By Donna Ortega,
News Editor
THE JAMAICA Tourist Board (JTB) yesterday launched its US television advertising campaign for the winter season out of about US$2.8 million in funds received for the purpose from the Government.
Most of the placements are scheduled for the North American media throughout January, although some money will be used in a similar campaign in Europe.
Several weeks ago leading Jamaican hoteliers called for the Government to mount a US$8 million television advertising campaign overseas to help encourage winter travel to the island. The campaign launch fund is less than sector leaders suggested should be spent for television alone but the JTB says it has worked out a media schedule that is designed for maximum impact and to give a fillip to the rest of the season.
According to deputy director of Tourism, Trevor Riley: "The programme is a dynamic one which will provide an appropriate level of support for the industry at this time".
Asked whether the advertising was coming too late, despite the media saturation point reached during the US elections, its aftermath and the Christmas holidays, Mr. Riley responded in the negative.
"It would have been ideal to have it earlier but no it is not too late," he said.
US advertising agency Foote, Cone and Belding (FCB) has bought 6,446 television spot advertisements on behalf of the JTB.
Last November, The Gleaner reported the JTB owed FCB US$5 million and had exhausted its line of credit. However, the tourist board, said yesterday US$2.6 million of just more than US$4 million has been paid on the account to date.
A three-point strategy had been worked out to assess the US regional markets and to develop a programme for each one working with JTB's airline and tour operator partners, and in partnership with other groups which promote Jamaica. The idea is to support business out of markets such as Detroit, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, New York, Philadelphia, Boston (where Air Jamaica has launched new airlift), Baltimore, Washington D.C., as well as Cincinnati and Nashville which are charter markets for Jamaica Vacations Limited.
The entire programme is a co-operative programme with its travel partners in which images of Jamaica are combined on television and print advertisements with a "call-to-action" slug such as "Call your travel agent" or "Call 1-800-JAMAICA. The terms of this agreement mean every dollar spent by the tourist board on the television campaign is matched by the travel partners in the print campaign.
The print advertisements are to be supplemented by the traditional public relations and sales activity which will continue for the rest of the year.
Among the tourism partners involved in the advertising programme are Air Jamaica Vacations, Jamaica Reservations Service, Go Go Tours, Sunburst, American Express Travel Impressions and Apple-affiliate, Caribbean Vacations Network.
Prime slots on network affiliates such as NBC, ABC, Fox, CBS, UPN, WB and WGN have been selected. Popular talk shows, newscasts and soap operas are among the programmes which will feature the advertisements and these include the Morning Show on NBC Detroit, Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, Friends, The Today Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Letterman, Access Hollywood, Young and Restless, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Rosie O'Donnell, Soul Train and The Simpsons.
