Number of Interviews

Since we need to total up how many people we interviewed, can we each comment with how many people we each talked to/interviewed/emailed

Conversation Agenda

Conversation Agenda
Mendocino
May 7th 2007


The following is all presented orally:

1. Recap
Un-campaign
DINKS 25+ [35-44]

2. Research
Looked at OZONE research
Surveys (Unresponsive from spreadsheets) 11/1200
One-on-one interviews
Visits to Mendocino and surrounding area
Explored different lifestyles (and consumer habits)

3. What we found
Mendocino travelers are older 25+ [40-65]
Project: Younger target [35-45] How do we talk to them?
- Lovers
- Singles
- Families

What the boards and discussion will focus on:

4. DINKS’ lifestyles
- Working more, in high stress jobs
- Weekends are used for “catch up”
- Active lifestyle

5. The DINKS’ Vacation
Findings: What do they want from a vacation:
- To reinforce relationships
- To reinvigorate
- The element of Surprise
- Distance: They don’t want to go too far, when other places are closer
- Activity: Hiking or kayaking vs. sitting and reading

A. Get-a-way
- A trip planned around event/occasions
- 72 hours to just go (Distance)
- Having two schedules to think about


B. Comfort vs. Breakaway
(Graph)

6. Cycling List
- Top of mind (Mendocino isn’t there)
- Timeline – five year travel cycles (where Mendocino fits, and when)

7. Recommendations
Message Testing
1. If UN appeals to DINKS (“That says what it’s not”)
2. Minute for Minute (“Nice to know, but lacking”)

Strategy Suggestions
- It’s a mini New Zealand (Not New England)
- Debunk the Myths Sleepy, Hippie, and patchouli
- “Give me” a fireplace, the ocean, adventure, clean air
- UN to RE
Tactics
- “Plan it for us”
- Web 2.0
- Gadgets – widgets – Mash-ups

GoMendo.com

We should all probably become very aware of everything that is already going on the GoMendo.com website. They do already have a travel plan booklet and visitor guide, and they have a current survey on the website.

The questions read:

Mendocino County Promotional Alliance
Survey 2006

1. List three ways on how Mendocino County can structure its promotional and economic development programs to come together under one message, one plan, one vision and one community.

2. List four obstacles that you think might prevent such cooperation from occurring.

3. List four ways that any obstacles would be overcome.

4. What makes you feel really good about Mendocino County?

5. In twelve words or less state your vision for Mendocino County.

GoHawaii Trip Planner

Until now, this was a little too tactical for the Mendo project. As we barrel towards our meeting with the client it seems like a good time to give everyone a look at how Hawaii solved the problem.

Let's think about this.

When you think "Hawaii" do you think "Oahu, Waikiki Beach, Maui"? I know I do. Problem is, that's a sum-total of two islands. How to get people to the others? How to introduce the scads of cool things to do other than drink fruity concoctions and sunburns that make the islands special?

Enter the Go-Hawaii trip planner

You can use my log-in.
User: aeon@armstrongs.org
Pass: planning

Or you can make your own. I'm not sure how this thing will react to simultaneous users.

They used to have a really awesome flash app up at gohawaii.com, I have no idea where it went.

Strategy Statements

Claire Anne E. Marcelo
Strategy Statements:

Here’s what I looked further into:
-Getaways vs. Vacations: What does our target perfer? And why?
o Most vacations seemed planned where as getaways where most spontaneous
-The average American is working on the weekends or has a second job and the weekend is spent catching up on stuff going on during the week.
-How do they relieve their stress? A variety of ways from reading to running, it’s about activities

Mendocino

1. Catching up to what the week has left behind.
2. Bringing back what the weekends are all about.
3. It’s time! (They can never leave work behind)
4. Taking back what you rightfully deserve.
5. The weekends can be about numbers, numbers of hours you’re doing nothing.
6. Getting more with less

Monday's Class March 23, 2007

Class Notes......

working weekends
-adds pressure use spare time to catch up
-using free time for health
-med. sprit
-activity-regular regime
-vacations on weekends are a challenge
-plan them around events
-weddings, birthday etc....
-break away vs confront spots
-given little time to plan a vacation
-see 72hrs as a getaway vs a vacation
-there is a long list of comfont choices

Mendo
-has a reputation
-sleepy
-old
-pethouli (that smelly stuff)
-to far to drive
-think it is futher then it is

Curious abot Mendo
-brochue(s) of planned getaways
-a place to relax w/out people

"UN"
-missing something
-too much about waht it's not
-too much missing

The New Zeland of America
-gepgraphy
pasific, coast, inland
-activities
-accomondations


"UN-RE"
unkonwn reconnect
unspoiled reinvigorate
undiscovered rethink
refeel
refresh
reveal

isolation + reflection= ??????

The American Weekend is Endangered

INSIGHTS TO AMERICAN WEEKENDS WITHIN THE TARGET

More Americans are using their weekends to catch up to things that they couldn’t do during the week. It’s a magic whirlwind of must dos and when they weekend is over they sigh “Maybe next weekend”.

people are determined to take back their weekends: families who dine together on Friday nights, couples who travel instead of doing things to 'catch up' to the workload of the week.

55 percent of respondents said they spend more time doing things they have to do than things they want to do, and 47 percent of them work weekends. Our ideal weekend is relaxing with family, spending quality, perhaps intimate, time with spouse or partner, being outdoors, catching up on sleep and having alone time, the study reported.

The United States has now passed Japan as the industrialized world's most overworked land. In total hours, Americans work two weeks longer than the Japanese each year and two whole months longer than the Germans. On top of that, while Europeans and Australians are able to relieve the grind with four to six weeks of paid vacation each year guaranteed by law, Americans average a paltry nine days off after the first year on the job (and that's totally dependent on the whims of employers). If you need some time to tend to an illness in the family or paint the house, your vacation time is pretty much shot. Forget about Tuscany, Yosemite, or even a few days at a nearby state park.

Estimates are that about half of all U.S. workers suffer from symptoms of burnout. Pam Ammondson, author of Clarity Quest (Fireside, 1999), sees the wreckage in her Santa Rosa, California-based Clarity Quest workshops, designed to help people suffering from burnout reclaim their lives. "I see a lot of people who work 12 to 14 hours a day routinely," she says. "They want to make a change, but they're too tired to know how to do it. Overwhelmed is a word they use a lot. . . . We allow downtime for machinery, for maintenance and repair, but we don't allow it for the employees”

Yet a survey by the Families and Work Institute found that 64 percent of Americans want to work less, up from 47 percent in 1992.

* Over half (55%) of Americans spend more time doing things they have to do vs. what they want to do on the weekends.* Close to half of Americans (46%) bring work home with them.* Over half (53%) of Americans would work ten extra hours on the other 4 days of the week to get an extra day off work.* 13% of Americans would move to France for a four day work week. Americans: The Ultimate Procrastinators Many Americans plan their weekends at the last minute.

* 47% of Americans wait until Thursday morning or later to start thinking about their upcoming weekends

.* 41% of Americans think that Friday is the most important day forplanning their weekends. Red or Blue State, Americans Want More Time to themselves on the Weekends Americans across all demographics and regions are remarkably similar in how they spend weekend time.

* 93% of Americans say relaxing with family or loved ones is important to their weekend.

* Suburbanites claim their weekend sex is "better" than urbanites on the weekend; but across the nation intimacy is a big weekend activity.

* 44% of suburbanites think they have better sex on the weekends versus 39% of people in large urban areas.

* 80% of Americans say being intimate with their spouse/partner is important to their weekend.

* 38% of working Americans believe their sex lives are better on weekends than during the week.

* Those making more than $100,000 (44%) are more likely to say the quality of their sex life is better on weekends vs. those who make less than $25,000 (33%) per year.

* On weekends, men want more intimacy while women want to spend time with their family or to catch up on sleep.

* Women's #1 "ideal activity" on weekends is spending time with family and friends; while men's #1 "ideal activity" is spending time with a spouse or partner.

* More women (44%) would rather have quality time alone on weekends (vs. 38% of men).

* More men (50%) would rather be intimate with their spouse on weekends (vs. 43% of women).

* Women (44%) think it's more important than men (38%) to "escape from their jobs completely" on the weekend.

* The #1 response to the question "What is your biggest guilty pleasure on the weekend?" is eating junk food.

* 25% of those surveyed say the weekend gives them the chance to splurge on foods they do not generally eat.

* 19% of Americans drink two to three alcoholic drinks on the weekend vs.11% during the week.

* Saturday is the #1 shopping day of the week: Americans spend an average of 42 minutes on Saturday shopping, vs. 27 minutes on Sunday and 20 minutes on a weekday.

* 40% of Americans do their grocery shopping on weekends.

* Over a third (38%) of Americans feel their weekend activities leave them exhausted.

* 27% of Americans say they are depressed to start the work week.

The best insight I've gotten so far

30 year old female, product manager:

- The "un" campaign is preferable because it is different but it's inactive. It seems to be all about what Mendocino isn't.
- The "minute for minute value" campaign is tired, it sounds like Club Med

(here comes the good part)

- Make the campaign about what Mendo is, use "re"
- re-connect
- re-invigorate
- re-ward
- re-new
- re-fresh


I thought this was a brilliant insight... I'll go over it again on Monday. Thoughts?

Question

How old are the people supposed to be for these 5 interviews?

Mendocino Discussion Guide

Interview Discussion Guide
Mendocino Team

1. Include standard introduction, establish right to record if applicable
1. Remember to treat this as a conversation and not just a Q&A session. Be interested but don’t lead the answers. Remind the subject(s) that there are no right or wrong answers. What we need most is honesty.
   
2. Do not name Mendocino as the client right away, we start general and focus down to Mendo at the very end.
3. Section 2 is different for interviews vs focus groups. In a focus group format, be sure to keep things moving. Sections should go fairly fast.
   
2. Investigate stress in the lives of DINKS
1. Would you consider yourself stressed out now?
2. Do you go through periods of unusually high stress often?
3. How do you relieve stress?
4. Where do trips & vacations fit in
5. If you are using a focus group format instead of a 1 on 1 interview, consider having attendees construct a collage. Cut out and color-copy a series of images that have little to do with Mendo. The collage should be about ways to relieve stress and can include any drawing or labeling participants like. Have participants share their collages after 25 minutes. Ask about where vacation comes in. If it isn’t listed, find out why it was not included.
3. You have 72 hours off, a 3 day vacation. Let’s plan a getaway
1. How do you decide where to go?
2. Encourage brain storming of place-options
3. Let’s attempt to put these into categories. For example, some are drive, others are fly. Some are expensive, others are budget.
4. Are some vacations more planned vs. spontaneous? Discuss…
5. We’ve heard that people cycle vacation spots (explain). Is this something you relate to? Discuss…
4. Our client wants to understand a few factors better. Let’s talk about them.
1. Crowding: Vacation spots can be as busy as cities. A very few are relatively people-free. When and why might this matter to you?
2. Predictability: some spots are fun but always the same. Some are more versatile and offer a different experience every time. Can we talk about this subject a little bit and its importance or lack of importance to you?
3. Compact Activities: Do options matter? This relates to predictability. Some vacation spots offer lots of variety in a very small area.
4. Minute-for-minute-value: Is a combination of the previous three factors. Does it matter to you? Is this something you would consider if it were presented as a value in a vacation spot or would it fail to register?
5. Describe Mendocino without naming it. This is a description of our client’s vacation area, the who isn’t really important yet. Be careful with this description as we do not want to influence the messaging choice in section six.
   
6. Our client is considering two message strategies. We would like to talk about which is more appealing
1. Get away to an empty place – a message focused on the Un’s. Un-expected, traveled, spoiled, discovered, pretentious, ususal, crowded, traveled. What sets this place apart is that it is untouched by the hordes associated with most vacation areas.
2. An active getaway spot with high minute-to-minute value. For example – this is a place where you can golf, abalone dive, go wine tasting, hike, run, bike, sea kayak, explore coastal caves, see whales, visit gardens, check out micro-breweries, or go bass fishing all within a 90 minute drive.
7. Identify the client as Mendocino
1. Are you familiar with Mendocino?
2. Have you been there? If yes, would you go again?
3. Which of the earlier messages fits your idea of Mendocinio?
4. Reprise the description of Mendocino, include the preferred message (un vs active) in the review: Does this description fit your impression of the area?
5. If no: why not, and do you believe it?
6. Knowing what you do now, would you plan a trip to Mendocino or are there still dozens of other places you’d rather visit?
8. As we said, Mendocino is our client. As students we are actually working with an agency on this project. Is there anything you would like to tell Mendocino?
9. Standard thanks, finish interview/focus group.

Monday Class 4/16/07

What we talked about today:

1. Skews older
a. Sweet sot 45-65

2. Cycle their weekends (What’s wrong with everything else)
a. Tahoe
b. Napa/ Sonoma
c. Santa Cruz
d. Vegas
e. Palm Springs

3. People-Free environment, where as the places, listed above, are filled with people.
a. Hassle free
b. Less people
c. More activities
d. More scenic variety
e. Greater experiences

4. Compact vacation- allowing you to do all your activities.

5. Types of vacation
a. Fly vs. drive
b. Planned vs. spontaneous

6. Minute-for-minute the best quality weekend.

ADS In MAGAZINE.

Ads inside of Gays Magazine




these two on top are in a free local magazine. You can pick it up on the street, it's called ON MAGAZINE.







Ads from other states, cities or countries









Ads about wine countries.

QUESTIONEER"S RESPONSE.

So I made some mistakes earlier, and emailed to the wrong group of people I was supposed to. Just to let everyone to avoid the problems, there are three lists there, and first documents content two, and the second one has one. If I emailed your part, just ignore them. We don't want to send it to the same people twice. But I did find out some mistakes earlier. It seems like, there are double names in some lists, so we might not be able to avoid double mails, let's hope they avoid it. But still hope to avoid as much as possible, so if possible, please post what dates and from what to what number you sent it to.

Anyhow... these are the people I emailed to.
1/23/2007 400-600 and also 2/12/2007's number 76 to 276. So if haven't send it, then don't need to.

And below is a list of what other did.

Sarah said...
To Confirm who I emailed:
200-400 on the 1.23.07 tab.
April 9, 2007 6:23 PM


kaleam83 said...
Ok I messed up I did 0-200 on ad leads through 2.8.07. Sorry ian
April 10, 2007 7:16 PM


kaleam83 said...
Sorry Su Ling... I did your part. Let me know if you already did it. Can you do the 0-200 on the 1.23.07 instead?
April 10, 2007 7:17 PM


Angie said...
To Confirm who I emailed on Monday:
600-800 on the 1.23.07 tab.

Today's Wednesday and no replies yet.
April 11, 2007 2:24 AM

Ads in Magazines

Click on images to enlarge.


The above ad was in Outside Traveler.



The above are ads for a specific cities in Mexico. Part of the "Beyond your Expectations" campaign.



The two left advertorial pages (?) were in Brides of Northern California. It features businesses that service weddings in Lake Tahoe.


The above ad was in Brides Northern California featuring two hotels.


The above ad was in 7x7 SF Guide

Updates to Questionaire

Hello. My name is ______ and I am an advertising student at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. We are conducting research on behalf of Mendocino County Lodging Association. Recently, you expressed an interest in traveling to Mendocino County. Could we possibly get your help in our research, by asking you to complete a few questions (which are located just below this paragraph?) It would greatly help us better determine how to reach people more effectively and should only take a few minutes of your time. Simply hit reply on your email and then answer the questionnaire. Please know that your email is not being shared with any other providers and that all answers are going to be used for research purposes and no attributions to you will ever be made. Thank you for your time and willingness to help us.


Questionnaire:

What do you usually do in your spare time?


What do you typically do on a weekend afternoon?


What kind of car do you drive?


What is your idea of a holiday/vacation?


Do you read Travel magazines?
If yes, what travel magazines do you read?


How have you heard about Mendocino?


What is the first thing you think about when hearing "Mendocino?"


What do you know about Mendocino? (What would you tell other people about Mendocino?)


Describe the personality or type of a person who goes to Mendocino? (Where do they live, what do they do for fun)


Where have you visited in Northern California for a weekend getaway? What attracted you to those places?


What kind of Lodging do you prefer? (Hotel, Motel, Camping?)


If you had 72 hours to take off and go on a weekend trip, where would you go? (Why did you pick this place, and what would you do once you got there?)

About how much would you spend on a weekend getaway?


List of Key words:

Please delete the words that you do not associate with Mendocino. Please add any that you feel fit.

Trendy
Athletic
Wine Country
Coastal roads
Out-of-the-Way
Adventure
Romantic
Hiking
Long Drive
Seasons
Bed & breakfast
Congested
Redwoods
Vineyard
Greenery
Forest
Nature
Cold
Foggy
Grape fields
Seaside
Waves
Rocks
Quaint
Windy
Roads
Picturesque
Hippies
Desolated
Sleepy
Quiet
Relaxing


Thank you so much for your time. (We're looking forward to seeing you up there!)

More on Wi-Fi To The Highway

Here is a basic break down of how the system works it could play a big part in advertising Mendocino to the target market. If we partnered with Dash Express we could preprogram Mendo. into the internet connection and give directions etc.. right to the consumer without them doing any work.

Check out the web site for more info WWW.dash.net




Dash Express is the smartest, most Internet-connected navigation system on the road. In fact, it's the first and only automotive navigation system with two-way connectivity. Which means it gets you where you want to go—in the fastest time possible—and delivers the most relevant information—right to your dashboard. Plus, Dash Express is the only device on the market that automatically and wirelessly updates its maps and software, so all you have to do is drive.
With Dash Express you can:
Select from up to 3 routes for any destination based on accurate travel time forecasts with Network Traffic
Find any place—nearby or near your destination—with Destination Search
Send an address from any computer to your car with Send to Car
Be the first on the block
Can't wait to get Dash in your car? Sign up now and you'll be one of the first to know when it's in stock in your area and ready to ship.



Reserve a Dash Express™
for me

Network Traffic gets you there faster

Dash Express provides up to 3 routing options for every destination
Each route is based on reliable travel time forecasts from:
The network of Dash drivers who utilize two-way connectivity to anonymously share their speeds and locations.
Historical road segment data for every time and day of the year.
Because it's connected, all of that data is constantly updated, so if conditions worsen, Dash Express will automatically provide an alternate route.
The Dash difference
The competition provides just 1 route and gives you travel times based upon incident data and static road classifications—rather than real traffic flow. So, if the speed limit is 60 MPH on the highway, they'll assume it always takes 10 minutes to go 10 miles. Yeah, right!
Destination Search finds exactly what you're looking for

Find locations and products using the power of the Internet.
Dash Express delivers the most relevant results based on your current location or your ultimate destination.
Select a result, hit GO, then choose the fastest route there.
Dash in action
You're hungry and in downtown San Diego. Type in "fajitas" and Dash will give you a listing of nearby restaurants, all serving fajitas—even if "fajitas" isn't in the name. Hit GO and Dash Express will direct you there. Hunger crisis averted.
Send to Car delivers the addresses you need to your dashboard

Send an address from an Internet browser or Microsoft Outlook directly to your car.
It's the fastest, simplest way to enter addresses—no typing required.
Use Send to Car yourself or when you're on the road, have someone else do it for you.
Dash to the rescue
The sales prospect you've been hounding for months just called and said he'd see you...today. But you're on the road with no time to spare. Simply call your office and have the address sent directly to your car. Better start working on that sales pitch.

Drive to Discover-Possible Partnership/Media

Bringing Wi-Fi To The Highway
By Richard Hart
Apr. 8 - The first Internet cars are beginning to appear on Bay Area roads: Min- vans with Web video playing in the back seat, and SUVs sharing traffic advice with each other. Your car could have its own email address. The Information Highway is merging onto the real highway.

Yes, I'm on the beach. And yes, I'm logged on. And, no, there isn't an Internet cafe in sight. My wi-fi hotspot is right here. It's the car.
In the trunk is a wireless modem made by startup company AutoNet, an Internet Service Provider for cars. Kids in the back seat can watch video streaming from back home, no DVD required.

Sterling Pratz/AutoNet: "We found that people get tired of watching the same DVD over and over. What they want is full Internet access in the car."

Sure, you can put a card inside your mobile device to get on the network, but that's only one user at a time. This is truly a network. Everybody on the bus can be on at the same time. It's a router.

Now, add satellite access, and you get the first Internet-connected GPS for cars: Dash Express.

It's not much heavier than a folded map. There is only one wire. You plug it into the dash, it lights up, and begins to look for the best network around. That could be wi-fi, it could be cellular.

Then it begins to download information from the Dash server -- traffic information, maps, or an address you sent it from you desk.

Instead of printing a map, you virtually e-mail your plans to the car.

It figures out alternate routes, sharing traffic information from a half dozen sources, including other cars. Yes, a car stuck in traffic can send a warning for a car 10 miles back.

Eric Klein, Dash Navigation: "So, we're literally talking traffic by the seconds, not by the minutes anymore. Let's see what gas prices are. This station appears to be lowest... We can see what movies are playing nearby... The next step might be you buy your tickets in the car."

Both services are by subscription. Now, instead of asking, "Are we there yet?", kids will ask, "Are we on yet?"

Links:

Subscription prices are not final yet for either technology. We calculate eventually $15-30 a month. Beginning April 20th, SFO becomes the first location to rent AutoNet cars.

If you'd like to participate in a trial of the Dash navigation units, you'll find a link here: www.dash.net

AutoNet Mobile, Internet Service Provider that turns Vehicles into Wi-Fi Hotspots:

LINK: www.goautonet.com
Available: July 2007
Price: $399. Monthly service fee is to be determined.
To Order: www.autonetmobile.com

AVIS Introducing Wi-Fi Hotspot for Rental Cars:

LINK: www.avis.com (Look for AVIS Connect service.)
Available: In San Francisco late April. Then will be rolled out in 10 major cities.
Price: $10.95 per day.

Dash Express, Internet-Connected Automotive GPS:

LINK: www.dash.net
Searches: Yahoo! Local, www.yahoo.com
Available: Fall 2007
Price: Purchase price has not been set, but likely in the $600-800 range.

Dash Announces 2,000 Road Testers Wanted Dash Navigation is looking for 2,000 commuters nationwide to road test its dash express navigation system. Consumers may apply to join the free Dash National Road Test at www.dash.net.

A weekend in Sea Ranch & Mendocino

My first thoughts, less than an hour off the road, are "wow the 9 holes of golf at Sea Ranch weren't such a good idea combined with this drive". I'm sore and the windy coastal path past Sea Ranch, Fort Ross, and Bodega Bay didn't help. Has anyone seen an Advil?

Processing the four day trip up and back down the coast I reflect on my feelings, thoughts, impressions, and my natural bias towards thinking of the Northern Coast as a place for people my parents age and not for trendy 20-and-30-somethings like our account planning team.

And then it happened - the aches and pains started to hint at what Mendocino really is. Mendo is a haven for athletic DINKS who like to exercise and adventure together. Their sense of romance is heightened at the beginning of their journey and the experience of active travel brings them closer together. No amount of caviar, golf, and shopping in Carmel or Sonoma could match what a weekend of bonding adventure does for them. I guess I didn't see it at first because I was on a family trip and not a romantic (but active) getaway.

This was a pretty un-scientific trip. I did a lot of stopping into stores going up the coast and accosting innocent by-standers who looked to be around my age. Many were local, others were not. The brief conversations yielded a few interesting moments.

Here is a very compressed version of my notes:

Lake Mendocino
- Bass Fishing. No really, this is a huge sport

Mendocino Coast
- Huge running destination
- Sea Kayaking & Sea Caves tours
- Botanical Gardens (older skew)
- Good coastal cycling but not as big as kayaking

Mendocino Village
- Shopping for unique local artists, clothing, & jewelry
- Mendocino Chocolate Company
- Murder She Wrote house
- Classic 1930s style interiors in the finer eating establishments
- Fantastic wine tastings
- No corkage fees at local restaurants when drinking Mendocino wine

Mendocino Wine
- Wine from outside the region costs a small fortune
- Mendocino wines are deeply discounted
- Mendocino is known for organic & biodynamic farming practices
- Wines are crafted to have a bold and often playful character
- Wine makers I talked to actually spoke with disdain about the one-size-fits-all ranking systems (i.e. "this Gallo scored a 92")

Lodging Notes:
- Rates are about $100 lower than Carmel or Sonoma for comparable lodgings
- Sample 4 star: http://brewerygulchinn.com


My key words for Mendocino DINKS are: ROMANTIC, ATHLETIC, and NOMADIC
- This is a place where the people I talked to went to get lost, to get away, to breathe the sea air and experience something uncorrupted. They were invigorated and inspired.
- This is a get-away-from-life-and-just-live destination, not so much a golf & shopping extravaganza.

Intro to Questionnaire

Hello. My name is ________ and I am an advertising student at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco conducting research on behalf of Mendocino County Lodging Association. Recently, you expressed an interest in traveling to Mendocino County. Could we possibly enlist your help in our research, by asking you to complete a few questions which are located just below this paragraph? It would greatly help us better determine how to reach people more effectively and should only take a few minutes of your time. Simply hit reply on your email and then answer the questionnaire. Please know that your email is not being shared with any other providers and that all answers are going to be used for research purposes and no attributions to you will ever be made. Thank you for your time and willingness to help us.

questionnaire

Now that you’ve been to Mendocino:

What do you usually do in your spare time?

What do you do or go on a Saturday/sunday afternoon?

What car do you drive?

What is your idea of a holiday?

Do you read Travel magazines?

If yes, what travel magazines do you read?

What did you know about Mendocino County before you went for the first time?

Give three adjectives to describe the way you imagined Mendocino County?

How did you find the drive there?

How would you describe your journey to Mendocino?

Draw forms, objects, or anything that inspires you that journey:

If you were to talk about Mendocino county as a person, how would you descrive his or her personality, and his or her physical appearance?

Who would you go to Mendocino with? (How is that person related to you?)

What were you looking forward to seeing/experiencing in Mendocino?

In what state of mind did you come out of that journey? Pick any and feel free to add:
Relaxed
Surprised
Curious
Peaceful
Confused
Happy
Calm
On vacation

Were you surprised by anything? Did you discover anything new?

What are some of the words you feel relate to Mendocino county, and please suggest any words you think are appropriate:
Unveiled
Undiscovered
Unconventional
Uncorked
Unexpected
Manmade
Unknown
Natural


What if you had 72 hours to enjoy off of work?
On the back of this piece of paper, on a blank page, start free mapping where you would go and the different things you would do starting with the number 72/3 days.

Scenario Associations:
Imagine Napa and Sonoma are throwing a party. How would you describe the organization of the party? (i.e. Evite? Invitation Cards? Catering? Self-cook? Fancy? Simple?) Who are the people that Napa and Sonoma invite? What happens at their party? Finally, would you be invited and would you go?

Imagine you are on a first date with Monterrey. Where would you take him/her? What would you do on the date? How would Monterrey describe herself/himself? What kind of a person do you think Monterrey is? Would you go on a second date with Monterrey?


You haven’t been to Mendocino County:


What do you usually do in your spare time?

What do you do or go on a Saturday/Sunday afternoon?

What car do you drive?

What is your idea of a holiday?

Do you read Travel magazines?

If yes, what travel magazines do you read?

Have you heard about Mendocino?

When you hear the word Mendocino, what is the first thing that pops into your head?

Would you go to Mendocino?

What do you know about Mendocino?

Describe the personality of a person who goes to Mendocino?

What other holiday spots have you visited in Northern California?

Are you at all put off by the long drive?

What if you had 72 hours to enjoy off of work?
On the back of this piece of paper, on a blank page, start free mapping where you would go and the different things you would do starting with the number 72/3 days.

Scenario Associations:
Imagine Napa and Sonoma are throwing a party. How would you describe the organization of the party? (i.e. Evite? Invitation Cards? Catering? Self-cook? Fancy? Simple?) Who are the people that Napa and Sonoma invite? What happens at their party? Finally, would you be invited and would you go?

Imagine you are on a first date with Monterrey. Where would you take him/her? What would you do on the date? How would Monterrey describe herself/himself? What kind of a person do you think Monterrey is? Would you go on a second date with Monterrey?


List of Key words to explore – Find associations and concept relating to all those words:

Wine
Coastal roads
Hiking
Drive
Summer
Fall
Winter
Spring
Bed & breakfast
Redwood
Vineyard
Greenery
Forest
Nature
Cold
Foggy
Grape fields
Seaside
Waves
Rocks
Quant
Windy
Roads
Picturesque
Hippies
Desolated
Sleepy
Quiet

From the journals:
Unexploited
Raw
Rugged
Old
Lonely
Kind
Understanding
Friendly
Scenic
Contemplative
Open-ended
Relaxing
Impromptu
Nature
Secluded
Thin
Dreamer
Family tradition
Small
Secular path
Lost
Incentives to stop
Small wineries
Less contrived
Natural beauty
Organic
Artists
Galleries

Partnerships

1. Audi, the drive up to Mendocino is the best part.

2. Yoga Flow- Located in SF is a great way to get locals to Mendocino.

3. PGE- Their already organic and green just makes sense.

4. Farmer’s Market in SF, wine tasting.

5. Timeshares

1. Relationship with Mendo: (Survey Development) Su Ling + Mag
2. Concierges: John + Dana
3. Partnerships: (ACNA, Mini, Spirit Rock) Claire + Sarah
4. Tourism: (Alaska ads comparison ex.) Angie + John
5. Competition: Claire + Ian
6. Survey Development: (72 hours mindset) Su Ling + Mag
7. Mendo Attractions: Sarah + Angie
8. Media Possibilities: Dana
9. Influencer's: (Famous spokes person, Rachel Ray) Dana

WHERE ARE WE SEEING GOMENDO ADS?

Since we should keep track of where we are seeing Ozone's ads for Mendocino, here's one I found on epinions.com while I was searching for anything on Mendocino. But this was listed on the most bottom of the page. It's the third one under sponsored links. Double click on the image to enlarge.

The latest via magazine includes several Mendo attractions

Anyone here a AAA member? If so, you should be receiving a copy of the latest via magazine in your mailbox some time this week. If you are not a member, you should be able to check it out online.

The new issue includes several spots between Mendocino and Fort Bragg including lodging at the famous lighthouse and one of the best botanical gardens in the country.

If that's not enough motivation, it also includes a section on why men don't ask for directions... see page 54. There, I thought that might get you to click. Unfortunately I can't seem to find it in the online edition =)

Media

I’ve looked into a lot of media but feel that until we narrow down the target we can’t really pin point a media. However, I was thinking about the obvious choice of travel magazines like what has already been done. Broachers in Hertz, Enterprise etc…(rental car places) for tourist who maybe were thinking about going to Napa etc… The web is going to play a big part. Also a few features in San Francisco Magazine, 7X7 and 7X7 San Francisco Guide I have a good example of what I am talking about and will bring it to the next class.

Competitive Analysis

Gold County- Located in Calaveras County, catered to seasonal travelers; wine tasting, electic shops, history, great food and scenery

Monterey- Sandy beaches, wooded trails, horseback riding a great weekend retrteat

Napa Valley

SLO/Paso Robles- Inland California, known for great weather, natural wonders and wine

Santa Barbara- Fabulous shopping, wine tasting adventure and a variety of spa treatments

Sonoma

Temecula- A little valey with a lot to offer

A journey to Mendocino...

Here are the first few pictures.... chronologically, on the way...
The journal entries are coming up.

'Millennials' love imported wine

The San Francisco Chronicle ran an article today on the 21-30 crowd (Millennials and late Gen Xers) that profiled their buying habits with regards to new labels online purchasing. The research was produced by the St. Helena trade group and found a strong affinity for private labels among this age group. Don't let the headline fool you though - its not just imports they are after.

Now, it just so happens that our DINKS target is exactly this - early Millennial and late/transitional Generation X. So here is my thinking.

There has been a tendency to dismiss the wine aspect of Mendocino out of hand, except as an aside to a possible "green strategy" due to biodynamic (organic) growing practices. Perhaps we might take a moment to consider this morning's article. It seems to me that there could be a huge untapped strength in the uniqueness of Mendo's small label vintners.

We've all read research in the past that shows a growth in wine and mixed drink consumption among our target and this morning's article confirms a fascination with small labels and unique brands among Millennials and transitional Xers. Also, you may recall the search for authenticity and customization as being central to our target's lifestyle. If you've had the opportunity to speak to a rep from a Mendocino winery, then you know how they gush about the bold tastes and uniqueness of their product. It's true too - I'll see if I can get a Ceago wine ordered for you all to try (outside of class). I'll pair it with a Mondavi so you can understand the difference. It's incredible.

Its representative of what you find in Mendo and I think it could be a hit with our target, in light of new research. Of course, we'll want to follow up on it with our own.

Please read this morning's article and consider the wine angles that may exist both online and in terms of tourist traffic; and how they might fit into our overall strategy.

Attractions

Roots of Motive Power-The public is welcome to tour the collection at no charge during work days which are generally held on the first and third Sundays of each month from 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM.


California’s Redwood’s Drive-The best place to view redwood trees (and drive-through trees) is by driving the Avenue of the Giants highway, which begins six miles north of Garberville. They also have three drive-thru trees.


Sweet Memories Butterfly FarmsThis is for the true butterfly lover who wants to increase butterflies in their own back yard. Learn more in depth about butterfly attracting plants and host plants as you tour our gardens. Walk through the flight house and enjoy refreshments while learning about raising butterflies.


Manchester State ParkThis unit of the State Park System consists of 760 acres of beach, sand dunes, and flat grasslands, with nearly 18,000 feet of ocean frontage. There are 18 campsites, each with table and fire ring.


Grace Hudson MuseumThe Grace Hudson Museum in Ukiah, California, is an art, history and anthropology museum focusing on the lifeworks of artist Grace Carpenter Hudson (1865-1937) and her ethnologist husband, Dr. John W. Hudson (1857-1936). Changing interdisciplinary exhibitions and public programs feature Western American art, California Indian cultures, histories of California's diverse North Coast region, and the work of contemporary regional artists.


Held Poage Memorial Home-A veritable treasure trove for historical buffs, the library contains over 4500 books covering local, state and national history, as well as over 13,500 historical photographic negatives, microfilms, documents, maps scrapbooks, Great Registers, genealogies, extensive newspaper collection and artifacts (including Mendocino County native basketry) - all relating to Northern California history.


Greenwood State Beach Museum-This small history center, which was once the office of the Goodyear Lumber Company, tells the story of the village of Elk / Greenwood from its founding in the late 1800s through its history as a booming lumber town. A large mural depicts the loading of lumber from the local wharf onto the ships waiting offshore.


Point Arena Lighthouse and MuseumThis is the only Pacific West coast lighthouse of significant height (115 feet) that you can climb to the top! Guided tours of the light station as well as self guided tours of the grounds are available daily.


Van Damme State Park-The park features the lush Fern Canyon scenic trail system; the Pygmy Forest where mature, cone-bearing cypress and pine trees stand six inches to eight feet tall; and the bog, or Cabbage Patch, where skunk cabbage grows in abundance. The park’s ten miles of trail go along the fern-carpeted canyon of Little River. A paved road is used by joggers and bicyclists. The beach is popular with abalone divers.


Mendocino Art CenterA haven for artists since 1959, today the Art Center is a highly regarded artistic and educational institution offering nearly 300 unique retreat-style workshops each year in ceramics, computer arts, fine arts, jewelry, sculpture and textiles. Four art galleries feature monthly exhibitions spotlighting the creative works of local and national artists


Point Cabrillo Light StationThis lighthouse has an original Third Order Fresnel lens that operates 24 hours a day. This is one of the most unique lighthouses in the United States and is well worth a visit.


Fetzer Vineyards Tasting Room-Features a large tasting room, gift shop, cooking classes and even an inn on the property. However, don’t overlook the organic gardens, which helped to influence a generation of sustainable winemakers.


Mendocino Brewing Company-The company runs a brewpub which includes Red Tail Ale, Blue Heron Pale Ale, and Black Hawk Stout, several other regular offerings, and short-run seasonal offerings. Their products are all named for birds of prey, excepting Blue Heron, and feature images of the birds on their labels.


North Coast Brewing Company-Opened in 1988 under the leadership of brewmaster, Mark Ruedrich, the brewery has developed a strong reputation for quality having won more than 70 awards in national and international competitions and has been named "One of the 10 Best Breweries in the World" by the Beverage Testing Institute in Chicago.


Russian Gulch State Park-A headland that features the Devil’s Punch Bowl (a large, collapsed sea cave with churning water), and a beach that offers swimming, tide pool exploring, skin diving and rock fishing. Inland, there is a 36-foot high waterfall. Hikers enjoy miles of hiking trails. The park also has a paved three-mile bicycle trail.


California Western Railroad’s “Skunk Train”-The view from the restored rail cars is pretty much unchanged: towering trees, deer drinking from the Noyo River, an isolated fisherman's cabin peeking from the forest. With occasional whistles as it chugs through tunnels, over bridges and past open meadows, the train follows the coastal "Redwood Route" as it has since 1885.


Triangle Tattoo and Museum-A working tattoo studio with a fascinating museum that is concerned with the history of tattooing from all over the world.



William Henry Kelly House Museum-Named after the co-founder of Mendocino, this museum carries more than 16,000 historic photographs of Mendocino, geneology files, and exhibits change quarterly.


Glass Beach-One of the most unique beaches in the world, not because nature created it that way, but because time and the pounding surf have corrected one of man's mistakes. In addition to searching for and collecting glass, Glass Beach has a very interesting array of tide pools to explore. Crabs, mollusks, and many aquatic plants make their homes in these ever changing environments.


Guest House Museum-Artifacts, equipment and photographs depicting local history are on display. Outside displays include steam donkeys and railroad locomotives.


Jug Handle State Reserve-Consists of a strip of land roughly one mile wide enclosing a set of five terraces resembling a staircase in addition to some discontinuous parcels to the north. Here they offer a display of the complete record of ecological succession.


Chinese Temple of Kwan Tai-Dedicated to the Chinese god of war - a Taoist symbol of integrity and loyalty, the Temple of Kwan Tai offers living evidence of Mendocino's 19th Century Chinese community.Four generations of its founders' descendents have preserved this original Taoist temple, a site now recognized as California Registered Historic Landmark No. 927.


Ford House Museum-A number of videos are available upon request, with topics ranging from the steam whistle logging era of the early Twentieth Century to the amazing story of gray whale migration. Permanent exhibits at the Ford House reflect Mendocino's early settlement era.


Big River State Park & Beach-The Big River State Park is bounded by Mendocino Headlands State Park on the west, the Jackson Demonstration State Forest and Mendocino Woodlands State Park on the north. The estuary is the longest undeveloped estuary in Northern California going up to 8.3 miles inland. The estuary includes salt marsh wetlands and rocky, forested hillsides, interspersed with alder and willow woodlands.


Blair House- Named after Elisha Blair who built the house in 1888, this house is where the hit TV Series "Murder She Wrote" was filmed. Now this place is a B&B.


Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens-Located on 47 acres that lie between California's scenic Highway One and the Pacific Ocean, this magnificent site includes canyons, wetlands, coastal bluffs, and a closed-cone pine forest. Set among this striking background is a varied array of plant collections.


Bowling Ball Beach- It takes its name from spherical, bowling ball-sized boulders that cover a portion of a beach connected to Schooner Gulch Beach that extends about a mile. Schooner Creek runs into the ocean here, creating some very pretty small rivulets through the sand.


Ten Mile Beach-This trail is an old logging road, now closed to motorized vehicles due to several washed-out sections. The path leads past MacKerricher Dunes, one of the coast’s longest dune systems, and Inglenook Fen, a coastal wetland. The fen shelters rare plants, such as marsh pennywort and the rein orchid, and is home to several endemic insect species.


ACTIVITIES TO DO
Abalone Diving- kelp forests
Horseback riding
Hiking
Camping
Kayaking to seacaves
Cycling to Cliffside
Canoeing over a river
Golfing/Miniature Golf
Fishing
Whale watching
Tennis
Ross Ranch
Jogging Trails
Casinos
Coast Flyers
Sweetwater Spa
Hunting
Swimming/Surfing

EVENTS
The Mendocino Whale Festival
The World’s Largest Salmon BBQ
The Great Rubber Ducky Race
The Music Fesitval
Art Exhibits
Crafts Fair
Boonville Beer Festival

Romantic Getaways/Honeymoons
Weddings