Tourism panel deadlocks on marketing winter tourism

A committee that advises the Nevada Tourism Commission on how to market the state to prospective winter visitors deadlocked on two votes over which company it wants to run the $1.75 million campaign.

The committee on Friday heard pitches from two companies, Las Vegas-based B&P Advertising and Public Relations, and Creative Concepts of Reno. Both have worked in the past with the commission.

The companies didn’t discuss creative elements of the campaign, but the state’s winter effort traditionally focuses on Northern Nevada’s ski season. The value of the contract is higher than last winter’s $1.5 million budget but less than last summer’s $3.6 million campaign.

The split vote was the result of philosophical differences on the campaign.

Although the request for proposals seeks a campaign that drives prospective visitors to the state’s Travel Nevada website through traditional and social media, the two companies offered different views on how to accomplish that.

The Creative Concepts proposal depends on a heavier emphasis toward television advertising and social media while B&P seeks to drive prospective travelers through TV and a variety of digital platforms before converting them to buyers.

Committee members Christopher Baum, president and CEO of the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority, and Don Newman, executive director of the Elko Convention and Visitors Authority, favored the Creative Concepts plan, arguing that most of their visitors are older and favor traditional media and are swayed by television spots.

The B&P plan, which hones in more on millennials and digital media users, also includes a proposal to market to the Denver area, a larger millennial audience, and less to Boise, Idaho.

Baum and Newman believe it would be more beneficial to seek Idaho visitors because the market is closer to the state and that the Denver audience would pay more attention to Colorado ski resorts than Lake Tahoe.

Committee member Lorraine Hunt-Bono and the commission’s chairman, Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki, sided with B&P. The Tourism Commission staff also recommended B&P.

Two committee members were absent from the meeting, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority President and CEO Rossi Ralenkotter, who was represented by a nonvoting proxy, and John Wagnon, an executive with Lake Tahoe’s Heavenly ski resort.

Krolicki said the committee would regroup when the other voting members are available.

The full commission is expected to review the contract at a Sept. 17 meeting.

Contact reporter Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.