Will a Rhode Island Firm Win the $5 Million Tourism Campaign?
Friday, July 31, 2015
Who will win Rhode Island's request for proposals for a new $5 million tourism campaign?
The deadline for response to the multi-million dollar RFP through Commerce RI is now a week away, for advertising and PR specialists to work with the state to "reimagine and rebrand itself for the purpose of projecting a more favorable image to the world."
Will it go to a Rhode Island-based agency (or agencies) -- or will Governor Gina Raimondo, who's so far brought in a noted number out-of-staters into her administration, including Commerce RI head Stefan Pryor, looks beyond the confines of the Ocean State?
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"I'm certainly not to going to tell them what they should do. You want the job to be done as well as it can be, not just because it's done by a Rhode Islander or not," said Jim Cooney, CEO of Warwick-based PriMedia, who is responding to the RFP. "It's more important that the job be done well, because it hasn't been done in so long."
"That being said, it's difficult to be an outside firm and really know about living in the state -- and running a successful business here in the state -- to really know what it takes to attract visitors," said Cooney. "Nobody knows that more that someone's who's been vacationing here for 30 years. For me, it's not summer in Rhode unless I go to Block Island, Misquamicut, Narragansett, and all the South County beaches. It's hard to know Rhode unless you live and work here."A
AdWeek noted earlier in July that New York-based agency JWT's Bob Jeffrey was advising Raimondo on the tourism review -- and also happens to be a "native son" of Rhode Island who helped get Raimondo elected.
"For Rhode Island, Jeffrey is acting as an unpaid adviser at the request of Raimondo," wrote the WSJ. "He's spreading the word on the review, which is being led by the state's economic development arm, the Rhode Island Commerce Corp."
Rhode Island in the Mix
Rhode Island tourism made GoLocal headlines last December when reporter Stephen Beale wrote that back in 2013, only three states funded their tourism offices at a lower rate that Rhode Island's -- Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. Rhode Island spent just over $700,000 in tourism that year.
Increasing tourism spending was a major campaign talking point of the 2014 election season, with former Providence Mayor and Gubernatorial candidate Angel Taveras having had pledged as well to spend a similar $5 million on tourism if elected.
"If all else is equal, namely a Rhode firm with the creative talent and media experience, measurable accomplishments in branding and tourism and a national presence, the contract should be awarded to a Rhode Island marketing communications agency," said URI Distinguished Professor of Businesses Edward Mazze.
Mazze that an outside firm shouldn't be ruled out, however.
"This expenditure is being used to support a program that will attract tourists and businesses and excite Rhode Islanders about the state’s tourism assets. Branding a state is difficult and even more complicated when it comes to Rhode Island because of the state’s poor reputation in many different segments of the population," continued Mazze. "A firm with a successful track record in accomplishing these tasks for other states and major cities is the firm that should be selected. The location of the firm should not be the major criteria for selection."
Price Tags
The City of Providence notedly went outside the Capital City for its "Creative Capital" rebrand under then-Mayor David Cicilline, spending $100,000 with a Nashville, TN company.
As for the current $5 million price tag on the statewide campaign, at least one Rhode Island firm in contention said that number would not be enough.
"I think the campaign is big for the state -- it's needed, we need to bring people to Rhode to see the beauty of the state, once they're here, they'll see why people want to live here," said Providence-based Atom President Mike Mota, who is responding to the RFP.
"I don't believe the $5 million will be enough," Mota continued. "I did [Alex and Ani], we bought a lot of advertising. Without the right budget, it will be difficult to get the message out they way you need to. We're going to create a campaign, and we're looking to raise $5 additional million. That initial $5 million should all go towards the media buy. We've bought nationally before, we started with $I million in sales [at Alex and Ani] and brought that to $240 million in sales -- we understand about strategic buying. It's all about product, message, and how you get it out."
"I think it would be disappointing and a mistake if the state decides to choose someone outside the state to do this," said Mota. "Who better to do this -- if you want to keep jobs in Rhode Island, and you go outside, I think it's sending the wrong message..I urge those people making the decision to realize that we have top notch people here."
RDW Group partner Dante Bellini said he wasn't sure at this time if the firm would be responding to the RFP. Presently, RDW has the state's Master Contract for buying media for state agencies.
Jon Duffy with Duffy and Shanley said he wasn't sure yet himself if the firm would be applying but he offered his perspective on the RFP. Duffy headed up Raimondo's gubernatorial transition team after helping on her campaign.
"I think Rhode Island firms are more than capable of handling this account -- we make a big deal about how creative and design are part of RI's DNA," said Duffy. "Given those things, I would think a Rhode has the ability and talent -- and it is funded with Rhode Island taxpayer money."
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