A FIRST CLASS HOLIDAY ISLAND?

As our Island struggles to survive with our  failing schools, failing local businesses, failing vulnerable services and even failing tourist hotspots an international campaign to promote the Isle of Wight as a first class holiday destination is under way.

Marketing campaign for tourism ‘Just Add Water’ will this year have a greater emphasis on on-line marketing using for the first time popular social networking sites. This includes Facebook and YouTube, where more user-generated content can be used such as videos and photos, as well as visitors and residents comments. Flickr and Twitter will also be used, with the council actively encouraging Islanders to upload their images of the Island.

The £260,000-plus campaign also involves more traditional types of advertising such as billboards, national newspapers, magazine advertising and ads on the London tube network. Another new innovation is the display of promotional material on moving LED screens in central London during peak commuter times.

“The campaign builds on the tried and tested advertising media but for the first time really raises the Island’s profile on social media sites which are becoming more and more influential in terms of leading people to a holiday destination,” said John Metcalfe, IW Council deputy director of economy and tourism.

“While traditional marketing methods are valid and successful, it is important we have a greater focus towards online and social networking marketing because sites such as YouTube and Facebook have millions of users, all of whom could be potential visitors”

REMEMBER THE WIGHT2BHEARD FACEBOOK GROUP?

We must remind you of the last time they used Social Networks for the Wight2BHeard Campaign, the group now has a massive 57 members and no comments from IWC communication or PR team.

But there is one interesting comment from Jim Bean:

Do you really care about the youths on the Island? There was a post on this page regarding the www.islandyouthproject.co.uk and tried to see if we could help each other. You was offered to post a message regarding Wight 2b heard on our group as we have over 500 members, no reply from you and you have deleted the post…. Not really what I was expecting from our council. I guess this will be removed as-well. Shame

We got in contact with Jim to find out what he had to say:

”This group is pointless and a waste of time, not that much was put into it

”I posted that question on the group and linked it to our twitter page, a few days later I got a random email from the communications team with a copy of my message asking if I could answer this ‘plaintive users cry’… They expected me to answer my own question!

I got in touch again explaining it was me asking the questions and wanted an official answer that I could post on our site but they tried to get me to call them rather than them write a response. I did get a written response a few weeks later saying my comment was harsh and Facebook was just one of the ways to advertise wight2bheard and they also set-up a meeting for the youths that no one turned up to (Not surprising if they don’t send letter out until its to late!)

I would just like to say Fair play to pinkeye graphics on the Island who told the council web team ‘ will someone respond to this user. If we are using social network sites we really need to to be using them’