The Role of the New Media in the Development of the Running Market and the Success of a Race Event – Presentation by Andrea Eby – 8th AIMS Symposium in Athens

Digital Marketing has become a key driver to the success of a race – it leverages the event brand, provides a platform for promotions, engages runners, stakeholders, and can drive revenue.  Digital Platforms provide avenues for immediate runner and stakeholder feedback – both negative and positive. 

Through consumer generated content, the feedback is visible, relevant and immediate.  Consumer activity on social platforms has the power to impact an events reputation in the marketplace and can ultimately accelerate the events progress on product life cycle curve.  An abundance of negative activity can cause a much quicker product decline. 

In today's age, Race Directors need to be marketing savvy.

Digital initiatives must be strategically planned within the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Strategy and ultimately need to be evaluated to determine success.   There are six critical steps in the Marketing Communications process:

1.     Specify the IMC Objectives  – objectives such as awareness, interest, trial, purchase are common for the Race Director

2.     Identify the Target Audience –  secondary research and your own data (registration statistics and event research) should identify your primary target market of runners

3.     Set the Promotional Budget – Your IMC Budget can be allocated by industry standards as a percentage of revenue (consider 15-20%) of this total, digital expenditures are tracking at 30% -40%.

4.     Design the Promotional Program – think of aligning your target market with your selected platforms.  For example; industry research indicates that Facebook is the most important platform for marketers, and almost 30% of Facebook users are 25-34 which includes the median age of road runners.

5.     Schedule and run the IMC elements – activities should be placed strategically in a marketing calendar to support overall business objectives such as key race registration dates

6.     Evaluate the Program and recommend changes – your own market research with runners will generate powerful insights that should be used in the planning cycle.  Events have the distinct advantage of having direct link with their primary stakeholders, if runners are not being surveyed this is a missed opportunity.

        .…and repeat for the next planning cycle

Good luck with your race planning and your Digital Marketing efforts!

Definitions:

Digital Marketing is marketing that uses electronic devices such as computers, smart phones, cell phones, tablets and game consoles to engage with stakeholders. Applies technologies/platforms such as websites, e-mail, apps (classic and mobile) and social networks.

Social Media Marketing is a component of digital marketing.  It is the online means of communication, collaboration, and cultivation of interconnected communities of people, communities and organizations enhanced through technological capabilities and mobility. 

"social media has the power to significantly impact a firm's reputation, sales, and even survival"

References

Texts:

Kerin, ., & Hartley, . (2011). The Core (3rd ed.). N.p.: mcgraw-hill

Tuten, ., & Solomon, . (2013). Social media marketing. Pearson

Eagle, ., Dahl, ., Hill, ., & Bird, . (2013). Social marketing. Pearson

Kietzmann, J. H., Hermkens, K., McCarthy, I. P., & Silvestre, (2011).   Business Horizons (Vol. 54).  j.bushor.2011.01.005 

Agencies

Leo Burnett Agency, Toronto

Tribal Worldwide, Vancouver

Blue Sky Creative, Vancouver

Web

Social Media Examiner https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/

E Marketer https://www.emarketer.com/Articles/Print.aspx?R=1009976

BMO Vancouver Marathon https://bmovanmarathon.ca/

Eurpoean Travel Commission Digital Protal https://etc-digital.org/digital-trends/consumer-behaviour/demographics/regional-overview/north-america/

PewResearch https://www.pewinternet.org/2013/12/30/social-media-update-2013/

YouTube

Jeff Fromm "Marketing to Millennials" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U1F27qpCYs

Andrea Eby – Vancouver International Marathon Society
8th AIMS Symposium Athens – November 8, 2014