Charlene Ashley, Contributor
HORACE PETERKIN
FROM A marketing perspective organisers ensure that the festivals have a serious purpose: to accelerate the emergence of a new economic paradigm that is life-affirming and life-restoring; cultivating a culture of sustainability and social equity that honours our interdependence with all life.
These festivals unite businesses, social and environmental groups, visionary thinkers and thousands of community members in a lively exchange of ideas, enjoyment, commerce and movement building fun.
Persons have fun interacting with others, for the sheer joy of it.
Organisers seek various strategies to entice interest in the festivals.
The larger the festival, the greater the level of specialisation needed. Thus, events like Reggae Sumfest or Jazz and Blues see the hiring of public relations professionals who are focused on getting the events into the news through interesting angles and breaking stories.
ADVERTISING AGENCIES
Then there are the advertising agencies, employed to create and place ads and manage the erecting of signs and billboards. These are supported by promotional teams employing direct marketing techniques to 'drum up excitement', handing out fliers, putting up posters, creating give-away activities from the sponsors and organisers.
MEDIA PARTNERS
Thus, we may be able to win tickets to Jazz and Blues by answering questions about what artiste will be on the show. Organisers ensure that they have media partners with vested interests in these shows. Media wants interesting programme content, the organisers want air time, and so the exchange. Promos on radio may speak to reading the newspaper for tips and texting a response to a given cellular provider.
Thus, the radio gets listeners, the newspaper gets readers, the sponsor (the cellphone company) gets customers (and makes money) and the organisers are creating excitement around the festival. It's a win-win situation for all. Of the many, I would dare say there are two premium festivals currently in the island, Reggae Sumfest and Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues.
AROUND FOR YEARS
These festivals have been around for years and have gained the reputation of providing a stellar line-up, good production quality and money well-invested from sponsors and patrons alike.
With all the festivals already being staged in Jamaica, do we have the time for yet another festival? Head of JHTA, Horace Peterkin, seems to think so. 'There are a number of slow periods within the tourism industry and this season is one of them."
FUSION OF JAMAICAN CULTURE
Rhythm & Spice festival, which will see a fusion of Jamaican culture with that of New Orleans, he said. And why not, the mecca of reggae music with the mecca of the blues. The festival, which is slated for its premiere November 3 to 5 in Montego Bay, is positioned to bring international attention to our shores, as the festival will be the first non-U.S. effort to support New Orleans.
Part proceeds of the festival have been committed towards the displaced musicians of New Orleans.
The many festivals staged are planned for months in advance. Getting the right professional team and the right investor can be a make or break for any festival.
Organisers of Rhythm & Spice seem to be aware of that and, as such, have put together an impressive team including Jampro - which will be providing planning, organisational and local marketing support; Jamaica Tourist Board - providing planning and overseas marketing support. Through their PR agencies (Ruder Finn etc.) JTB will carry out an intensive campaign to get the word out.
The Ministry of Tourism is there to cater planning and logistics. Peterkin has also garnered the support of other bodies and as such other stakeholders / sponsors include Office of the Prime Minister, City of New Orleans, Mayor Ray Nagin (New Orleans), JHTA -Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association; Councillor Noel Donaldson (Mayor of Montego Bay); TPDCo -Tourism Product Development (Endorsement); Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce; Margaritaville ; American Airlines and Jamaica Tours.
OK, so we got the players right - I firmly the believe that it's the level and quality of marketing that 'deliver people to the gates' and thus that determines whether the festival is a worthwhile investment for these parties. Marketing activities for such international events may generally start six weeks prior to the event but no later than three weeks.
Marketers pay major attention to the time that persons may have disposable income and what are main plans for the upcoming weeks or month, the placement of ads - which socio-economic group is being targeted, which group has the disposable income to pay the ticket prices and as such, which media houses should ads be placed on, in what programmes, what day of the week is the newspaper readership highest within that particular target market.
Attention is also paid to the geographical location, which the mass will come from, and the media of their choice in that given area.
Time has been taken to design a festival catering to varying interests and as such the festival begins with an exclusive VIP party at Margaritaville. They then move on to The Battle of the Chefs where three top chefs from New Orleans will square off with three of Jamaica's top chefs, in a fun competition to see who can produce the best overall dish. Chefs will be timed.
At the end of the competition the patrons will partake of the delicacies produced by the chefs. They will dine on candle lit tables set with linen tablecloths, waited on by white-gloved waiters.
The event is being produced for television Food Network and other independent TV shows. Again the marketing at work. The exposure that the festival and indeed the island will receive from the filming by the Food Network and other stations is undeniable.
According to Peterkin, "The Jamaica/New Orleans Music and Food Festival is a public/private sector initiative that will create a partnership between Jamaica and New Orleans to stage an annual festival featuring the finest in music, food and hospitality and to lay the foundation for further trade development between Jamaica and New Orleans."
Saturday is touted to be the big day where the air will be filled with the sound of music of 12 amazing bands; six from New Orleans alternating with six from Jamaica. Mix this with the smells of delicacies from the Jamaican & the New Orleans food stalls & the widest array of beverages and wines. Restaurateurs and hoteliers and corporate entities will have booths with their best on display.
All against the amazing backdrop of the cruise pier.
Like Reggae Sumfest and the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, it will provide an ever increasing medium to increase corporate and product awareness. With the marketing plan which is in place organisers have the ambitious projections of generating at least 25% of the value of the established Jazz & Blues marketing exposure - both locally and internationally.
Charlene Ashley
Marketing Consultant
C/o Ashchar Consultants Ltd
Email : cashley@ashcharltd.com
