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Home My WebLink About1998-12-16 99-43 ORDERCOUNCIL ACTION Date: December 16, 1998 IteRNo. 99-43 IteWSubject: Award of advertising & marketing contract Responsible Department: Puclasing/Bass Pak Commentary: On December3,1998aselectionmmudtt wmMngofNe Bass Park Commideeandstaffinembm heard presentations from Bronson Cammuications, Davis Communications, Steve Robbins Creative Services and Marketing Media & Wellman; our content provider of advertising, marketing and promotion at Bass Park. After considerable deliberation the selection wmnuttee chose Davis Commuicationa m provide advertising marketing and promotion services for the Bangor State Fair and Steve Robbins Creative Services be provide advertising, marketing, promotion and public relations services for the Auditorium and Civic Services. The rocommeMation be select Davis Communications and Steve Robbins Creative Services was reviewed by line Finance Committee on December ], 1998 and referred to the City Council for ratification. The attached memorandum fiom Mark Wellman ofManketing Media & Wellman was also presented to the Finance Committee before the vote to select Davis & Robbins. Dep [Head Menage's Consonants: �rp�dG.7f�� City Manager Associated Information: Qa�aAn -r Budget Approval:--mak ASS_ Finance Dimdor Legal Approval: ly Solicitor Introduced For: Passage_ Pirst Reading _Referal Assigned to Councior Blanchette December 16, 1998 CITY OF BANGOR GITEE.) AuthorizingMrUr-------- .__ ward of advertising and tinkering contracts m Davis ..._... __. _.. _._. Conarrunicatums; and to Steve Robbins Creative Services By Via GUY CouxA Of at CWV OfBamfor. ORDERED, THAT David N. Pellegrino, Purchasing Agent is hereby authorized to execute a three yeas contract with Davis Communications for advetti6in& marketing and promotion of the Bangor State Fair and be it farther ordered that the Purchasing Agent is hereby authorized to execute a three year contract with Steve Robbins Creative Services fn advertising, marketing, promotion and public relations at the AuditoriuWCivic Center. IN CITY COUNCIL December 16, 1998 Motion for Passage Made s Seconded Passed PER 99-43 ORDER Title, Authorizing Award of Advertising and Marketing Contracts to Davis Com- munications and to Steve Robbins Creative ............................. G. f Assigned to ........ Councilman 99-43 CITY OF BANGOR t" pROPOSAEITEM(S): Advertising Marketing, promotion for the Fair 6: AuditorieW Civic Center DEPARTMENT: Bass Pads Complex sUDGET REFERENCE: Requisition No.: none Account Number: N/A Budgeted Amount: $ N/A Available Balance: $ N/A Total Amount of Award Recommended: _ Vendor Recommended: Davis Communications & Steve Robbins Creative Services Number of Requests Sent: 4 Number ofPropmslsReceWed: 4 Date Advertised: Seommber9 1998 Proposal Opening Date: October14.1998 Past Experience with Vendor: _Excellent_ Good_ Fair_ Poor_ No prior experience If Be experience, references checked or other method of vendor reliability established _ OTHER COMMENTS: Award the three year contract for advertising, marketing and promotion of the Bangor State Fav to Davis CommunicationsofGleMmn. Award the contract for advertising, marketing, promotion and public relations services for the Auditorium/ Civic Center to Steve Robbins Creative Services of Bangor. The above awards we the recommendation of the Bass Park Committee, the Bass Park Director and the Purchasing Agent after meeting with representatives of the love companies submitting proposals. It was the anemones consensus of the selection committee that the services should be split between the fair and the Auditorium/ Cmc Center and that the "non agetcl"services proposed by Davis Commvedcations and Steve Robbins Creative Services would best meet the requirements of the City. Proposals were else received from Bro mW Marketing Media& Wellman. � • •r � -• vt - dye �1� WA 11 99-43 Marketing,Medial(� Wellman ,�cw,ma",deta, sY„loz Wins] a To: Finance Committee Members From: Mark Wellman, et. at., Marketing, Media & Wellman Re: Request For Review and Reconsideration of the Bass Park Committee Marketine Recommendations Date: December 7, 1998 Monday night, the Bass Park Committee will recommend hiring two separate indepen, dent consultants to provide marketing communications services to Bass Park and the Bangor Stare Fair. This memo is a formal request for the Finance Committee to direct the Bass Park Committee to review and reconsider their decision based on the following information: 1. The directive to the committee is to hire the consultant that is "deemed to be most advantageous to the City for the services proposed." 2. In 1995, we were hired by the City to increase the gmdiry of marketing and communications for the Fair and Bass Park. Our objectives were to improve attendance and public appreciation for the Fair, and to develop a means to increase revenues for the Civic Center/Auditorium Complex. 3. Regarding the Fair, we achieved our objectives with significant increases in attendance, revenues, and public satisfaction over the years prior to our Involvement as documented below: Year Paid attendance Cross revenues Fair Rated Good to Excellent 1995 ............ 62,765 .................$316,413....................71% (M, M & W's tenure begins here:) 1996 ............ 66,641 ..................$335,650...................79% 1997 ............ 66,229 ..................$326,528...................89% 1998 ............ 71,922 ..................$389,498...................90% 4. Our Bass Park Marketing Plan submitted August 15, 1996, was ultimately accepted without changes by the City Council in mid 1997. If the plan had been fol, lowed as we often recommended, rates for Auditorium and Civic Center rentals would have been increased by 10%, netting the City $60,000 to $90,000 annually. This would MIRKhTPIG I AUVERTESRiG I PU3EICRE1,4TIONS I CREATIVE DRIGN (Ar19411390 • FAX WII9fL1613 • &MALL�Ib}@,ov6rt.Om,u.wm • mva - have funded a lot of marketing efforts and still left a bundle in the coffers. However, rates were not increased, and implementation of much of the plan has been delayed due to renovations. 5. The reason given by the Bass Park Committee for discontinuing our rela- tionship was based on an assumption that we were unable to stick to established budgets for both entities. Yet, during three-year bud - Pen by the Bass Park Director or by the Committee. In May of 1998 we were given a verbal directive to come in as close to $40,000 as possible. We billed $49,111, the mini- mum we felt we could spend in good faith in order to insure results. In light of the $389,498 in revenues, we believe this decision was justified. 6. We were neve asked to attend a Bass Park Committee meeting. We were not notified that our services were more expensive then warranted. In fact, we were consistently told how road our services were. All during our tenure, every marketing activity we've undertaken has been requested by and approved by Mike Dyer. It has been his decision to work by objective rather than by budget, and we applaud that decision, because it has resulted in far more revenues than lesser efforts would have brought. Both the Fair and Bass Park were sorely in need of some investment, and as Mr. Dyer has said, "You can't argue with the results." But to paint this scenario as our firm's "costing ono much" and "unable to keep within budget" is unfair and, ultimately, short-sighted. 7. We take any communications made for the City seriously. The results of our 1998 Fair campaign merited national recognition at this years' International Association of Fairs and Exhibitions' awards competition: winning 1st place in radio. and 2nd Place for the tonal overall advertising campaien. Yet, ora excellence in both presentation and in numeric results has been rewarded with termination of our contract. It doesn't make sense. 8. The committee's recommendations are not in the City's best interests. 9. The Glenburn home-based smrt-up company selected to take over the Fair is not yet known or recognized by =jet media in Burger A Business Monthly article about the firm is enclosed. Its philosophy is certainly worth reading. 10. The arguments presented in Advertising Advisor's contract proposal may be compelling to those who fail to look at the facts behind the assertions, but a look beyond the words proves otherwise. For example, for the Fair website it proposes "a flat rate of just $3,200 per year, which offers the Fair more product for less money than it is now getting with in website." The fact is our arena's total charges for its website in 1225 was $500. This presumably f od third Rlace national award andh llied over 5,000 hi¢.. This is just one of several examples where unsubstantiated claims have been appar- ently embraced by the Bass Park Committee as fact. 11. The contractor selected for Bass Park, Steve Robbins, will charge aII$10,000 flat fee for consulting only. H' firm,has -h prod bili Mafketing, Media & Wellman's total agency fees for 1998, which included copywriting, photograr phy, graphic design and pre -press production, was only $12,500. Where is the value in changing agencies! M,M&W is the only applicant intimately familiar with the authorized market- ing program ready to be implemented for the Bass Park Complex; we have done superla- tive work in marketing efforts such as the "Destination, Bangoq Maine" brochure, adver- tisements, and in facilitating a prospect mailing list, not to mention the Bass Park Mar- keting Plan. We are the logical firm to perform the activities created and developed in our plan. Yet, we believe, again, that due to unsubstantiated innuendo of our "cost over- runs" we have been denied continuation of an account we have earned the right to keep. 12. If Bangor is going to compere in rhe global economy, then we need to take marketing seriously. This contract is not a personality contest. It is about hiring experi- enced professionals who can elevate the city's competitive edge and deliver improved, measurable results. 13.To move in a new direction after so much has been invested in developing the effective programs now in place seems inconsistent with good management As anyone who has studied the successes of leading businesses, quality marketing is worth the investment. Bangor is not a commodity, but a brand that needs packaging and devel- opment. 14. Marketing, Media & Wellman has been an asset to the City of Bangor The firms suggested for continuing our work are not capable of delivering the same level of service as we have. We respectfully request a review and reconsideration before awarding a contract. We believe it is in the taxpayers' best interests. Respectfully submitted, Mark Wel man and Eden Tori Britton Bradly Finch Bridgit Cayer President Art Director Copywriter Tech. Specialist Account Services HeniWing And Admardding From Home: Advertising Advisors To Debut In November by Les Myer, "everything seemed in he pushing Contributing Writer me towed doing my own advertising Itwu�slmlherhmbad'silimw. apocy,"she said. 'But l didn't wan to It wun%jmt W which doubt full time work downtown. I warted to he at to Part time woh AM it wasn't only home. I Pound Mat a lm ofpeop4 want Me M The ministry will of@r NII advei- thing mornon, including web age crc Within, audio and video, matcM1andiswg W motion analysts. Companies look- ingfat atonal new look cm me Adver- tising Advisors for press releasee, bin chaos, owinmry evrnanewlogo. The team Commission will ma;nmia the schedule and make m tisk" owtwn pmjema are and on time. Each team inner saroawfwrepromdoadminis- three will work with t maximum of three chino, shinPritim lclose man- agemw for eacM1 ProjeR Acis dopa Por idgM1 tmmvatwwcmWinamn. lLe pmf'e mistaffis"dte em ..f M-Dmd e em" �a said -thinem are "1ieplxM homemakers" to jam Me that the idea of employing "displaced Many whom Davis mnamed will aide, but have high tmnovw wish me temnucmmimmro, arwppan stiff. kis its cominoemwwkbthising AvjoimW trod whmmthecawnwe workMmm Avi wwkW ommitw its gal. waard wim she saw at pal. wotre whom earl ilpb8 Advertising Advisers on find when win[ iv walk." She in am- an Nl Yemq entl mos recemlY win <bt- Mega ran thtyum cencem of many Wgblly W weekendsumiLmit made xme to work with individuals wbon work w Media MmkeMig@Wfican yemaand inch wu MMking of going andeach was a madee bid self tmmhuaufferedbecause ofjob and Son and limw&bled worL um Butte bid seven)weeks ago to the City of sevuPatWres;agoo the Ioseefinanggtims. rydmmdte wwk the who her nawffnom withlm "Bus we don't mer- don Bangor bate wooesafwdn f fe ostwork.al's sthadmer ilhcssdat firm wwk- told Davis. ketabicmarket skillsil they bad Davis. "No they Fain, ne Bangor Since Fait The sumeuNl bid- "We hope day salt teem to hope teyg perms her to permitted ;ogcauit her to evaluate, nmkeable,loin"1iasked kmedu- dershoWairs. wibythetimeWa ss c go sato Me business cosomwisy and shewwitsi doing and Low ai warnto do atwy appearo. loawence tdoiowwAmWhave do 11. u man onetymgwre,hryhwW4mon Man one thing m e time, they ive Avis recent work rolling edveNa- eonwdmm to dwjaM." 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