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SMG Case Studies
Discover how SMG has assisted clients with strategic direction and services to successfully achieve their desired results.
Fallon Convention & Tourism Authority
Well known for the Fallon Naval Air Station, agriculture and equestrian events, the Fallon Convention and Tourism Authority needed to expand its marketing efforts.
While Fallon is located just 60 miles east of Reno, it’s a world apart. Fallon is surrounded by farms and ranches and the Lahontan Valley Wetlands which is a birder’s paradise. Along with the Stillwater Wildlife Refuge and the Top Gun Raceway, Fallon also offers many recreational opportunities at the Sand Mountain OHV area and Lake Lahontan. Fallon also has the Fallon Convention Center that can accommodate groups up to 360 and 549 lodging units.
Economic Vitality Corporation of San Luis Obispo County
As in many California counties, San Luis Obispo County has several tourism promotion agencies including the visitors bureau and several smaller DMOs that implement separate marketing programs. Inadvertently, the DMOs end up competing amongst each other instead of working together, at the cost of losing potential travel spending throughout the entire county.
Recognizing this disconnect and lost tax revenues, the Economic Vitality Corporation of San Luis Obispo County wanted to make the county more competitive and to streamline the county-wide marketing effort.
California Travel and Tourism Commission
Rural tourism within California generates 39% of the total tourism employment within the state, as well as 31% of the state’s total tax receipts. For 15 years, the California Travel and Tourism Commission (CTTC) has implemented a rural tourism program for eight regional rural associations.
In order to create a better synergy between the rural destinations and promotion of the benefits to visitors, the CTTC needed a comprehensive marketing plan to brand Rural California and to integrate it into the state’s long-term (2007-2013) tourism marketing plan.
Inyo County, CA
Over the past decade, the Coalition of Chambers of Commerce of Inyo County has been responsible for tourism promotion. Since 2005 it has integrated a new logo and The Other Side of California, the destination brand created by SMG, into some of the tactics outlined in the tourism marketing plan developed by SMG in 2004. By 2008, the Coalition and County Supervisors realized they needed a more cohesive and managed program. With strict requirements and a very limited budget, the County insisted the tourism program not only increase tax revenues, it had to be sustainable. SMG was awarded the account in March 2008 and quickly developed a marketing strategy and tactics to clearly differentiate the destination from the competition and measure the efforts to track the Return on Investment.
Golf the High Sierra
Golf the High Sierra (GTHS), a cooperative marketing organization comprised of 20 golf courses and lodging properties throughout the Lake Tahoe/Reno region, was in need of a focused, integrated campaign to promote their redesigned website and to increase market share.
City of Fairfield, CA
Fairfield, located between Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area, is a gateway to the world famous Napa/Sonoma wine region and has a number of tourist attractions including the Jelly Belly manufacturing facility, the Budweiser brewery, a variety of quality of shopping establishments and easy access to regional tourism attractions like Infineaom Raceway and Six Flags Amusement Park. In an effort to increase the competitiveness and demand for the community, the lodging properties located in the City of Fairfield formed a Hotel Business Improvement District (HBID) as a means to self asses themselves and develop a sustainable source of marketing funds to be used to promote the region. Additionally, one of the major initiatives was to develop a Welcome Center located adjacent to Interstate 80 to serve as a magnet to attract visitors and educate them about all the activities the area has to offer.
Gemstone, CA
Gemstone, a national hotel management firm, needed to assess the supply and demand of one of its new properties located in a growing tourism destination in Northern California.
Inyo County - Coalition of County Chambers of Commerce of Inyo County (Coalition) – Big Pine, Bishop, Death Valley, Independence and Lone Pine
After hiring SMG to develop a county-wide tourism marketing plan, the Coalition needed a brand to differentiate
California Association of Bed & Breakfast Inns (CABBI)
Although highly regarded within the California lodging industry, CABBI wanted to improve its brand recognition, and that of its 320 member inns, among the traveling public. Additionally, the CABBI organization struggled with justifying and tracking the results of its marketing efforts in order to continually promote the organization’s value to its members.
Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau
Struggling with a variety of disjointed visitor amenities and a weekend orientation, the Ventura VCB needed to redefine its image and increase promotional efforts targeted at expanded segments.
San Luis Obispo County Visitors & Convention Bureau
The SLOCVCB was at an impasse with its tourism promotional efforts. Although successful to date, some programs were outmoded and needed adjusting to suit the changing tourism industry and visitor expectations.
Sonoma County, CA
In order to fine tune its long-term marketing program, the Sonoma County Tourism Bureau needed to better understand its competitive set.
Placer Valley Tourism
As a new Business Improvement District for the South Placer County
Ski Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority (LTVA), CA
In order to refine marketing efforts, the LTVA needed to identify visitor demographics and perceptions.