Assessment brief for this module
Integrated Marketing Communications Assessment 2020/21
Overview of the assessment
A 15 minute pitch presentation recommending and justifying an outline integrated marketing communications plan to raise the tourist profile of Sheffield.
A 2,500 word written assignment in which you will evaluate one marketing communications tool from your outline integrated marketing communications plan to raise the tourist profile of Sheffield.
?
Background Case Study: Sheffield Bids for Place on Tourist Map
Adapted from article in Sheffield Telegraph newspaper, July 4
SHEFFIELD is gearing up for a fresh attempt to establish itself as a tourist destination. A strategy was outlined with the ambition of the city being ranked among the top 10 UK hotspots for conferences and leisure breaks and in the top three for sporting and other events, including festivals.
The latest initiative, drawn up by the city council and hoteliers, follows more than a decade of attempts to cement a place for Sheffield on the tourist map.
One recent survey placed Sheffield 26th in a table of the best UK city for visitors. Edinburgh came top, Glasgow second and Newcastle third. Sheffield's local economy is missing out. As a measure of the importance of tourism the hosting of the World Snooker Championships generated £2.3m. New efforts are intended to generate business all year round.
One of the main targets may be the conference trade, using the City Hall as a major venue. A refurbishment programme, which includes the addition of conference facilities, was completed recently. Another potential revenue stream would be to tap into the short-break leisure market. This would involve emphasising Sheffield's proximity of the Peak District, the city's cultural attractions, its industrial heritage and its reputation as a City of Sport. Sheffield will be promoted as ''a city on the up with a great lifestyle, good business opportunities and a lot of creative and exciting things going on'', said Joan Spencer, the City Council's head of Marketing and Tourism.
The detailed strategy is expected to be launched around September. But it would not involve a big budget or glamorous PR campaigns of the kind that some other towns and cities have opted for. Critics have accused the council of failing to allocate sufficient resources to help get an effective tourism strategy off the ground. This week's presentation to the council by Miss Spencer included figures from two years ago when Sheffield spent £431,000 a year on tourism compared with £2.1m by Cardiff, £1.6m by Birmingham and £1.1m by Leeds. Stoke-on-Trent spent fractionally more than Sheffield.
Miss Spencer believes that significant results can be achieved by taking 'small practical steps' and working closely with private sector partners who have an interest in the success of the campaign. ''We are not doing a high spending campaign that would be undeliverable. We have got to achieve targets'.
"The city council's marketing communications budget of £280,000 could be doubled or trebled with contributions from hoteliers, Sheffield International Venues, Sheffield Theatres and Galleries Trust, the Universities, Sheffield Development Corporation" she said. It would not be a city council strategy but a city of Sheffield strategy. ''If we promote the city in a modest and honest way and stress the progress we are making, when people come here they will be pleasantly surprised and act as ambassadors for the city.'' said Miss Spencer. ''Sheffield is never going to be first choice for two week summer holidays but it can be for short urban breaks, events and conferences.''
There are still mixed messages about the image of Sheffield. Some people still think that Sheffield is industrial, grey and confusing to get around. Others believe it to be friendly, creative and changing. Councillors welcomed the latest initiative but took the opportunity to air some of their current complaints. '' We need more quality restaurants in the city centre - they are sadly lacking,'' said Liberal Democrat Amanda Williams. '' And why is Sheffield never on weather maps or on those in motorway service stations? This is something we must address.'' Others wanted to see more publicity material at Sheffield railway station and Councillor James McBride wanted to see more done to attract disabled tourists.
(Although based on a real news article, the brief to follow is fictitious. The information needed to support your analysis is available as secondary data and you should not make direct contact with Sheffiel
