Project 2022: Pantheon

[GrandpaD]

A tweet "look what we got today" costs nothing yet would be picked up by industry and local media for thousands of dollars of free hype. Same goes for that "last piece of track in place" tweet.

It's not a corporate thing because we've seen multiple tweets from BGT regarding Iron Gwazi and (shock) even merchandising. Same is true for SWO. Maybe it's time for a change at BGW.

 

[JohnD]

I’d welcome seeing data on how much hype on ‘free’ social media translates to the bottom line (other than the bottom line of social media). Local media is sure to cover, at no prompting. Industry media, who knows what that delivers.

Edit: Targeted, paid advertising on social media is a different story.

 

[GrandpaD]

I’d welcome seeing data on how much hype on ‘free’ social media translates to the bottom line (other than the bottom line of social media). Local media is sure to cover, at no prompting. Industry media, who knows what that delivers.

I don't have qualitative data but after working in advertising/marketing over half of my life, any free media (local or national) has value to the bottom line. Let's say Amusement Insider runs the tweet and 5 enthusiasts decide to make a trip to Williamsburg. You didn't spend a dime yet you have potentially 5 families buying tickets. Plus thousands others that are now aware of BGW

Here's an interesting article about social media value.

Bottom line is if social media wasn't showing an ROI, then no business would have a social media department. I can't think of a company that doesn't these days. It's just some are much, much better than others.

 

[BGW Family]

Carowinds put web cameras on their constructions. Watching Fury go up, and the seeing the first train run, was exciting and made me feel part of the process.

 

[MAZ]

I also watched Fury construction. Then drove out there when it opened, feeling the same connection you are speaking of above. BGW could be doing so much more to hype this coaster. The days of ‘everything is a secret’ are over. There are no surprises anymore. The internet has ruined any and all elements of surprise. It’s time to embrace that reality BGW. Just sayin. It’s not too late for testing cams guys! Do it! I’ll watch.....and so will everybody else here!

 

[FoozMuz]

I don't think it's a big deal, as boring for us as it is. Everyone will feel the hype when it opens.

 

[JohnD]

The

I don't have qualitative data but after working in advertising/marketing over half of my life, any free media (local or national) has value to the bottom line. Let's say Amusement Insider runs the tweet and 5 enthusiasts decide to make a trip to Williamsburg. You didn't spend a dime yet you have potentially 5 families buying tickets. Plus thousands others that are now aware of BGW

Here's an interesting article about socia

Bottom line is if social media wasn't showing an ROI, then no business would have a social media department. I can't think of a company that doesn't these days. It's just some are much, much better than others.

I don't have qualitative data but after working in advertising/marketing over half of my life, any free media (local or national) has value to the bottom line. Let's say Amusement Insider runs the tweet and 5 enthusiasts decide to make a trip to Williamsburg. You didn't spend a dime yet you have potentially 5 families buying tickets. Plus thousands others that are now aware of BGW

Here's an interesting article about social media value.

Bottom line is if social media wasn't showing an ROI, then no business would have a social media department. I can't think of a company that doesn't these days. It's just some are much, much better than others.

The ones doing better at it pay for it, or associate a specific promotion code with the posts so they can track the results.

Back to the original point I was making: The free media will be just as much available one month before open date, as it is two months before. If BGW is running a tight marketing effort, they’ll launch the free and paid efforts concurrently, to amplify (stretch) the paid spend.

 

[MAZ]

I don't think it's a big deal, as boring for us as it is. Everyone will feel the hype when it opens.

You’re right. It’s not a big deal for us. We’ll get our ‘fix’ when it opens. But from a marketing standpoint, they need to be creating a ‘need to visit’ for everyone else. The people who don’t frequent the park. I mean, that’s the whole point for marketing right? Getting people four states away wanting to visit your park is marketing success.

 

[JohnD]

Getting people four states away wanting to visit your park is marketing success.

As is getting people four hours away wanting to visit more frequently.

 

[GrandpaD]

The


The ones doing better at it pay for it, or associate a specific promotion code with the posts so they can track the results.

Back to the original point I was making: The free media will be just as much available one month before open date, as it is two months before. If BGW is running a tight marketing effort, they’ll launch the free and paid efforts concurrently, to amplify (stretch) the paid spend.

I'm not going to get into Marketing 101. Social media is free media. If you pay for it, that's advertising. Companies like Wendy's and Poptarts come to mind because they kick ass on Twitter (which is free). They both initiated viral campaigns that made national news and it didn't cost a cent. In social media, there are analytics that track readers, likes, dislikes, etc. They don't need promo codes to see if something is working.

There's such a thing as building momentum. Which, to keep it current, is what BGT, KI, Hershey, etc. have and are doing. They've all kept their product in the forefront with social media. Then, when it's closer to opening, they don't have to use part of their advertising budget to explain WHAT it is because they've already done that for months in free social media.

So, in regards to your original point... No... A one month total marketing campaign is not more valuable than two months of social media plus a month of paid advertising. The only thing "tight" might be actual paid advertising dollars available which can be countered by a more aggressive viral social media effort.

 

[FoozMuz]

The real push will come with billboards and pizza boxes and the like as always, presumably. I dont think it's the type of product you need to build up hype momentum for necessary, you just have to make a visit appealing enough for people to plan a trip that weekend or so. The social media stuff is certainly cheap enough that most parks can really stay on top of it though... the listed position makes me imagine the person who does it now is not thrilled with the responsibility.

 

[Zachary]

Everyone seems to be losing track of the fact that BGW targets more than just people in the immediate Hampton Roads or RVA area. People in the north east are deciding where they’re going to visit this spring and summer right now. BGW is supposed to be a core part of drawing those potential tourists to Williamsburg instead of a place like Hershey, DC, or even Orlando.

If those people are consistently seeing promotional content from the likes of Hersheypark and Busch Gardens Tampa and not from BGW, they’re going to book their flights and not give Williamsburg another thought. One month isn’t enough. The park needs to keep attention and excitement built up around Pantheon continuously from announcement to opening and throughout its first year.

 

[JohnD]

I wouldn’t be surprised if BGW holds back on a major marketing push for the park until project 2021 is completed - enabling them to package along with Pantheon a more compelling proposition in a full-scale blitz campaign. A package and message that might more convince the GP to drive 3-4 hours in a different direction.

 

[----------------------]

I wouldn’t be surprised if BGW holds back on a major marketing push for the park until project 2021 is completed - enabling them to package along with Pantheon a more compelling proposition in a full-scale blitz campaign. A package and message that might more convince the GP to drive 3-4 hours in a different direction.

There is zero chance this happens. You don’t just scrifice a year of advertising when youre building one of the most highly anticipated rides of the year. Also this is the only new coaster between jersey and florida afaik, theyre gonna advertise this.

 

[GrandpaD]

Why the F would the park build a $25 million dollar project and then wait a frickin' year to promote it? The whole concept of SEAS' "new attraction a year" effort is to build and maintain excitement about the park, expand the season ticket base, and to attract those (as @Zachary said) vacationers that might be on the fence where to go for that Summer vacation.

For 2020 Pantheon will be the "star or headliner" in the "show" called Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Then, in 2021, "Drachen Spire" steps into the spotlight. Obviously, you don't promote the show without mentioning the star...roller coasters don't make cameos.

BGW has had TWO opportunities to show off the trains to the GP (only enthusiasts have been exposed thus far). They had a lead car in the US a month before the hard hat tour. And now the container(s). And they've chosen to just let it slide. Unbelievable!

 

[JohnD]

They have two opportunities, agreed - it's a matter of apportionment of the marketing spend/intensity over the next 3-year period.

For sure, there will be the normal faire marketing and promotion for Pantheon - they likely want to nail the opening date, before pushing out any substantial marketing - I'd venture to guess that's why the marketing has been insubstantial to date. I wouldn't market anything beyond teasers, until it's cleared all the testing, i.e., the risk of eggus-omelette on everyone's face.

When I say 'big' with the marketing push, I mean at a scale that SEAS/BGW has not normally operated. While it may be a yawn for coaster enthusiasts, 2021 is the deliverable that puts BGW on the national map with the general public. For that reason, I could see the intensity of the marketing building to a 2021 crescendo. This overall marketing push needs to sustain BGW for a few years; I'd hazard to guess, as perhaps others have, the next significant step-up for the park wont come before the 2025/2026 period, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the US.

 

[BGWnut]

They have two opportunities, agreed - it's a matter of apportionment of the marketing spend/intensity over the next 3-year period.

For sure, there will be the normal faire marketing and promotion for Pantheon - they likely want to nail the opening date, before pushing out any substantial marketing - I'd venture to guess that's why the marketing has been insubstantial to date. I wouldn't market anything beyond teasers, until it's cleared all the testing, i.e., the risk of eggus-omelette on everyone's face.

When I say 'big' with the marketing push, I mean at a scale that SEAS/BGW has not normally operated. While it may be a yawn for coaster enthusiasts, 2021 is the deliverable that puts BGW on the national map with the general public. For that reason, I could see the intensity of the marketing building to a 2021 crescendo. This overall marketing push needs to sustain BGW for a few years; I'd hazard to guess, as perhaps others have, the next significant step-up for the park wont come before the 2025/2026 period, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the US.

I won't argue about when BGW will start spending significant marketing $ towards commercials and such. That will likely start once they announce an opening month.

But posting pictures and updates to Twitter or Facebook is free. They don't need to pay anything beyond the salary of people they are already paying to post things on social media. And they currently have lots of posts going up promoting park opening. BGT keeps on posting random pictures of Iron Gwazi construction all the time tying into what's going on around the park. And there's lots of sites that pick up on it and repost those pictures to their audiences. That's free marketing

The one piece of information that we don't know is whether this is a SEAS mandate or not. They might want the focus to be the Florida parks and have instructed BGW on what they want the park to do.

 

[madmax]

Oh nice people are pretending to be marketing experts again

 

[JohnD]

But posting pictures and updates to Twitter or Facebook is free.

Agree - as a practical matter however, if I'm planning a trip I need a specific date - not more pictures of track assembly and spokespeople telling me about how good it's going to be.

 

[hyperrider]

As is getting people four hours away wanting to visit more frequently.

This is where I fall. The building of Pantheon has succeeded for my household. However, when I talk to people around here, they aren't aware that a new coaster is even coming.