HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Lodging Tax Advisory Committee - 03/05/2020
Unless other noted, the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee meets in April and
September to review grant requests. Unless otherwise noted, meetings are held in
the Centennial North and South Conference Rooms, 400 West Gowe Street, Kent,
WA 98032.
For additional information please contact City Clerk at 253-856-5725 or via email at
CityClerk@kentwa.gov.
Any person requiring a disability accommodation should contact the City Clerk’s
Office at 253-856-5725 in advance. For TDD relay service all Washington
Telecommunications Relay Service at 7-1-1.
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
Special MeetingAgenda
Committee Members: Bill Boyce, Chair
John Casey - Gaila Gutierrez – Tim Higgins – Andrew Hutchison -
David Kwok - Erin McCallum - Bryan Powell
City Staff: Bill Ellis – Rhonda Bylin – Michelle Wimot
Thursday, March 5, 2020
4:00 p.m.
You can listen to the meeting or attend remotely by calling
1-888-475-4499 or 1-877-853-5257
and enter Meeting ID 911 8896 9102, Password 930882
Item Description Action Speaker Time
1. Call to Order Chair 01 MIN.
2. Roll Call Chair 01 MIN.
3. Changes to the Agenda Chair 01 MIN.
4. Approve JayRay's Final Budget Chair 01 MIN.
1. Updated Strategy and Funding
for VisitKent.com
YES Michelle Wilmot 15 MIN.
5. Adjournment Chair 01 MIN.
ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Kurt Hanson, Economic and Community Development Director
220 Fourth Avenue S,
Kent, WA 98032
253-856-5454
DATE: March 5, 2020
TO: Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
SUBJECT: Updated Strategy and Funding for VisitKent.com
MOTION: Discuss and determine final budget recommendation for
VisitKent.com 2020 Updated Scope of Work.
SUMMARY: Since 2017 JayRay, a Marketing, Branding and Public Relations firm
from Tacoma Washington, has been primarily responsible for the content and
design of VisitKent.com, an undertaking designed to promote Kent as a destination
for leisure and tourism activities. During that time JayRay has refined its focus to
develop a successful campaign which focuses on Kent as a destination for a diverse
array of independent dining and other food related experiences.
For 2020, the firm is proposing to build on its most successful efforts and abandon
a few time consuming and less productive ones (specifically, Twitter, which requires
a great deal of care and feeding to keep it timely). The scope of work proposed for
2020 includes deliverables designed to increase engagement with website visitors
and raise the City’s profile in travel and leisure focused media.
Already Approved: 89,999.
Budget Increase Requested by JayRay: An additional $46,745 for total of $136,744
for 2020.
BUDGET IMPACT:
SUPPORTS STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL:
Innovative Government - Delivering outstanding customer service, developing leaders, and
fostering innovation.
Thriving City - Creating safe neighborhoods, healthy people, vibrant commercial districts, and
inviting parks and recreation.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Year of Food Tourism Development (PDF)
2. Updated Project Scope (PDF)
4.1
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Visit Kent
TOURISM PROGRAM: "YEAR OF FOOD TOURISM DEVELOPMENT"
January-December 2020
February 10, 2020
WEBSITE SERVICES (Development, Hosting, Maintenance & Content)Budget Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Maintain website to include events calendar, business listings, seasonal hero sliders (4) including a new "book your
stay" banner, seasonal map icons and incorporate new photos and Kent Food Trails storytelling on homepage copy.x x x x
Annual hosting, domain, software and plug-in subscriptions *These are third-party costs not controlled by JayRay.
Budget reflects current pricing x x x x
Annual technical support plan includes resolution of bugs/errors, uptime monitoring, fast website restore (when
down), necessary theme and plug-in updates x x x x
Developer allowance to optimize website for responsiveness (consider adding social media hashtags to homepage,
shortened scroll on mobile, build out Kent Food Trails page, new Food Trails icon on map, SEO tags…)x
Food Campaign landing page development and new "Meet the Tastemakers" section x
Website management to oversee hosting and developer services as needed x x x x
SUBTOTAL 17,320$
SOCIAL MEDIA SERVICES Budget Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Develop new social media strategy for two channels, posting 3 times per week (stop doing Twitter). Write and
produce social content for Instagram and Facebook, following approved social media strategy and content calendar x x x x
Community management and engagement on Instagram and Facebook (schedule/post content, grow followers,
respond to posts and proactively engage, upload events, curate photos from followers)x x x x
SUBTOTAL 20,000$
MARKETING SERVICES Budget Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Develop annual Kent Food Trails Facebook campaign to span three seasons (Winter, Spring, Fall) (includes creative
brief, two concepts, design and development and final production of up to 8 sizes for different media channels)
includes two rounds of edits
x x x
Create three sweepstakes as part of annual Kent Food Trails Campaign (includes business coordination, purchasing
of prizes and giveaway strategy)x x x
Annual advertising allowance (drive traffic to VisitKent.com) and Facebook Ads Manager management $17,900 x x x
Boosted posts allowance on social media channels to promote Kent Food trails, food events (Cajun Fest) and
quarterly foodie blogs $1,200 x x x x
Write quarterly foodie blog and post to website (4 per year)-includes Restaurant Week and Cajun Fest x x x x
Kent Food Trails photoshoot (2, half-day shoots plus travel) to take photos alongside videographer x
Kent Restaurant Week Amplification allowance (includes event media pitching to foodie writers; landing page
development/hosting (does not include copywriting); and digital advertising allowance $1,000) $4,000 x x x
SUBTOTAL 34,980$
MEDIA RELATIONS SERVICES Budget Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Travel blogger/influencer campaign (bring 5 foodie/travel bloggers to explore Kent's food scene (5 solo trips). Find
bloggers, write invitation and pitch, develop itinerary and create agreement forms. Includes hosting costs.x x x
Enhance Visit Kent Food Trails with "meet the tastemakers" content. PR story development includes phone
interviews with 5 Kent restaurant owners/chefs. Turn into 5 stories for new webpage on VisitKent.com and for PR
pitches to media
x x
Cision media database subscription (media lists, coverage monitoring) $ 1,000 x x x x
SUBTOTAL 8,499$
PROJECT MANAGEMENT Budget Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Develop project work plans, track goals and provide quarterly reports of campaigns and social media (4)x x x x
Project status calls (4) with client (one per quarter)x x x x
Strategy meetings (2) with client, in-person x x
SUBTOTAL 9,200$
TOTAL 2020 BUDGET:89,999$
4.1.a
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Visit Kent
TOURISM PROGRAM: ENHANCED PROMOTION & SERVICES
January-December 2020
February 10, 2020
WEBSITE (ROI Visitor Data and Travel Profiles)Budget Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Visitor Profile Study (delivered via pop-up on homepage): designed to get to know where your visitors
are coming from and determining what percent of your website visitors result in a physical visit. Many
destinations are utilizing this tactic. $ 2,275
x x x x
Survey incentive (4-$100 Visa Gift Cards + fee) $ 450 x x x x
Annual report of visitor data collected through survey including percentage of visitors that visit website
and then visit Kent in-person, and Kent travel profiles: interests, length of stay, travel party, reason for
visit, likelihood of visiting again… (Final report emailed and provided as a PDF) $ 1,250
x
SUBTOTAL 3,975$
MARKETING SERVICES Budget Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Collateral hours allowance for producing Visit Kent ads for Thunderbirds advertising sponsorship
(program ad, ticket ads, arena ads, digital ads) *we'll provide Kent Food Trails videos to run as
commercial spots in arena 1,900$
x x
Write and design quarterly visitor e-newsletter distributed to up to 2,000 opt-in subscribers (4)3,200$ x
Washington Tourism Alliance membership (membership benefits include e-newsletter distribution, fact
sheet at travel conference, listing on ExperienceWa.com)350$ x
Design and write Kent Food Trails brochure, including graphic map and both print and digital files for
website download; asset for media and visitors in-market; include unique URL for tracking ROI includes
two rounds of edits $ 3,220
x x
Printing allowance (5,000 quantity of brochures) $ 1,000 x x
Develop Kent Food Trails video series (one concept, storyboard, videographer management, onsite video
direction (2, half-day shoots plus travel and food expenses for shots), recruit volunteer models and
provide model releases, present to client) $ 5,900
x
Videographer costs to produce one 45-60 sec video promoting Kent Food Trails and five 20-30 sec
videos (one for each Food Trail) (Incudes 2, half-day shoots, video production, editing, music, and final
files for website and social media ads) includes one rounds of edits $ 5,500
x
Video model incentive allowance for volunteers $ 1,000 x
SUBTOTAL 22,070$
MEDIA RELATIONS SERVICES Budget Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Media itinerary development and hosting allowance (for leisure/foodie writers) $ 3,050 x x x x
PR Newswire (distribute one foodie tourism release (400 words max, 3 basic photos) to US1 Travel
Newsline $ 2,875 x
Travel & Words Conference: Travel writer media sit-down appointments, one-on-one (May 3-5, 2020
in Bend, OR) (includes advertorial placement in travel mag) $ 8,000 x
Provide monthly media report and track earned media $ 2,675 x x x x
Portland Monthly Magazine advertorial (1 full page story, website banner ads and enewsletter) to
include article writing, media placement and report of metrics $ 4,100 x
SUBTOTAL 20,700$
ENHANCED SERVICES TOTAL BUDGET 46,745$
2020 TOURISM BUDGET $89,999
FINAL TOTAL $136,744
4.1.a
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fryo*KenttÞ
raYttav A Pl.lct fo lHllt¡(
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WA5HINGIôÑVisit Kent
TOUR¡SM PROGRAM: "YEAR OF FOOD TOURTSM DEVELOPMENT"
January-December 2020
Februory I 0, 2020
Maintain website to include events calendar, business listings, seasonal hero sliders (4) including a new "book your
stay" banner, seasonal map icons and incorporate new photos and Kent Food Trails stor¡elling on homepage copy.
Annual hosting, domain, software and plug-in subscriptions *These are third-party costs not controlled byJayRay.
Budget reflects current pricing
Annual technical support plan includes resolution of bugs/errors, uptime monitoring, fast website restore (when
down), necessary theme and plug-in updates
Developer allowance to optimize website for respons¡veness (consider adding social media hashtags to homepage,
shortened scroll on mobile, build out Kent Food Trails page, new Food Trails icon on map, SEO tags...)
Food Campaign landing page development and new "Meet the Tastemakers" section
Website management to oversee hosting and developer services as needed
SUBTOTAL
Develop new social media
produce social content for
strategy for two channels, posting 3 times per week (stop doing Twitter). Write and
lnstagram and Facebook, following approved social media strategy and content calendar
Community manatement and engagement on lnstagram and Facebook (schedule/post contenq grow followers,
respond to posts and proactively engage, upload evenls, curate photos from followers)
Develop annual Kent Food Trails Facebook campaign to span three seasons (Winrer, Spring, Fall) (includes creative
briel two concePts, design and development and final production of up to 8 sizes for different media channels)
includes two rounds of ediæ
Create three sweepstâkes as part ofannual Kent Food Trails Campaign (includes business coordination, purchasing
of prizes and giveaway stratety)
Annual advertising allowance (drive traffic to Vis¡tKent.com) and Facebook Ads Manager management
Boosted posts allowance on social media channels to promote Kent Food trails, food events (Cajun Fest) and
quarterly foodie blogs
Write quarterly foodie blog and post to website (4 per year)-includes Restaurant Week and Cajun Fest
Kent Food Trails photoshoot (2, half-day shoots plus travel) to take photos alongside videographer
Kent Restaurant Week Amplifìcation allowance (includes event media pitching to foodie writers; landing page
development/hosting (does not include copywriting); and digital advertising allowance $ | ,oo0)
SUBTOTAL
Travel blogger/influencer campaign (bring 5 foodie/travel bloggers to explore Kent's food scene (5 solo trips). Find
bloggers, write invitation and pitch, develop itinerary and create agreement forms. lncludes hosting costs.
Enhance Visit Kent Food Trails with "meet the tastemakers" conrent. PR story development includes phone
interviews with 5 Kent restaurant owners/chefs. Turn into 5 stories for new webpage on VisitKent.com and for pR
pitches to media
Cision media database subscription (media lists, coverage monitoring)
SUBTOTAL
Develop proiect work plans,track goals and provide quarterly reports of campaigns and social media (4)
Project status calls (4) with client (one per quarter)
Strategy meetings (2) with client, in-person
SU
su
$ r7,900
$r,200
$4,000
t80
$ r,000
\MEBSITE SERVICES (Development, Hosting, Maintenance & Content)Budget
SOCIAL MEDIA SERVICES Budget
MARKETING SERVICES Budget
MEDIA RELATIONS SERVICES Bu
PROJECT MANAGEMENT Bu
xxx
x x x
x x x
x
x
X
x XX
X
x
x
Qr Q2 Q3 Q4
x x X
x x x
x
x
Qr Q2 Q3 Q4
xxx
x x x
x x x
X x x
x x x
x
x x x
x
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Qr Q2 Q3 Q4
xxx
x
x
xx
XX
Qr Q2 Q3 Q4
x x
x x
X
x
x
x
x
x
Qr Q2 Q3 Q4
TOTAL 2020 BUDGET: g 89,999
4.1.b
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H G 1 oVisit Kent
TOURISM PROGRAM: ENHANCED PROMOTION & SERVTCES
January-December 2020
February 10,2020
Visitor Profile Study (delivered via pop-up on homepage): designed to get to know where your visitors
are coming from and determining what percent of your website visitors result in a physical visit. Many
destinations are utilizing this tactic.
Survey incentive (4-$ 100 Visa Gift Cards + fee)
Annual report of visitor data collected through survey including percentage of visitors that visit website
and then visit Kent in-person, and Kent travel profìles: interests, length of stay, travel party, reason for
visit, likelihood of visitingagain... (Final report emailed and provided as a pDF)
SUBTOTAL
Collateral hours allowance for producing Visit Kent ads for Thunderbirds advertising sponsorship
(program ad, ticket ads, arena ads, digital âds) xwe'll provide Kent Food Trails videos to run as
commercial spots in arena
Write and design quarterly visitor e-newsletter distributed to up to 2,000 opt-in subscribers (4)
Washington Tourism Alliance membership (membership benefits include e-newsletter distribution, fact
sheet at travel conference, listing on ExperienceWa.com)
Design and write Kent Food Trails brochure, including graphic map and both print and digital files for
website download; asset for media and visitors in-market; include unique URL for tracking ROI includes
two rounds of edits
Printing allowance (5,000 quantity of brochures)
Develop Kent Food Trails video series (one concept, storyboard, videographer management" ons¡te
direction (2, half-day shoots plus travel and food expenses for shots), recruit volunteer models and
provide model releases, present to client)
Videographer costs to produce one 45-60 sec video promoting Kent Food Trails and five 20-30 sec
videos (one for each Food Trail) (lncudes 2, half-day shoots, video production, editing, music, and fìnal
files for website and social media ads) includes one rounds of edi*
Video model incentive allowance for volunteers
SUBTOTAL
Media itinerary development and hosting allowance (for leisure/foodie writers)
PR Newswire (distribute one foodie tourism release (400 words max, 3 basic photos) to USI Travel
Newsline
Travel & Words Conference: Travel writer media sit-down appo¡ntments, one-on-one (May 3-5, 2020
in Bend, OR) (includes advertorial placement in travel mag)
Provide monthly media report and track earned media
Portland Monthly Magazine advertorial (l full page story, website banner ads and enewsletter) to
include article writing, media placement and report of metrics
SUBTOTAL
ENHANCED SERVICES TOTAL BUDGET
2O2O TOURISM BUDGET
FINAL TOTAL
x
X
xxx
xxx
x
x
X
$46,745
$89,999
ç136,744
$ 1,900
$ 3,200
$ 3s0
$ 3,220
$ r,000
$ s,900
$ s,s00
$ 1,000
700
$ 3,0s0
$ 2,87s
$ 8,000
$ 2,675
$ 4,100
\Â/EBSITE (ROl Visitor Data and Travel Profiles)Budget
MARKETING SERVICES Budget
MEDIA RELATIONS SERVICES Budget
x x
x x x X
X
xx
Qr Q2 Q3 Q4
x x
x x
x
x
x
x
X
xx
Qr Q2 Q3 Q4
Qr Q2 Q3 Q4
4.1.b
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2O2O VISIT KENT BUDGET- OPTION 2
Website Services
Social Media Services
Marketing Services
Media Relations Services
Project Management
517,320
520,000
s34,990
58,499
59,200
S89,999
s3,975
58,ooo
52,975
53so
s15,200
S1 05, I 99
TOTAL
Visitor Profile Study (website)
Travel & Words Media Exhibition (media retations)
PR Newswire (media relations)
Washington Tourism Altiance Membership (marketing)
TOTAL
COMBINED TOTAL
JAYRAY A PLACE TO THINK VISIT KENT 31
APPROVED BUDGET SUBTOTAL
ENHANCED SERVICES BY PRIORITY SUBTOTAL
4.1.b
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