Trips & Treats Communications

Tone

Already as active as they might be in cultural and other leisure activities, so the challenge is to support their interest within a familiar offer whilst also encouraging them to broaden/deepen their engagement beyond the obvious.

• Depending on how confident they are feeling, some may take a few risks, but invariably they go with what they know or seek to lower the possibility of risk by drawing on a range of easy to access information sources.
• Positioning cultural events as fun, family friendly and educational provides opportunities for some additional adventurous attendance to encourage more frequent and lifelong engagement.
• The whole day out is an important part of the planning process for this group - so messaging about what else they can do in the area is helpful for their decision making and provides potential for partnership promotions.
• Relationship building could initially be focused on attracting them for regular annual events in the programme or for annual treats – for instance around birthdays or anniversaries when the family would like to celebrate together. Using that as a starting point frequency could be developed with a variety of offers.

Channels

Whilst receptive to prominent advertising through media channels - both social and traditional - friend and family recommendations are this group's primary source of information.

• They are open to advertising and direct marketing messages, will expect to see prominent advertising and clear messages for larger shows, and will be receptive to brand associations – whether food, drink or retail.
• If they commute they will look for street advertising, otherwise local newspapers and radio may be key sources; mainly tabloid readers, they are likely to read The Sun (22%) and The Daily Mail (14%), along with a local daily newspaper; a few will read a broadsheet.
• They are most likely to respond to messages received by email bulletins, or those seen on the television and read about in magazines (they prefer this to being contacted over the phone or in person) and are fairly responsive to direct emails or post, once engaged.
• They primarily seek information and endorsement from friends and family, whose opinions they trust to help them make decisions, as they do not have the time or perhaps the inclination to seek out new or different opportunities from the known.
• Peer-to-peer word-of-mouth can be harnessed through provision of entertaining and engaging digital content which can be easily shared via social media and other channels, and websites in particular should be clear and informative, as they will be regularly visited once a family is interested.
• Schools will be key partners to seek out and support – along with other local cultural activities for young people, e.g. drama centres or colleges – and promotion via third-party organisations at a community level may be effective at engaging local ‘advocates’ to help spread the word, especially those supporting families, such as children’s centres, family activities in libraries or local scouts and guide centres.