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Commission hears marketing updates as staff and operators flag slower ticket sales
Summary
Contractors reported high campaign impressions and social growth, but commission staff and operations reported slower ticket sales and urged ongoing, earlier paid social to boost advance purchases; staff proposed contests and influencer tracking.
Marketing contractors and commission staff reviewed this season's media, radio, outdoor and social campaigns and recommended expanding ongoing paid social and influencer strategies after initial campaign metrics. Operations staff said ticket sales are slower and more last-minute this season.
Melissa Dietz of Dietz Media and Marketing summarized the paid-media campaign: television, radio and online video ran in April and May and the campaign was extended on TV from four to five weeks after negotiated rates improved; Melissa said the television buy is now expected to deliver roughly 1.9 million impressions versus an earlier estimate of 1.2 million. She reported search cost-per-clicks of about $0.30 for search and higher CPC for other channels, and said online clickthroughs in April were 20% higher than March.
Regina Flores (social media, Lamont Media) reported organic social gains: Facebook followers increased, link clicks rose 365% year-to-date with about 2,000 clicks since January, and Instagram views rose 78% (54,000 views). Regina proposed adding YouTube and TikTok, running ongoing paid social well in advance of weekends, and using boosted posts for specific low-sales weekends. She and staff suggested influencer campaigns with trackable discount codes to measure conversions.
Operations staff and commissioners raised concerns about ticketing: Candy and others said sales are more last-minute this season and reported greater walk-up purchases; Candy supplied counts showing many weekend trains still below full capacity three days before running. Melissa proposed working with a local TV station on ticket-giveaway promotions (KTVN) and packaging tickets with local partners to incentivize advance purchases. Commissioners asked marketing staff to design ongoing season-long paid social and targeted boosts for weekends with lower historical sales.
