Best Media Relations Campaign Overview 1

Supporting Question 2

Supporting Materials 3

BorderFest History 4

Mission Statement 5

Goals & Objectives 6

“Pepper” BorderFest Emissary 7

Results Are In… Records Set At BorderFest 2011! 8

Media Relations Campaign Overview

Overview

2011 marked the 35th year of the ’s oldest and largest culture, heritage and music festival, BorderFest Most successful year in the event’s history. BorderFest Celebrating Hawaii, Proudly Presented by Kraft was held March 3‐6 at the State Farm Arena in Hi‐ dalgo, Texas. Growth of 5% over the prior year, attracting? 89,928visitors from both the United States and Mexico. Hidalgo, which is just north of the Rio Grande River, is the point of entry for visitors coming from Mex‐ ico to the United States. To reach these varied audiences, BorderFest activates an extensive media relations campaign. BorderFest’s media relations campaign 3 months out the event has constant presence in all aspects of the media‐broadcast, print and online. Press releases about the history of the event and entertainers are sent out periodically eight weeks in advance with the objective of giving the media newsworthy stories. An official press conference marked the launch of our 8 week effort, at this press conference the Selena Gomez, was announced along with other entertainment for the event. Reporters receive a press kit with information about the festival and the press release about the headlining act. Media Sponsor participation helps in recruiting other important part‐ ners. State Farm Arena and Telemundo worked together to bring “12 Corazones” a national high rated dating game show. Radio partner Mas Music 90.9 donated their street team to put up BorderFest flyers, posters and included BorderFest in 5 weekly radio broadcasts from local clubs and restaurants, they participated in the Mas Music Lounge where they brought in a live DJ and broadcasted live every night of BorderFest, Mas Music also send out event invitations using their station text messaging data base and their social media websites. All sponsors also support the festival by participating in the BorderFest Sponsor Summit.

Objective

Create newsworthy interest, prior to, during, and post BorderFest. Maintaining good media partnerships allowed us to attain the most effective media campaign in the history of BorderFest. Expand the reach and strategic connections with the integrated promotional media relations In‐ crease the geographical scope of our main objective. Press kit is provided for easy to access information and easy to cover story ideas un‐paid editorial coverage of BorderFest, its entertainers and sponsors.

Overall Effectiveness

Received wide‐spread coverage of our festival from television, radio and print media as a result.

Target Audience This distinctly unique position sets the stage for BorderFest, which celebrates the diverse cultures of the Rio Grande Valley through education and awareness. The event’s success would not be possible without this contribution from its volunteers, supporters and media sponsors who provide measurable added value to BorderFest’s media relations campaign. Our market has more than 2.7 people (1 million in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and 1.7 million in the border towns of North‐ ern Mexico) in The Rio Grande Valley 89% are Hispanic with a transient population of approximately 127,000 winter visitors known as Winter Texans. Hidalgo, which is just north of the Rio Grande River, is the point of en‐ try for visitors coming from Mexico to the United States. More than 52,000 people cross the Hidalgo/Reynosa International Bridge each day from cities including Rey‐ nosa, Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo and Monterrey Mexico.

Types of Mediums Used

BorderFest appeals to people of every age, gender and lifestyle. Media buys reach across all mediums in both English and Spanish. BorderFest has relationships with most local television and radio stations, newspapers, magazines and local entertainment websites (in both the United States and Mexico). This year media partners also incorporated an extensive online advertising campaign with the Internet versions of all three local newspa‐ pers, The McAllen Monitor, and the . Also included online presence with major radio and television stations including BMP Radio, Entravision Radio, Entravision TV, Billboard ads (3) two months prior to the festival. In Mexico BorderFest received exposure on the top rated networks Tele‐ visa and Multimedios TV. Mas Music 90.9 FM in Reynosa Mexico, leveraged its street team in support of Bor‐ derFest, distributed posters and flyers in Reynosa and the Rio Grande Valley and included BorderFest in 4 weekly live radio broadcast. Aside from the $12,000 promotional schedule given on the air they co‐sponsored the Black Iguana/Mas Music Margarita, Beer and Wine Tasting Lounge. Comprehensive dual language media campaign across all mediums, both traditional (radio, television, print) and alternative (multimedia and grassroots)

Measurable Results

Expanded marketing efforts yielded record‐breaking results. Of all targeted media 90% covered one of multiple aspects of BorderFest. Of the press releases sent to our targeted media, 100% of them were picked up by at least one media source, some stories being published ver‐ batim. The BorderFest website enjoyed a record breaking (insert number) hits. The Facebook social website obtained daily exposure before and during the event with thousands of hits on every post.

Target Market

Numerous target markets, selected each pertaining to a particular component of BorderFest. Target markets were selected according to music genres, interests, and the nature of the event. The BorderFest Association has to incorporate each target market identified to its festival agenda. Recognizing, understanding, and catering to target markets has been a key feature for BorderFest triumph. Every radio, television, and print media was actively involved in shaping and promoting the overall agenda. The extent of our target markets has allowed us to diversify to different media venues that target different seg‐ ments of the Rio Grande Valley population. Target every age, gender, and lifestyle associated with the culture that identifies the Rio Grande Valley. The location of Hidalgo, TX is a strategic spot for people from this region to experience the diversity of the two American and Mexican worlds. Alliances with Mexican television sta‐ tions, print media, and radio stations have been crucial to target this segment. The winter Texan population is an important target market. These visitors migrate from different parts of the United States and Canada to reside in the southern part of the country. During this time of the year 150, 000 winter Texan citizens reside in the Rio Grande Valley. The winter Texan segment is committed in volunteering their time for this successful event. The City of Hidalgo population is only 11,494, compared to the more than 89,000 individuals who at‐ tended BorderFest. BorderFest is committed to integrate every aspect of the Rio Grande Valley Life by focusing in the diversity of our different target markets. Recognizing the different cultures and lifestyles that can be blended in this grand event is critical to strategically planning for this event.

Media Strategy

The 2011 BorderFest media campaign had a lifespan of eight weeks. Numerous media strategies Media relations campaign focused on key media, developing partnership with me‐ dia, and establishing newsworthy material. Participation of almost every radio, television, and print media shaped and promoted the overall program and image of BorderFest.

1. Key Media The BorderFest media campaign focused on local media with an emphasis on regional and international media as well. Understanding different target market, key media was used to target the different lifestyles and cultures of the Rio Grande Valley. Worked with the different television, radio, and print media to reach the Hispanic Demographic, which is the largest in our region. One of our main media relations partner is the South Texas newspaper, out‐ numbers in reach and circulation any other daily South Texas newspapers. BorderFest special edition insert published one day before the inauguration of the 35th Annual BorderFest celebration “Celebrating Hawaii, Proudly Presented by Kraft”. The 12 page BorderFest edition included featured events, the latest artist news and performance featured in the carnival, and the full schedule of events of the four day weekend of Border‐ Fest. The publication of this insert was produced at no cost to the BorderFest Association. Worked with Mexi‐ can newspaper, radio, and television stations also contributed to our goal of reaching our international audi‐ ences. BorderFest featured in the two most important regional Mexican television stations: XHAB and XERV. Daily newspapers, El Manana and La Prensa. The impressionable reach of the two television stations together with El Manana and La Prensa, had a fundamental impact in targeting our Mexican segment.

2. Developing Partnership with Media

Ambassador Luncheon One of our main opening relation events. Media is invited The ambassadors for BorderFest are officially presented to all media Rio Grande Valley officials, city leaders, elected officials, and business leaders attend this event is support for BorderFest.

Updating media list for current news of upcoming events Media Lists are updated every month.

Working in a timely manner to achieve fundamental support from our media relation partners. Deliver information in a timely manner. Working together with our media relations partners Meet with media partners regularly starting 3 months prior to the festival

The BorderFest media relations campaign has a life span of eight weeks

Liaison between media and the BorderFest Association is year round.

Media Cross Promotion; Cooking Competition

10 on air radio and television talent participated in the cooking completion The competition created an extensive amount of radio and television coverage Participants invited their listeners to come out to BorderFest and support them. The competition was held at the Cocina Kraft using H‐E‐B and Kraft products and proved again to be a success‐ ful way to cross promote two of our main sponsors, Kraft and H‐E‐B and participating media outlets.

Media Row Activities

KGBT‐ Outside stage talent participation and interaction, weather live from KBGT stage on Saturday, station memorabilia give a ways, parade participation BMP Radio‐ Spin to win contest for station prizes Clear Channel Radio‐ stations give a‐ways Valley Town Crier‐ Valley Town Crier sponsored BorderFestComic book, Televisa‐ Daily talent presence, register to win promotions Telemundo‐ Outside main stage talent for Thursday and Friday Mas Music‐ Mas Music, Black Iguana Margarita, beer and wine tasting lounge. Live DJ in the lounge, pictures of guests to the lounge posted on masmusictv.com

3. Establishing Newsworthy Material

Provide media partners with newsworthy material. Press conference held to launch the media relations campaign. Media packets provided information on the BorderFest 2011 theme, results and num‐ bers from previous year and information on the headlining concert lineup. Further press releases were sent as new artists and events were confirmed. Invitations sent to local news directors, entertainment editors, local reporters and country radio station program directors. Press conference obtained a live broadcast from the region’s number one country radio station, coverage in local newspapers and television news cov‐ erage.

Assessing Media Impact

Monitor impact of media coverage to evaluate the effectiveness of the media relations campaign. This year’s news coverage of BorderFest was by far the most extensive and successful in the history of BorderFest. The value of news coverage in local television and print totaled (insert amount), according to RGV Monitoring. Television Media BorderFest 2011 received a total of 3 hours, 52 minutes and 30 seconds of airtime on local news coverage on 20 television stations. Assessed value of over $100,000. Catering to the Hispanic market is as effective and equally important as catering to a general market.

Print Media

The value of print media news coverage for BorderFest is over $30,000. Print media included daily articles or mentions in local newspapers as well as newspapers in Northern Mexico. See Figure 9

Figure 9 Print Media News Coverage

Publication Circulation Approximate Value Impressions

The Monitor (daily) 360,000 $ 18,300 1,020,000 The Brownsville Herald (daily) 47,154 $ 2,068 141,462

El Mañana (daily) 131,000 $ 6,462 393,000 (daily) 3,844 $ 80 11,532 The Paper of South Texas (weekly) 20,000 $ 220 60,000 La Prensa (daily) 31,000 $ 483 93,000 El Periodico USA (weekly) 16,000 $ 574 48,000

South Padre Parade (weekly) 50,000 $ 280 150,000 South Texas Weekly (weekly) 35,000 $ 480 210,000 The Valley Morning Star (daily) 46,400 $ 912 139,200 Valley Town Crier (weekly) 113,400 $ 750 340,200 Winter Texan Times (weekly) 18,500 $ 339 55,500 Total 872,298 $ 30,948 2,661,894

Detailed news coverage, newspaper clippings and sample press releases enclosed

Supporting Questions

What did you do to update this promotion from the year before? Was it Successful? Provide Measurable results.

Expanded marketing efforts into new markets (most notably Matamoros and Monterrey, Mexico, which combined, offer more than 7 million residents), 3% growth in attendance. Brought our new media partners, thus bringing in more than $90,000 in in‐kind sponsorship Added comprehensive Internet Marketing Campaign and Social Website presence on Facebook.