Social Media: By investing time, current information and content into Facebook, the Ashland
21
Chamber now has over 1220 fans all over the country and has increased traffic to our site from
Facebook by 15% each year. It is also the #I direct referring site to our site.
Tools - The third goal was to enhance the user experience and create useful tools for our members
and site users.
• NEWS tool: Increased traffic by sharing current NEWS for members that posts on our site,
links to subscribers and also posts on Ashland Chamber's Facebook page.
• Calendar: Open to members and annual community events, the Calendar is the 2nd most
visited part of our site. Members can post their own events. The expanded calendar drives
more local, community and visitor traffic. More interaction.Visitors rely on this calendar and
check it before their visit to find out what is happening and either choose Ashland as their
destination or extend their visit based on the calendar events.
• Mobile Capacity: Increased the capacity of our site to be viewed a mobile device with 42%
of all website traffic coming from a mobile device or tablet.
• Mobile Site Growth: the mobile version of our site traffic has grown both for (Phone
and Android users.We look forward to expanding our capacity to reach more mobile users,
providing them the information they seek and where they look to find it.
Tools - Publications
In & About Visitor's Guide
Our premier visitor's guide, that publishes prior to Memorial Day each
year, is an effective tool for marketing tourism with a distribution of In & About
60,000 that is designed all in house. It is mailed as a response piece to ASHLAND
all online and phone inquiries and provided to all walk-in inquiries. It is 2014-2015
Dlsco.er a year-round p,a:acise.
annually distributed at Portland International Airport, all Oregon State "Vekorre to lchtand.
Welcome Centers and ChambersNisitor Bureaus and many trade shows
including Bay AreaTrade Show, Sunset, Portland Bike and Ski shows, POW ~0
WOW an international trade show and many more. It is also distributed
to all groups visiting Ashland and advertisers in addition to realtors and ASHLAND
anyone locally that can use it to help showcase Ashland.The Plaza Booth
which the Chamber oversees and Chamber offices reach a combined
135,000 visitors annually, most of which receive the Guide. Showcasing the
events, food, lodging, shopping, fine arts, museums, maps, entertainment
and outdoor recreation that Ashland offers, it is a complete picture of
what the Ashland experience can provide.We have seen demand increase
for this publication both through receiving individual requests as well as
increasing the distribution points.The publication has grown in number of
pages, which grew 8 pages in 2013-2014 and in new advertisers over the
past two years.
Tools Implemented:
• Culinary, Cultural and Outdoor adventures - themed
• Sample itineraries to enjoy Ashland's pillars and lengthen stays
• Annual Calendar to assist in visitor planning and year round promotion while being
a community resource promoting advertiser's events.
• Travel maps, Lithia Park, transportation info and locators to assist visitors in getting here.
• Driving traffic to our website - each page lists our website address encouraging visitors
to pursue information online.
22
Living & Doing Business Guide n~
The Living & Doing Business Guide is the primary economic
development marketing print piece for Ashland. The purpose
of this annual publication is to provide accurate and substantive
information on theAshland community to help guide decisions
for local business development and relocation for prospective
businesses and residents. It is also utilized locally as a current
community profile piece. Significant work is done annually .4 4
by staff to showcase the depth of our community including
quality of life descriptions, community values, visitor amenities,
demographic and economic data all done in a visually pleasing
graphic format. Many visitors use this publication to consider `
converting to residents of Ashland.
Living and Doing Business:7 ~5F
Awards: '
National recognition: July 2009
Grand Award for Communications Excellence given
by ACCE (American Chamber of Commerce Executives) - the premier national organization for
Chamber Executives.This is the highest award that can be given in the nation for Chamber publications
competing with some of the largest cities in the country.
Content:
Each year, this publication is revised to reflect the current 700+ Chamber membership, efforts and
themes surrounding Ashland and its businesses.The Guide is annually critiqued by the ESC committee
with staff to create the most dynamic and reflective publication of Ashland's values and assets. Each
year, new photography and editorial showcase Ashland. Staff works with photographers and partners
to ensure beautiful, current and correct information.
Growth in Demand and Distribution: We have seen an increase in the demand for this publication
from individual requests to increased needs from local realtors.We have diversified and increased the
number of distribution points to grow the readership. It is used in recruitment and distributed at
Asante Ashland Community Hospital, Providence Medford Medical Center,Asante, Southern Oregon
University and the City of Ashland. Local businesses regularly use the data in this publication to assist
in their planning.
Tools-Video:
We use video to tell the story of Ashland whether through :30 or :60 second commercials, 2+ minute
promotional videos of events and campaigns. Following our pillars, in 2013 & 2014, we created videos
showcasing the Ashland Culinary Festival, Festival of Light and Ashland's innovation and technology
used in the emerging Film, Video and Animation industry that we showcased at the 2014 Ashland
Innovators Conference. These videos are housed not only on our site www.ashiandchamber.com
but also when related to the industry, on our sister site, www.ashiandbusinessresource.com. This
enables the presence of events to live year round on our site and provide insight into the "magic"
created at each event. The footage we have and own can be edited into :30 commercials that we air
23
both locally and regionally in the Eugene and Redding markets. We continue to expand our content
related to our marketing pillars in the outdoor, culinary and cultural realms.We are also able to use
our established library of HD video of scenic footage, such as Lithia Park, the downtown, Southern
Oregon University, the airport, attractions such as the golf course, lakes, rivers, and mountains.Video
is an effective tool to engage our targeted markets. On our website, launched in April of 2014,
www.ashlandbusinessresource.com, you can find interviews with community leaders and business
owners representing various business clusters such as manufacturing, health care, secondary education,
higher education, technology, tourism, organic farming, and wineries. Preview to 2015: a new video
we are currently producing will explain the growth of the local food & beverage industry and will be
released with this upcoming theme on www.ashiandbusinessresource.com highlighting leaders such
as Greg Jones and Eric Weisinger.
Tools - Image Library
To market Ashland as the sophisticated destination that it is, we find it necessary to always be
refreshing and adding new images to our library each year. The Ashland VCB works with both new
and established photographers to constantly expand the image library. Fresh images and graphics
are needed for our annual publications, promotions and keeping our website vibrant and seasonally
driven. In addition, there is a steady stream of requests from travel writers, local non-profits and
small grantees that need high quality photos to include in their articles and coverage of Ashland.The
Ashland VCB serves as a clearinghouse and a connector to those skilled photographers who capture
the essence of the beauty of Ashland.We are constantly expanding the image library to support the
promotion of our culinary, cultural and outdoor pillars.
Following our brand guidelines, we are using our images within a leaf shape template of our style
guide which focuses the image on the close up subject or moment. See ad examples in Addendum B
on Page 27.
Tools - Databases and Lead Generation/Return on Investment
A lead is a request for information that is generated by our ad placements and strategy. By generating
the leads through our measurable and affective advertising, we have grown and diversified our
databases to include visitors who want to receive ongoing updates, event attendees, members,
workshop participants and enter to win entries who we have become a part of our fan base. With
each lead we generate, we send an In & About Visitor Guide to that individual via first class mail that
same day.
Tools - City Directory Board
The City Directory Board is the three panel board in front of the Chamber office that gets daily
exposure from foot traffic of our visitors and locals. Our brand showcases the new taglines and
messaging, an updated city map and event promotions.We also now update this each season to reflect
the current events and timely messaging. Advertisers on this board see results from their messaging
in their ads showcased on these panels.
Tools - Identity Pieces showcase refreshed Brand
Following the effort of consistency in our brand and messaging, we incorporated the new brand
throughout our identity pieces and correspondence materials to coincide with the refreshed Visitor
Guide and website. For a brand to be successful the local community must embrace the message and
look, as Ashland and the visitor industry has done since its inception.
24
Tools -Volunteers & Plaza Information Booth
As a non-profit, the Chamber &VCB rely on our volunteer base to serve as the front line to visitors
and Iocals.The Plaza Booth is staffed by over 120 community volunteers and operates May through
October, serving over 25,000 visitors annually. Each day the Chamber &VCB office is open, there are
one to two volunteers who answer phones,walk-ins with questions and handle a variety of information
to support the staff and mission. Ongoing training and appreciation is necessary for the volunteers,
which we conduct through a training each May to kick off the summer season by providing them
updated information from local partners and attractions, relevant to visitors.We provide a volunteer
appreciation tea at the conclusion of each summer season that enables volunteers to socialize and
build the camaraderie that enables them to put forth the positive and welcoming energy they do.
Fulfillment
Goal:
The Ashland ChamberNCB staff is made up of six individuals who work very hard to deliver the
Ashland message and respond to all visitor and relocation needs on a daily basis. Serving as Ashland's
welcome center to all visitors, everyday, year-round, we offer free information services and provide
professional and knowledgeable service while operating our office, the Plaza Information booth,
maintaining our equipment, tools and conducting daily operations to serve over 300,000 visitors
annually. Our staff provides a warm welcome to all questions whether received via phone, email or
walk-ins.
Fulfillment - Printing
Ashland Chamber'sVCB is able to print the majority of all materials in house which saves time, money
and keeps the look authentic to the brand. Producing these materials in addition to the graphic design
and coordination is a significant part of promoting tourism that takes staff time, talent and effort. For
every event and promotion the Ashland VCB produces, there is a repertoire of printed materials.This
includes brochures, signage, monthly calendars, advertising and rack cards. For example, with Ashland
Restaurant Preview Week, there are packets provided to each participating restaurant, registration
forms, flyers and posters distributed along with enter to win forms and gift certificates to be won.
In conserving energy wherever possible, we use electronic versions of these printed materials to
communicate the messages via email where appropriate and effective.
Fulfillment - Postage
With successful lead generation and ROI comes fulfillment of those requests. Postage is necessary to
enable our office to respond to all inquiries received in the Chamber &VCB that originate from emails,
walk-ins, phone calls and referrals. We maintain a high level of professionalism and customer service
by corresponding via first-class mail to each inquiry and mailing them either a Living & Doing Business
Guide or an In &About Guide. This personal touch of a hand addressed envelope and timely receipt of
information introduces a potential visitor to the experience Ashland provides and begins a relationship
that can last for years. Postage supports communication to our members, the mailing of the monthly
newsletter, invitations to events and daily operations of member and visitor correspondence. Media
kits and correspondence to travel writers and our brochure distribution model are also supported
through postage as a cost of doing business.
25
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26
Addendum B:
Online and Print Advertising Samples
8th
Ashland F,
Culinary Festival - ` `
Nov. 7th - 9th .100
• 12 local Chefs 8th annual
compete! Ashland Culinary Festival
• Delicious vendors November 7th - 9th, 2014 Good thm9,,
and demos mm
SijSCO..
ticket Buy youx - Celebrating Southern Oregon's food,
drink, talent and creativity in Ashland.
MORE Chefs and Restaurants 2014 Schedule:
, _ competing! join us for the newly Fri., Nov. 7th: Culinary Kickoff
j expanded Chef Showdown Competition 5- 6:30pm. Food Demos, appetizers.
' t
samplings where 12 local chefs compete and Larks Sat., Nov. 8th: Culinary and Worksamplings Woriahops lo - 11:30am
Restaurant defends their 2013 Top Chef title.
P Chef Competition
12-5 ism Rondos I m(12 30) illing & Round 2
Friday's Meet the Chefs Culinary pans endor sampling
Kick off includes food demos, live sun., Nov. 9th: C Cull ulinary Workshops lo- 11 30am
Chef Competition
entertainment and delicious samplings. 12- Spm Round 3(1230) and Final Round
Ashland's Restaurant for Top Chef 2014(3pm) plus vendor sampling
Preview Week Enjoy samplings throughout the 2014 Competing Chefs: (1 x the rn. y anal
weekend of local food artisans, vintners and Billy Buscher Alchemy Restaurant and Bar
brewers during the Chef Showdown. Stefano Cipollone Belk Fiore Winery
February 2nd - 9th Franco Console Larks Restaurant
Take part in the fun culinary S1,ye,,~EldE errs MCI-
workshops offered on Saturday and Sunday Dustin Farley Porter's - Dining at the Depot
Discover a year round mornings. Dale Fowler Regency Grill
Anna Hogan
culinary paradise in Ashland Salame
y P Food demos, wine tours, lodging Dawn Strickmeyer Black Sheep Pub & Restaurant
Will Shine Mardrw's Ris orante
packages and Ashland's culinary adventures Ja,mineTurk-Bly Ashland Creek Inn
• Amazing specials await you. James Williams Onmrs Fresh Seafood & Steak
• Enter to Win a Night Out!
• Workshops and Special Dinner 410 llk Tickets start 0 and for the Best Wue yet the
_
Premier Pass
To see participating restaurants ASHLAND guy your tick Discover a year-round outdoor paradise.
and to download your Welcome to Outdoorland.
enter to win form as ycsu)ike it ashlar ashlanddmmibercono
visit
ashlandchamber.con-Iffood201 S
Discover ayear--round cultural paradise.
Welcome to Cultixeland.
ASHLAND
~sir;ll~dch on,
as vou, 'o it
ASHLAND
~=a
s
1PHLAND
27
Appendix A
Chamber of Commerce
Board of Directors
2013 - 2014
Alex Amarotico Standing Stone Brewing Company
Lisa Beam Pasta Piatti / Sesame Asian Kitchen
Cindy Bernard Rogue Valley Roasting Co.
Marie Donovan Ashland Homes Real Estate
Mary Gardiner Southern Oregon University
Livia Genise Camelot Theatre Co.,
Drew Gibbs Winchester Inn, Restaurant & Wine Bar
Annie Hoy Ashland Food Cooperative
Nancy Morgan Yala
Jac Nickels Architectural Design Works
Sue Springer Ilahe Studios and Gallery
Jim Teece Project A
Eric Weisinger Weisinger Family Winery
28