Advertising Strategies

South Dakota Tourism’s shoulder season marketing efforts are targeted to close-by regional markets, those that are an easy drive or direct flight away.

Target markets for the shoulder season campaign are determined by research, travel product and past performance in the markets.

Like the peak season campaign, Tourism’s 2006 shoulder season marketing strategy will continue to utilize a three-tiered approach. In tier one markets, Tourism is reaching out to potential travelers with image-based ads that build awareness of South Dakota and entice consumers who haven’t been to the state to learn more about our Great Faces and Great Places. Tier two and tier three efforts encourage potential travelers from nearby markets and our own residents to travel in South Dakota for a quick weekend getaway at one of the state’s many unique events. Both tiers’ efforts also focus on promoting travel specials.

Target Audiences

• Families: adults with children
• Empty Nesters: couples and single adults whose own children are independent adults
• Outdoor Enthusiasts: hunters and fishers

Key Messages

South Dakota is

• close by.
• full of adventure opportunities.
• a historic destination.

Print strategy uses inserts and ads

South Dakota Tourism’s message will be spread throughout the pages of several magazines and many newspapers this fall.

Giant Step/Great Getaways

Giant Step and Great Getaways: Two pillars of Tourism’s shoulder season campaign, the Giant Step magazine insert and the Great Getaways newspaper insert hold the theme that South Dakota is a close-by, peaceful and scenic fall destination for families and empty nesters. Both inserts feature ads by co-op partners. Giant Step promotes the entire state and is inserted in fall issues of Aurther Frommers Budget Travel, Better Homes & Gardens, Child magazine, Ladies’ Home Journal, Midwest Living, Parents magazine, T + L Family magazine and Travel 50 & Beyond with a combined circulation of 2.6 million. Great Getaways is placed in 17 target market newspapers in August and September. It promotes the Great Lakes, Glacial Lakes and Prairies, and Southeast regions and has a total circulation of 714, 750.

• Giant Step
  - Better Homes & Gardens (PDF)
  - Child magazine (PDF)
  - Ladies` Home Journal (PDF)
  - Midwest Living (PDF)
  - Parents magazine (PDF)
  - T + L Family magazine (PDF)
   
• Great Getaways
  - newspaper insert (PDF)

New Efforts: Giant Step Expands to the Outdoors

The Giant Step magazine insert has been extended to the fall issues of Ducks Unlimited Journal, Field & Stream, Outdoor Life and Pheasants Forever in an effort to reach out to sporting enthusiasts. Tourism has also expanded the Great Getaway newspaper insert, which promotes South Dakota as a great vacation destination just a short drive away, to the following publications: Sheldon Mail, Le Mars Daily Sentinel, Ames Daily Tribune, Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Fort Dodge Messenger, Mason City Globe Gazzette, Sheldon NW Iowa Review and Spencer Daily Reporter.