City Council
MEETING DATE: 2/10/2016
TITLE:
Title
Advertising Contract with the Desert Sun
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FROM:
Chris Parman, Communications/Events Manager
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council approve a multi-month advertising contract with the Desert Sun newspaper.
Body
BACKGROUND:
The Desert Sun newspaper has the largest print circulation in the Coachella Valley at 50,000 subscribers and more than 165,000 readers. The Desert Sun with its print and digital website reaches 47% of the total population in the Valley.
Special Events has advertised in the Desert Sun on several occasions for Cuisine & Art Tuesdays, Taste of Jalisco, and the Cent$ational Mile of Savings. These events received widespread recognition and increased attendance and sales.
DISCUSSION:
The Desert Sun is offering a multi-month advertising campaign, both print and digital via social media, that significantly reduces the per-piece advertising fee and increases our exposure thereby allowing us to disseminate our message to their readers, our constituents, and future investors in the City.
In the past, the City has secured a 1/4 page, full-color ad at the non-profit rate of $32.11 per column inch. The cost is roughly $1,000 per ad. This multi-month advertising contract requires three ads per week for twelve weeks but at $9.21 per column inch reducing our cost for a 1/4 page ad to $276.00. Essentially, the City would receive three ads for the price of one. The contract also incorporates digital ads for those going to Facebook and will help send people to our City's Facebook page to increase traffic and "Likes" so that whenever we update our page, all those who "Liked" our page will get a notice.
I have formulated a print marketing campaign attached that allows us to communicate better with Desert Sun readers for the 5th Annual Agnes Pelton Society's Cathedral Cove Historic Homes and Artists Tour, C.O.D. Street Fair's "West Valley Wednesdays," 2nd Annual Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival, State of the City, Throwback Thursdays with Jersey Shore, Movies in the Park, 2nd Annual Cathedral City LGBT Days, Cuisine & Art Tuesdays in April, Cent$ational Mile of Savings in April, the Glo Run, and several filler ads that can be used for economic development highlighting positive aspects of investing in Cathedral City.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The 12 week print campaign and the 16 week digital - social media campaign are valued at $12,536.00. Funding will come from the Special Events budget.
ATTACHMENTS:
Desert Sun Advertising Contract
Calendar of Ads