Local Hospitality Advertising: What to Pitch to Advertisers

Music Festivals: Advertising Options for the Event and Other Local Hospitality Businesses

Spring, summer and fall have full calendars with music festivals and community fairs. These can be massive events with big-name headliners or neighborhood concerts featuring local artists. There are a few ways to turn these events into ad dollars.

First is the organization behind the event. Large-scale festivals will have larger budgets than their smaller counterparts, but the strategy can be similar. Here’s what works for these ad types:

• Geofencing ads to target areas in the city where fans of the music may spend time, like other live music venues
• Social media ads that target the right interests; keep in mind that you should suggest the platform that most aligns with the audience (e.g., Instagram for younger generations vs. Facebook for the over-40 crowd)
• OTT ads that target interests and geography

During these events, there are ad options for other hospitality businesses. For example, you can recommend geofencing the festival area for nearby restaurants, pubs or clubs. The ad can include an exclusive offer for concertgoers. Local shops could use this same tactic to drive foot traffic.

Pairing Local Influencers with Hospitality Brands

Influencer marketing isn’t just about celebrities or Instagram models. In fact, it’s more authentic when these partnerships are with local influencers. These people have a strong reputation in the area. They could be experts in fashion, DIYing or cooking. They may even be radio personalities, who often have strong ties to the community.

You want to propose an influencer who makes sense. It’s someone the audience respects because they have expertise. Some examples could include local chefs discussing the best new restaurants on video for use on OTT/CTV, social media or YouTube.

Another idea is a radio host who’s always willing to have some fun paired with local theme parks or attractions. The ad would be geared toward local audiences with an emphasis on season passes. Some images of the host on the latest roller coaster could make for a humorous and high-performing ad.

Independent Hotels and B&Bs Remind People They’re on Vacation

Whether travelers come from far away or down the road, locally owned hotels can create an experience that’s an advantage. An ad campaign can juxtapose what they offer against the short-term rental cities. Travelers have abandoned short-term rental stays in large numbers due to the high fees and long lists of to-do items required by owners.

This is the chance for these quaint spots to remind everyone they’re on vacation. The staff takes care of the tidying, so guests can relax and enjoy their stay. There’s a way to weave humor into this with unique imagery and bold copy. Also, the ad can remind future guests that these are locally owned businesses, which matters to many consumers.

Such a campaign could run on radio, streaming audio, social, geofencing and OTT/CTV. Recommend at least three tactics targeting both residents and visitors.

Long-Held Events and Shows Can Still Expand to New Audiences

There are events and shows that have long been part of your city’s attractions. Sometimes, these businesses forget they can expand their audiences. They shouldn’t presume their target audience is aware of these events and will attend.

We’ve featured two great case studies on this topic. First was a county fair that used a mix of radio and digital to boost attendance. The result was the largest turnout ever! The second featured a performing arts center reengaging past attendees and expanding reach to acquire new ones. The campaign included OTT and display ads, which increased ticket sales.

These companies have ad budgets but may be spending them without a strategy or an objective. As an expert, you can show them examples like these case studies. They’ll realize they need a partner like you to modernize their advertising approach.

Hospitality Advertising Is Always in Season

Hospitality is a year-round business, but the seasons change the content. Also, some areas will increase ad spend when it’s their “season.” Examples would be ski resorts in the winter and beaches in the summer. Consider these things when pitching to them and how travelers make plans. The advertisers should have this data.

For example, when do they see the first peak for reservations for the ski season? That gives you a starting point. As a result, it may not seem too odd to create ads promoting it during the summer.

The more data-driven you can be in your suggestions, the more trust you can cultivate with customers. Seasonality will impact the ad themes, placement and targeting.