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Agency recommends expanding paid media, adding site and email work in 2026
Summary
Madden Media proposed a paid-media-focused plan for Moab's 2026 tourism marketing that shifts budget toward lower-funnel tactics, website landing pages and email nurturing while keeping the paid-media line at roughly $1.2 million.
Madden Media recommended expanding Moab’s paid-media program for 2026 and adding more website- and email-focused work to convert ad impressions into bookings.
Caitlin Green, Madden Media’s media buyer, told the Milan Tourism Advisory Board that 2025 emphasized “awareness and data driven media” and that the agency wants to evolve next year to “more lower funnel tactics” including landing pages, SEO briefs, content creation and email marketing to “drive the traffic down, in the right messaging to the website.”
The agency’s proposed line items discussed during the Sept. 23 budget workshop included a paid-media bucket of $1,200,000 and a separate account-and-design support line intended to cover landing-page builds, creative briefs and ongoing account strategy. Board members asked whether the design/account support would be part of Madden’s existing contract or require an amendment; Madden staff said that it would likely be handled as an amendment to the original contract.
Madden staff also recommended migration and ongoing use of data services. Green and other Madden staff said the office’s Symphony data subscription is set to expire in mid-2026 and that Madden’s Voyage (Voyage Signal/Voyage Data Services) would be used instead, with Madden staff (Heather Molina was named) ingesting data and reporting back to the office so campaign decisions are more directly overseen by Madden.
Board members pressed for detail about creative assets and content. Green said the proposal includes content-creation support and that the account/design bucket would include a monthly program of content briefs and the staging and publishing work needed to support landing pages and improved SEO. When asked about imagery needs — photos and video of families and other target audiences — Madden and Moab staff said the creative-services line in the tourism office budget is the usual place for photo/video projects, and that the board should consider budgeting for a targeted shoot if existing assets are insufficient.
Madden staff said they will present a fuller 2026 media plan in November with more detailed creative proposals, and the board and office staff said they expect to refine the paid-media and creative allocations at that time.
Ending: The board did not take a vote at the Sept. 23 meeting. Madden will return with a full media plan in November; meanwhile board members asked staff to confirm contract language and whether the account/design support and content work require a formal contract amendment.
