Enquiries should be addressed to either Helena or Marina.

Transcription

1 SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL FROM A PRODUCT MARKETING PERSPECTIVE Helena Haley Senior Research Associate TNS Canadian Facts Bloor Street East Toronto, Ontario M4W 3H8 Phone (416) ext. 221 Helena.Haley@tns-global.com Marina Gilson Research Director TNS Canadian Facts West Pender Street Vancouver BC V6E 4G1 Phone: marina.gilson@tns-global.com Enquiries should be addressed to either Helena or Marina. 1

2 Sustainable Travel From a Product Marketing Perspective TNS Canadian Facts 2007

3 There Are Times When It Is Appropriate To Use Colourful Language Helena Haley and Marina Gilson TNS Canadian Facts TNS Canadian Facts 2007

4 Helena Haley TNS Canadian Facts AU$ 180 million advertising campaign launched in 2006 by Tourism Australia TNS Canadian Facts 2007

5 Presentation Outline: Background Objectives Methodology Key Findings Implications 5

6 Background TNS Canadian Facts 2007

7 Background Advertising testing has many benefits for all sectors, including tourism. The effectiveness of the message is dependent on many consumer-centric considerations; and media spend for ineffective advertising far outweighs the cost of ad testing. We look at these issues within the context of marketing the concept of sustainable tourism, and associated products and offerings. 7

8 What is sustainable tourism? Environment Socio / Cultural Aspects Balance Economy 8

9 What does sustainable tourism mean to consumers? Do consumers hold limited views of what sustainable tourism is? expensive organized tours to Galapagos Islands? rough backpacking in Africa? volunteering in remote, third world countries? If so, how to let them know that it is also: family trips city breaks home exchange and much more? 9

10 How to market sustainable travel? How can tourism marketers explain their sustainable practices to travellers? What messages do travellers want to hear? What about credibility? Since the concept is new, is it best to have a simple and short message or a longer one trying to educate consumers? What types of visuals best reinforce the sustainability message? Next, we look at four sustainable tourism ads. 10

11 Case Study 1 Explore!: What does the image communicate to travellers? Are the bullet-points making it easier to grasp the offer? Is sloped layout the most favourable layout for the text? Do the logos provide credibility, or do they just create clutter? 11

12 Case Study 2 Rain or Reindeer: Does the image of the reindeer take away from the credibility of the message, or is humour a favourable factor in this ad? Could the company s product be better illustrated through a wider range of activities? Do too many images overburden the ad? Do potential customers even notice the logos? 12

13 Case Study 3 - Earthwatch: Is it clear what the ultimate product is? Does the image inspire or intimidate consumers about sustainable tourism? Does using a number of different-size fonts make the text hard to read? Is there too much copy overall? 13

14 Case Study 4 Isle of Man: Does lack of destination-specific imagery weaken the message? Which destination is being featured? Do the colours portray a welcoming destination? Does this seem like a warning sign? Is the font size too small? Does the image connote aggression? Does it make sustainable travel seem like hard work? 14

15 Objectives TNS Canadian Facts 2007

16 Objectives This presentation will demonstrate how a hypothetical sustainable tourism marketer can evaluate the effectiveness of written and visual communication used in advertising. Using an innovative interactive tool, we will give a few examples on how ads can be tweaked to best leverage the message. 16

17 Methodology TNS Canadian Facts 2007

18 Methodology A national survey of 971 online Canadian travellers was conducted in March of Respondents qualified as English-speaking Canadian residents 18 years of age or older, who: had taken an overnight pleasure/vacation trip in the past two years; or claimed an intention to take an overnight pleasure/vacation trip in the next twelve months. Sample was sourced from the TNS online access panel. 18

19 Methodology (Cont d) The data was weighted by key demographics (region, age, gender, Income, education), to represent the Canadian online population (or English-speaking population in Quebec). We have applied our FutureView model to illustrate how trendsetters FutureShapers TM -- can positively influence future acceptance of the sustainable tourism concept. 19

20 Key Findings TNS Canadian Facts 2007

21 Types of vacations that Canadians are taking and planning (among online population 18+) Types of Trips Taken vs. Planned 94% 74% Past 2 Years Next 12 Months 20% 19% 10% 9% 18% Fully prepackaged vacation Customized by a travel agent vacation An independently planned vacation* Don't Know Base: Total = 971 Q3A/4A. Have you taken any out-of-town trips of one or more nights away from home, for pleasure or vacation, in the past 2 years? / What types of vacations have you taken in the past 2 years? * Independently planned vacation: a vacation planned by you/your family/friends. Q3B/4B. Do you plan to take any out-of-town pleasure or vacation trips of one or more nights away from home in the next 12 months? Which types of vacations do you plan to take in the next 12 months or so? 21

22 What are the types of travel Canadians practice most often? (among English-speaking online population 18+) Budget Travel / Road Trips Leisure / All-Inclusive Travel 21% 26% 35% 34% Cultural / Heritage Travel Business Travel Adventure / Eco-tourism Volunteer Travel Home-Exchange Spa / Wellness Travel Other Types of Travel 1% 2% 1% 0% 4% 4% 3% 3% 6% 7% 6% 9% 18% 15% Total FutureShapers TM Base: Total = 971 FutureShapers TM = 98 Circled numbers show differences that are statistically significant at 95% confidence level.. Q5. Which one of the following types of travel do you practice most often? 22

23 And what are the types they would like to practice most often (given there are no restrictions of time or money)? (among English-speaking online population 18+) (2) Leisure / All-Inclusive Travel 50% 57% (3) Cultural / Heritage Travel (5) Adventure / Eco-tourism 15% 17% 12% 15% (1) Budget Travel / Road Trips (8) Spa / Wellness Travel (6) Volunteer Travel (4) Business Travel 1% 5% 3% 2% 0% 1% 2% 8% (7) Home-Exchange Other Type of Travel 1% 0% 5% 5% Total FutureShapers TM Base: Total = 971 FutureShapers TM = 98 Circled numbers show differences that are statistically significant at 95% confidence level. In brackets: ranking in the previous question, most often practiced type of travel. 23 Q6. Thinking about all the possible types of travel you could do anywhere in the world, with no financial or time restrictions, if you had to choose one that you would like to practice most, what would it be? Of course, you can choose the same type of travel that you did in the previous question.

24 Highlighter TM Highlighter TM is a technique which simulates pencil and paper highlighting of words, phrases, images or sections; Using an online tool, respondents highlight words, phrases, or images they respond to positively in one colour; and, Highlight words, phrases or images they respond to negatively in another colour. 24

25 Rain? or reindeer! - POSITIVES (Among English-speaking online population 18+) 15% 21% 25% 28% 18% 33% 31% 15% 16% 26% 25% 26% 26% 24% 25 5% 11% 7% 7% 6% 0%-9% 10%-19% 20%-29% 30%-39% 40%-60% Base: Total = 992

26 Rain? or reindeer! - Differences* in POSITIVES (Among Total Sample and FutureShapers TM ) FutureShapers TM VS. *Difference statistically significant at 95% confidence level Total Sample 37% 26% 11% 15% 15% 7% 7% 26 0%-9% 10%-19% 20%-29% 30%-39% 40%-60% Base: Total = 971 FutureShapers =98

27 Rain? or reindeer! - NEGATIVES (Among English-speaking online population 18+) 5% 4% 4% 9% 3% 12% 5% 3% 5% 3% 4% 3% 4% 4% 27 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 0%-9% 10%-19% 20%-29% 30%-39% 40%-60% Base: Total = 992

28 Rain? or reindeer! - Differences* in NEGATIVES (Among Total Sample and FutureShapers TM ) FutureShapers TM VS. *Difference statistically significant at 95% confidence level Total Sample 19% 12% 9% 11% 3% 5% 28 0%-9% 10%-19% 20%-29% 30%-39% 40%-60% Base: Total = 971 FutureShapers =98

29 Volunteered Improvements to the Rain? or reindeer! Ad (among online population 18+ vs. among FutureShapers TM ) Image (net) 16% 24% Reindeer 7% 15% Five Activity Photos 4% 4% Rain 3% 6% Copy (net) 2% 4% Total FutureShapers TM Base: Total = 971 FutureShapers TM = 98 Circled numbers show difference statistically significant at 95% confidence level.. 29 Q: What, if anything, would you change or improve about this ad? What different text, images, or colour schemes would make you like the ad more?

30 Earthwatch - POSITIVES (Among English-speaking online population 18+) 12% 18% 24% Clean Clean copy copy 24% 24% 15% 22% 21% 22% 22% 15% 22% 20% 24% 9% 25% 19% 8% 18% 21% 10% 30 17% 0%-9% 10%-19% 20%-29% 30%-39% 40%-60% Base: Total = 992

31 Earthwatch - Differences* in POSITIVES (Among Total Sample and FutureShapers TM ) FutureShapers TM Earthwatch - POSITIVES VS. *Difference statistically significant at 95% confidence level Total Sample Clean Clean copy copy 35% 25% 36% 33% 33% 34% 35% 31% 37% 24% 15% 22% 21% 22% 22% 22% 20% 24% 40% 29% 29% 35% 25% 19% 18% 21% 20% 10% 31 27% 17% 0%-9% 10%-19% 20%-29% 30%-39% 40%-60% Base: Total = 971 FutureShapers =98

32 Earthwatch - NEGATIVES (Among English-speaking online population 18+) 6% 5% 14% Clean Clean copy copy 7% 7% 4% 7% 8% 8% 12% 5% 7% 5% 9% 4% 7% 4% 4% 2% 6% 3% 32 2% 0%-9% 10%-19% 20%-29% 30%-39% 40%-60% Base: Total = 992

33 Volunteered Improvements to the Earthwatch Ad (among online population 18+ vs. among FutureShapers TM ) Image (net) 16% 21% The person s face Need picture of wildlife/wilderness 6% 7% 3% 6% Copy (net) The fonts are hard to read Change colour of the font (white) Image vs. Copy (net) Too busy/cluttered 5% 4% 6% 5% 3% 5% 12% 16% 11% 11% Too much text/simplify 3% 6% Total FutureShapers TM Base: Total = 971 FutureShapers TM = 98 Circled numbers show difference statistically significant at 95% confidence level.. 33 Q: What, if anything, would you change or improve about this ad? What different text, images, or colour schemes would make you like the ad more?

34 Explore! - POSITIVES (Among English-speaking online population 18+) 31% 36% 31% 4% 37% 16% 16% 15% 14% 18% 17% 14% 16% 15% 11% 9% 12% 17% 15% 16% 15% 16% 16% 11% 17% 8% 18% 34 21% 0%-9% 10%-19% 20%-29% 30%-39% 40%-60% Base: Total = 992

35 Explore! - Differences* in POSITIVES (Among Total Sample and FutureShapers TM ) FutureShapers TM VS. *Difference statistically significant at 95% confidence level Total Sample 60% 27% 32% 23% 23% 27% 23% 30% 30% 37% 15% 16% 12% 11% 16% 14% 16% 16% 15% 20% 33% 11% 17% 30% 28% 24% 20% 8% 17% 15% 9% 18% 29% 24% 20% 25% 26% 35 31% 25% 16% 15% 14% 18% 17% 21% 15% 0%-9% 10%-19% 20%-29% 30%-39% 40%-60% Base: Total = 971 FutureShapers =98

36 Explore! - NEGATIVES (Among English-speaking online population 18+) 7% 6% 6% 0% 3% 3% 3% 4% 6% 2% 3% 3% 2% 3% 3% 4% 2% 2% 3% 3% 4% 1% 2% 4% 3% 3% 2% 3% 36 0%-9% 10%-19% 20%-29% 30%-39% 40%-60% Base: Total = 992

37 Explore! - Differences* in NEGATIVES (Among Total Sample and FutureShapers TM ) FutureShapers TM VS. *Difference statistically significant at 95% confidence level Total Sample 10% 4% 6% 8% 2% 3% 37 0%-9% 10%-19% 20%-29% 30%-39% 40%-60% Base: Total = 971 FutureShapers =98

38 Volunteered Improvements to the Explore! Ad (among online population 18+ vs. among FutureShapers TM ) Copy (net) 10% 15% EX in Experience Beyond? Give hope to poachers Image (net) 9% 9% Lack of variety Not clear what the men are doing Black man: scarf, boots White man: looks like a tourist, shows domination Total FutureShapers TM Base: Total = 971 FutureShapers TM = Q: What, if anything, would you change or improve about this ad? What different text, images, or colour schemes would make you like the ad more?

39 Isle of Man - POSITIVES (Among English-speaking online population 18+) 12% 12% 11% 10% 13% 14% 15% 13% 10% 10% 14% 12% 7% 9% 9% 10% 10% 10% 8% 3% 20% 36% 29% 25% 12% 36% 0% 39 0%-9% 10%-19% 20%-29% 30%-39% 40%-60% Base: Total = 992

40 Isle of Man - Differences* in POSITIVES (Among Total Sample and FutureShapers TM ) FutureShapers TM VS. *Difference statistically significant at 95% confidence level Total Sample 20% 10% 21% 10% 27% 8% 37% 17% 6% 20% 36% 29% 10% 25% 0% 11% 36% 0% 40 0%-9% 10%-19% 20%-29% 30%-39% 40%-60% Base: Total = 971 FutureShapers =98

41 Isle of Man - NEGATIVES (Among English-speaking online population 18+) 10% 8% 8% 7% 7% 6% 7% 6% 7% 7% 7% 7% 7% 9% 8% 6% 7% 7% 8% 0% 9% 12% 4% 3% 1% 2% 0% 41 0%-9% 10%-19% 20%-29% 30%-39% 40%-60% Base: Total = 992

42 Isle of Man - Differences* in NEGATIVES (Among Total Sample and FutureShapers TM ) FutureShapers TM 14% 13% 12% 12% 13% 13% 17% 14% 13% VS. *Difference statistically significant at 95% confidence level Total Sample 8% 7% 6% 6% 7% 7% 9% 8% 6% 14% 8% 42 0%-9% 10%-19% 20%-29% 30%-39% 40%-60% Base: Total = 971 FutureShapers =98

43 Volunteered Improvements to the Isle of Man Ad (among online population 18+ vs. among FutureShapers TM ) Copy (net) Increase the font 13% 17% 19% 25% Change the slogans Change the colour of the text (white) Image (net) Symbol 2% 5% 8% 8% 7% 10% 14% 21% Overall colour too dark / blue Lack of scenery / actual region 3% 4% 2% 7% Total FutureShapers TM Base: Total = 971 FutureShapers TM = 98 Circled numbers show difference statistically significant at 95% confidence level.. 43 Q: What, if anything, would you change or improve about this ad? What different text, images, or colour schemes would make you like the ad more?

44 Implications TNS Canadian Facts 2007

45 Implications By asking consumers to select words, phrases and graphic images that evoke positive responses, and those that elicit negative ones, this tool provides a consumer-centric means to answer marketers questions: What is driving consumer interest in my ad? How do I develop the most compelling way to present my message? What can I do to improve on the effectiveness of this ad? Is my message more effective among key consumer segments such as FutureShapers? 45

46 Implications (cont d) In addition, this technique provides an analytical framework to optimize slogans, words, phrases, images, and colours that contribute to meaningful communication on complex topics such as sustainable tourism. 46

47 Overall Ad Layout Effective layout of print ads provides a clear path through the images and copy that most readers will follow, and will evoke a positive reaction, as well as comprehension of the key ad elements. It also does not overburden the reader by an excessive number / variety of images. 47

48 Just ensure that the key elements of your ad are featured within the natural path of reader attention! 48

49 Images Compelling or humorous images (such as the reindeer) may attract some negative feedback; however, the ability of an image to draw readers into the ad may outweigh this consideration. 49

50 Images (cont d) The main image in the Explore! ad engendered some confusion, and drew some fire for racial overtones. While the overall response was very positive, some modifications to the image (based on advertising testing results) would enable the client to eliminate this type of negative connotation. 50

51 Images (cont d) Dark background colours, a forceful pose, and a hidden face are likely to give an impression of aggression and violence to some readers. A livelier nuance of the colour blue and a person paddling toward the reader could increase positive associations with the destination. 51

52 Copy and Text Formatting No surprise -- consumers do not respond positively to: Small font sizes; Mixed fonts, types and text sizes; or, Ads which are too cluttered by either copy or images. 52

53 Sustainable tourism Hot Buttons The following copy text drew the best response from the total sample: Experience! Feel the adventure! Explore! Become ozone friendly! Set yourself free! Wildlife / Reindeer 53

54 And what about FutureShapers? FutureShapers are more likely than average travellers to respond positively to phrases and words such as: Reduce my footprint Give a little back Requirement Volunteer in a community Responsible travel Relationship 54

55 FutureShapers respond very differently to the ads: FutureShapers, the travel opinion leaders, prefer content-heavy ads. They want to gain information, and positively respond to ads that provide this via copy. Moreover, they are likely to seek sources of detailed information about the product, such as websites and toll-free telephone numbers. FutureShapers also pay more attention to the ad sponsor s association and membership logos these lend credibility to the company, and support the FutureShapers opinions. 55

56 TNS Canadian Facts 2007

57 Appendix 57

58 Who are the FutureShapers, and why are they important? TNS FutureView is a model for identifying people who will shape the future of a market. The model is hierarchical in nature and groups people into five categories: Future Shapers most influential on the future direction of a market Future Makers Today Consumers Yesterday Consumers Yesteryear Consumers FutureShapers are the trendsetters and the most important group of consumers with respect to future market potential. They are: early adopters; enthusiastic supporters of products/services/ideas; active advocates of adoption; FutureShapers support is validated to have a significant impact on future growth. 58

59 Highlighter TM TNS Highlighter TM is an innovative online tool that allows marketers to evaluate the effectiveness of written or visual communication. It can be used at any stage in concept or product development, from early testing to assess the strength of various messages and / or product attributes to later stages of development to determine the comprehension and appeal of the product as portrayed in marketing material. Highlighter TM has a wide range of potential applications. To date it has been used on: - Concept testing - Positioning research - Package testing - Product naming research - Print ad testing - Product configuration testing - Copy testing 59