Sea Canoe Plan Book

Green Agency Mathilde Bancillon • Shannon Hughes Zoe Johnson • Allee Lizama

December 4, 2014 • The College of William and Mary • Mason School of Business

Table of Contents

What is Ecotourism?

The main tenant of ecotourism is to refrain from harming the environment in any way. At SeaCanoe, our guides are trained to respect the places you visit and help you understand why the environment is so special and should be protected.

We leave no trace of our being in an area and ask our guests to respect this belief. We also educate local people in environmental care through our guides, many whom come from local fishing villages.

Tourism in Thailand

Siam Paragon Shopping Mall, Thailand was the world’s most geotagged location on Instagram in 2013, and Bangkok was the second most geotagged city

Current Brand Position Sea Canoe was the original company for eco-friendly seakayaking tours.

This previously niche industry expanded and attracted many competitors.

Sea Canoe is now competing in the heavily saturated masstourism industry.

Potential customers cannot identify Sea Canoe’s ‘addedvalue’ and rely on price as their differentiating factor.

Eco-tourism Industry: 1990’s vs. 2014 The market in 1990’s: First mover advantage

The market in 2014: Competitive

Brand Objectives Segment the mass-tourism market for sea-kayaking trips in Thailand and target a specific tourist group through a new campaign.

Remind our target market that a trip with Sea Canoe is a unique experience about adventure, escapism, and respecting the environment.

Target Market Scandinavian and Western European tourists Upper-middle class Young adult backpackers Suburban families Adventure-seekers Individualists Respects the environment Believes in sustainability

Pen Portrait: Kea Age: 29 Occupation: Pediatrician Education: University and Graduate Degrees Relationship Status: Newlywed, preparing for children Hobbies: Yoga, hiking, traveling and exploring new cultures Passionate about the environment and sustainability Active on social media – especially Facebook and Twitter

Disconnect to Reconnect Campaign

Sea Canoe’s target market is constantly busy, connected to technology and surrounded by other people. They are worn down from work and their urban lifestyles.

Sea Canoe will be their source of escape.

Sea Canoe will disconnect them from the stress of their everyday lives and reconnect them with nature, a peaceful environment, adventure, and real values.

Sea Canoe will reconnect them with their true selves.

Sea Canoe: Disconnect to Reconnect

Advertising Spots

Advertising Spots

Advertising Spots

Advertising Spots:

Social Media Storytelling Using social media is necessary to reach a modern customer.

Sea Canoe’s current use of social media via Facebook and Twitter can be further leveraged to develop its brand identity, interact with customers and truly tell Sea Canoe’s story.

Social media pages and advertisements are relatively low-cost to begin, easy to implement, simple to manage, and success is measureable.

The four social media outlets that will best help Sea Canoe reach its brand’s objectives are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Wordpress.

Social Media: Facebook Top left: Current Facebook page Bottom right: Sample Facebook posts

Social Media: Twitter *Not active since 2010*

Top left: Current Twitter page Bottom right: Sample Twitter posts

Social Media: Instagram

Sea Canoe offers customers a very visual experience via the beautiful hongs and caves of Thailand.

Sea Canoe will use Instagram to constantly show images and videos of its trips and the sights of Thailand.

Instagram will help Sea Canoe’s target market understand what it means to “reconnect.”

Wordpress Blog: Lost in the Hongs

Sea Canoe’s Wordpress blog will help increase brand awareness and equity.

Lost in the Hongs will feature content relevant to the ecotourism industry, Thailand’s culture and environment, and Sea Canoe.

This blog will help prove to potential customers that Sea Canoe believes in eco-tourism as a core value, not as a selling point.

Trip Advisor Sea Canoe will use Trip Advisor to interact with its current customers and future customers.

Sea Canoe will respond to both positive and negative reviews on its Trip Advisor page.

Users will appreciate the individualized attention and a friendly response shows that Sea Canoe is committed to customer satisfaction.

Travel Guide Features Advertising through two prominent travel guide companies will help Sea Canoe reach its target market.

Both Fodor’s and Lonely Planet reach upper-middle class, cultured and adventure seeking adults – customers similar to Sea Canoe’s target market.

Each company offers both online and mobile advertisement capabilities with a range of styles and sizes where Sea Canoe will feature its “Disconnect to Reconnect” spots.

Furthermore, Sea Canoe will work with Fodor’s to sponsor some of its popular online features, e.g. “Go List.”

(See Appendix A-1 and A-2)

Both of these companies are long-standing and trusted by avid travelers. These travel guide advertisements will help Sea Canoe build its brand equity and awareness.

Ambient Element Using an ambient communication strategy will help potential customers develop a relationship1 with Sea Canoe and visualize themselves on an adventure with Sea Canoe.

Sea Canoe will transform a section of a high-traffic, public transportation station into a replica of the inside of hongs and present the slogan, “Disconnect to Reconnect.” The design will feature a Quick Response (QR) code for commuters to scan with their smart phones. The QR will directly connect them to Sea Canoe’s website where they will begin to plan their trip.

An ambient communication strategy helps potential customers understand exactly what they will disconnect from, what they will reconnect to, and how they can do it with Sea Canoe.

1

(Gambetti, 2010)

Native Advertisements Native advertising is a non-traditional form of advertising that allows brands to develop story, blog, or news like content as an advertisement.

Sea Canoe will contact well-known and highly trusted travel and eco-tourism bloggers and offer them a free flight and eco-tourism trip with Sea Canoe.

In exchange the bloggers will create personalized content about Sea Canoe on their blogs.

Sea Canoe’s target market follows these bloggers for additional expert opinions. This builds brand equity for Sea Canoe and potential customers will now consider Sea Canoe.

Timeline December 2014: High season Create social media content, Ad/features in Travel Guides

January and February 2015: High season Update social media content, Ads, Eco label process

March 2015: Off season Native ad, Update social media, Ads, Eco label process

April, May, June, July, and August 2015: Booking time Native ad, Ad and ambient elements, Update social media, Eco label process

September and October 2015: Off season Similar to March 2015

November and December 2015: High season Ads, Update social media, Eco label process

January 2016: High season Ads, Update social media, Eco label awarded, Market our services with eco label, Join ecotourism communities

February 2016: High season Ads, Update social media, Market our services with eco label, Participate in eco-tourism communities events

References (2013). About Us. Retrieved from: http://www.seacanoe.net (2014). Advertising. Retrieved from: http://www.lonelyplanet.biz/ads.php (2014). Advertising. Retrieved from: http://www.fodors.com/advertising/ (2014). The International Ecotourism Society. Retrieved from: http://www.ecotourism.org Gambetti, R.C. (2010). Ambient Communication: How to Engage Consumers in Urban Touch-Points. California Review Management, 52 (3), 34-51.

Gupta, S., Armstrong, K., Clayton, Z. (2011). Social Media. Harvard Business School, 1-13.

Sangpikul, A. (2010). Marketing Ecotourism Through the Internet: A Case of Ecotourism Business in Thailand. International Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 11(2), 107-137. doi: 10.1080/15256481003732782

Appendix Appendix A-1: Travel Guide Features Samples of Fodor’s sponsorship and advertisement capabilities.

Appendix A-2: Travel Guide Features Sample of Lonely Planet’s advertisement capabilities.