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Mapping Our Future Contents:
Need/OpportunityThe Calgary Exhibition and Stampede (CE&S) is a volunteer supported, nonprofit organization that preserves and promotes Western heritage and values. The organization began as an agricultural fair in 1886, and continues to grow and evolve in step with Calgary. Today, it is a CDN$100 million operation. Stampede Park is a gathering place for Calgary, welcoming more than four million visitors each year. Stampede Park hosts more than 1,300 events ranging from commerce, trade, sports and entertainment, celebration, and learning, aside from the many activities held at the Pengrowth Saddledome—the home of the local National Hockey League team and the site of all major concerts. Although the biggest connection to the community remains the Calgary Stampede festival each July, the organization is working hard to connect with Calgarians and visitors every day of the year. The CE&S has a bold and exciting vision for the future. After 20 years of consultation and planning, the organization is moving ahead with the development of the 193-acre Stampede Park into a multi-use community park. The CE&S needed to share the complete “picture” of the future Stampede Park, confirming the concept for changes in the area and gaining further understanding and support for the development. A reputation management study was completed in 2002–03, with ongoing baseline updates. It found that Calgarians generally did not understand the need for the development. They questioned whether it was just to allow more room for the midway during the annual festival. The research also found that Calgarians didn’t understand the value of the CE&S’s year-round contribution to the economic strength, culture and character of Calgary. Intended AudiencesThe CE&S research manager leads ongoing audience identification research. Ipsos Reid conducted demographic analysis of the city population, providing a complete view of the rapidly growing Calgary population—their views and understanding of the CE&S. Audiences were segmented between Stampede boosters and non-boosters. Boosters describe people with an existing, positive perspective on the Stampede, who would be interested in learning more about the organization. CE&S decided to focus on Stampede boosters, as its most supportive audience, to receive this map. Primary AudienceBooster Segment #1: Super Stampeders
Booster Segment #2: Classic Calgarians
Booster Segment #3: Professional Partiers
New Calgarians: people who may have moved from other parts of Alberta, Canada or the world in the last three years Stampede Park Neighbors: people who live in the communities surrounding Stampede Park Goals and ObjectivesThe CE&S vision is to be a world-class, year-round gathering place for Calgarians and visitors. This year-round gathering place will bring the community together for trade and commerce, entertainment, sport, and celebration 365 days a year. The goal of the “Mapping Our Future” piece was to communicate the existence and progress of the CE&S’s development plan and to foster community understanding and support for the CE&S vision. Communication Objectives
Solution OverviewThe CE&S wanted to reach the busy, overloaded audiences, and knew they had to create something simple, easy to read, concise and attractive—and within the set budget of CDN$75,000. The CE&S decided to go with the concept of a map as a short, succinct and creative way to explain the role and the contribution of the CE&S to the city. The company wanted more visuals than copy, knowing that a picture can tell a better and longer lasting story than words. The CE&S really wanted to draw the audience into the company’s “future vision” for the city, and using a picture was the best way to do so. The audience needed to understand the map as an “illustrated vision” rather than a factually accurate rendering of a future site plan. The style and naming of the map was specifically chosen for that reason. A double-sided, approximately 27 in. by 22 in. folding pamphlet was developed, with one side showing an artist’s rendering of Stampede Park at project completion and the flip side outlining general details about the CE&S and some current community initiatives. The CE&S’ key messages centered on who they are, what they do and where they are going. NRG Research Group was hired to test public reaction and determine whether the piece was successful in delivering the key messages. A focus group of seven people was held on 20 September 2006, with positive findings. The participants supported the piece and strongly believed it improved their understanding of the CE&S. Suggestions for a few improvements were made relating to colors, visual flow and font use, all of which were incorporated. Implementation and ChallengesThe CE&S needed to reach as much of their target audience as possible within a budget of CDN$75,000. They decided to do a mail drop after finding newspaper distribution was too expensive. Final costs were:
This brought them in just a few hundred dollars over budget. Planning started in January 2006, and the piece was mailed in early October 2006. The CE&S realized one week after the mailing had been sent that they had not included everyone in the neighborhoods immediately around Stampede Park. They immediately had the mailing house pull the FSA codes and use their remaining copies to send to these groups. As it turned out, by increasing the overall numbers of the mailing, CE&S was eligible for a lower postage rate, which covered the addition mailing. This meant there was no negative impact to the overall budget. Measurement/EvaluationBetween 24 and 30 November 2006, NRG Research Group completed a tracking recall and impact study of the “Mapping Our Future” piece. Interviews were conducted with 1,000 adult Calgarians and, combined with the phone calls and e-mails received, the piece was found to be successful. The CE&S was thrilled to see the findings from the research confirm that they had more than met their communication objectives. The goal of the “Mapping Our Future” piece was to communicate the existence and progress of the CE&S’s development plan and to foster community understanding and support for the CE&S vision. Results from the research showed:
Phone calls and e-mails were tracked. From 15 comments received, seven were positive, two were neutral and six were negative. The negative comments showed concern for the cost of the development and potential parking issues. The positive comments included:
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