Creative Campaigns HES/C/4225 · UK public procurement notice

The strands which our campaigns may focus on are:

• Membership acquisition and retention
• Visitor led campaigns driving footfall to sites – mainly through events or linked to new experiences or developments at our sites
• Data capture across our audiences
• Campaigns to promote non-visitor related product or services. This could include but not exclusive to; fundraising/legacy, third party venue hire for corporate events, promotion of weddings, retail including promotion of our online shop and promotion of our archives.

KEY CONSIDERATIONS

It is essential that all resources adhere to our brand guidelines. We are currently looking at brand development, but the appropriate brand/sub brand guidelines will be supplied when available.

It is also essential that the successful tenderer has a deep understanding of our target audiences, what they need, what they value, their abilities and limitations. We can provide information about our audiences if required.

MEMBERSHIP – ACQUISITION & RETENTION

The creative campaign should allow the ability to connect with audiences in a competitive market and appeal to the modern consumer by promoting value and affordability alongside social and outgoing/days out appeal. Campaigns should focus on the value of membership for visiting our sites, but messaging should focus on specific benefits and times of year to appeal to different segments of members.

The events programme for 2024 has not been confirmed yet, however as an example Spectacular Jousting at Linlithgow Palace is one of the most attended events each year. All events are listed on the HES website:

www.historicenvironment.scot/events ↗

Membership Retention – Depending on any emerging trends with the levels of member retention, HES may also consider promotional activity linked to retention. HES’s current UK member retention level is 76% which is below the national average for UK visitor attraction membership schemes which sits at 80%. At the end of July 2023 HES had 192,969 members.

Visitor Marketing – HES’s approach to visitor marketing is to focus promotion on reasons to visit the sites (start of season, events and exhibitions) the scale of which dictates whether a paid campaign is required, admissions promotions and changes to the experience or new developments.

HES may require focus on Stirling Castle, Edinburgh Castle or the Engine Shed (additional visitor facing brands of Historic Environment Scotland) at strategic times of the year and any other site should it be required. This can include our Christmas campaigns which may include Gift Membership and Christmas at both Edinburgh and Stirling Castle.

Member and visitor focused campaigns should:

• Drive visitors to HES attractions
• Raise awareness of Historic Environment Scotland and the great days out we offer.
• Drive income and membership numbers (targets TBC)
• Be trackable across different media options
• Contribute to data capture to our Scottish non-member database
• Work collaboratively and practically together in development stages and working with appointed media agency
• Communicate effectively with members, to ensure they are informed, engaged, and excited about the programme, with particular emphasis on personal communications.

AUDIENCE

Scottish families are the principal market for event and membership campaigns and fall into the ABC1 demographic. The second largest segment in the membership is concession category, this includes visitors aged 65 and over, full time students, in receipt of state benefit, and serving member of British Armed Forces. Focused briefs are issued for each individual event/campaign outlining aims and objectives. We have various pieces of research into our key markets which can be supplied if required.

CORPORATE CAMPAIGNS

This is a new area for the marketing team so while some elements remain unknown projects such as our retail including the online shop, corporate events, weddings, access to the archives and fundraising campaigns may be required.