THE GREAT WHEELBARROW RACE 2021: EVENT PROMOTION PLAN
Author
2315THS: Event Marketing & Sponsorship
Instructor
Date
Contents
TOC o “1-3” h z u Capability Analysis & Reflection PAGEREF _Toc69390479 h 4Event Information PAGEREF _Toc69390480 h 5Assessment of the Market Environment PAGEREF _Toc69390481 h 5Internal Analysis PAGEREF _Toc69390482 h 5External Analysis PAGEREF _Toc69390483 h 6SWOT Analysis PAGEREF _Toc69390484 h 7Target Markets PAGEREF _Toc69390485 h 8Primary Target Market PAGEREF _Toc69390486 h 8Secondary Target Market PAGEREF _Toc69390487 h 9Tertiary Target Market PAGEREF _Toc69390488 h 9Objectives PAGEREF _Toc69390489 h 9Overall Objective PAGEREF _Toc69390490 h 9Smart Promotion Objective PAGEREF _Toc69390491 h 9Promotion Strategies PAGEREF _Toc69390492 h 10Promotion Budget PAGEREF _Toc69390493 h 12Monitoring and Evaluation PAGEREF _Toc69390494 h 12References PAGEREF _Toc69390495 h 13
Capability Analysis & Reflection
Enter Name
Address
Location
Date, 2021
Dear Committee Chair,
In the organization of the Great Wheelbarrow Event 2021, I believe I possess the right skills to help promote the event successfully and to meet the expectations of the committee. My people skills will make it more comfortable and easier to connect with other professionals, deal with government regulators, ensure that private investors and sponsors are updated, connect with the event attendees, and create an all-rounded appeal for event stakeholders. The range of people that will make up the event will require such people skills in order to resolve any emergent conflict and ensure the success of the event. I am passionate about event management, very organized, and a very skilled communicator. I am calm under pressure and always a decisive problem-solver. Another of my major skills include flexibility and ability to listen. Flexibility will allow me to wear different hats depending on what the situation demands. For example, I will be required to be a soft leader at some point and a ruthless manager at some. Cleaning up possible messes and making tough decisions will also be a part of the job. Listening is also a key strength and will enable me to understand what the stakeholders desire from the event. Combined, these skills will help me discern what the event will require and how to go about promoting it successfully. However, I will need to work on delegating tasks, one of my key weaknesses, because I understand I may not be able to supervise every part of the event.
Councillor Locky BenstedAddress
Location
Event InformationThe Great Wheelbarrow Race is a charity event looking to pull resources together, bring people together, and offer some release after a very tough 2020 following the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing regulations. The event features a 3-stage team relay action where the competitors will race from Dimbulah to Chillageo while pushing wheelbarrows along a designated highway (Great Wheelbarrow Race, 2021). The event is set to happen on Saturday, 15 May and will follow the safety protocols against the prevention of COVID-19. This year, the event will be a 0ne-day event for safety reasons, away from the usual 3 day-event.
The endurance style event is set to see competitors tackle more than 95 kilometers challenge. On the morning of 15 May, the event will kick off in Dimbulah and be complete the same day in the afternoon in Chillagoe. To ensure the safety of every participant, competitors who intend to finish the race will need to meet a schedule deadline. Every team will be allowed a maximum of ten members but will need to fit in one vehicle along with the designated race marshals (Great Wheelbarrow Race, 2021). The event will also feature a category for solo runners. The distance between the events is as follows:
Dimbulah 65K Almaden 35k Chillagoe (Great Wheelbarrow Race, 2021).
The three legs above will be closely monitored for safety and adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols. The event is a much-needed economic and social boost for the smaller communities. Apart from keeping the race spirit alive, the event is meant to attract local participation in similar events as a way to revive the economy of local communities (Great Wheelbarrow Race, 2021). The event has been running since 2004 as a tribute to the hardworking men and women of the 19th century who used the route to for transportation. Therefore, the event is a way to showcase the spirit of the people and the historical significance of their past.
Assessment of the Market Environment
Internal AnalysisFor the Great Wheelbarrow Race and its target market, several strengths and weaknesses can be observed. Because of its size as a local community event that will attract people outside of these locales from Dimbulah to Chillageo, the Great Wheelbarrow Race enjoys monopoly of an event of its nature. There are almost no other events of its category that will be held in the same period. One of the main strengths of the event according to the Mareeba Shire Council (2021) and the Tourism and Events Queensland (2021) is its uniqueness in terms of the historical value, participation, and how it connects the social to the economic in a way that allows the local community as well participating individuals to take part in nation building. Another strength is the value of the event to the community. It will allow tourism to flourish in a period marked by stagnation of the sector. Additionally, the event will contribute positively to the welfare of other groups through charitable funds that will be garnered.
Despite the goodwill that the event presents, there is a likelihood that local participation is preferred, thereby locking out tourists and visitors from other regions within and outside of Queensland. For such customized local events, participation from people outside of the local community is limited, and sometimes discouraged (Preuss, 2007). The popularity of the event is also likely to cause inconveniences to the local people. Traffic jams, crowded spaces, and the possibility of an influx of visitors are all possible issues. With such issues, the main intention of the event maybe washed off and the affair dismissed as just another social and economic event. The loss of purpose may affect how the local community perceives the event, leading to a gradual loss of participation.
External AnalysisIn the event industry, there are a number of opportunities and threats that the Great Wheelbarrow Race faces. After the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions that followed on the basis of safety, Fisher et al. (2020) observe that people are yearning for social and economic events that will remind them of the sense of community and welfare that is a hallmark of human interactions. Towards this end, the Great Wheelbarrow Race 2021 has several opportunities. First, it enjoys an underserved market where social and economic events are rare and far between. The local community may have other events of a different nature, but not one that brings everyone together as the Great Wheelbarrow Race. Consequently, there is reduced competition for community space and for participants. With the COVID-19 pandemic, another emergent opportunity is the need and demand for social events, not just to bring people together but as a relief after several months of confinement and restricted movement. As such events continue to attract hope in the sense of the revival of the local economy and social participation, media coverage is also an opportunity to attract more sponsors and funding in the future. Lastly, online coverage and presence that are characteristic to the event industry will likely make the event a popular tourist sport.
One significant threat that the Great Wheelbarrow Race faces is the COVI-19 regulations on the events industry. As it is currently, the event has gone through changes that may have affected its overall outcomes by reducing the number of participants, the level of participation, and the number of days from a 3 day event to a 1 day event. Another major threat is the resumption of events in the Queensland area. This means that the target market will have a variety of options available to choose from. This may create competition where participants may choose other events leading to loss of revenue for the Great Wheelbarrow Race. The last threat is the COVID-19 virus. Participants may be worried about their safety leading to a low turnout and low ticket buying and participation. The safety of all participants is not 100% guaranteed leading to the possibility of a low turnout.
SWOT AnalysisStrengths
Loyal participants
Hardworking and committed organizers
Financial backing from the local authorities
Event goodwill
Unique event branding and positioning
Competitive ticket pricing
Superior management due to experience
Effective promotion of event via social media
A motivated event planning team
Local community backing and acceptance
Sponsorship presence Weaknesses
Poor funding
High staff turnover
Inefficient registration process
A poor event management system
Very low profit margins
Costly processes
Reduced offerings
A narrow product line
Poor pricing strategy
Ineffective marketing
Opportunities
Uniqueness of the race reducing competition
High demand for social events
Market growth of events
Online coverage and presence
Economic boost
Government participation and assistance
Meeting local community needs
Favorable political and economic conditions for events
Support from the local stakeholders
Opportunity to meet sponsorship for subsequent events Threats
Industry competition from other events in the music industry, charitable events, and so on
Cases of bad weather
COVID-19 pandemic and the strict regulations to prevent its spread
Unprepared infrastructure
Competition from other events with lower participatory needs
More exciting events available elsewhere
Economic slowdown making participants more cautious in what they spend money on
Negative press
Introduction of other substitute events
Calamities
Target Markets
Primary Target MarketThe primary target market for the Great Wheelbarrow Race is family and friends made up of individuals within different age groups from 15 year olds to senior citizens in their 70s. The main aim of the event is to bring the community closer together through a charitable drive that is also a way to maintain a long history that defines the work and transport network between Mareeba to Chillagoe (The Great Wheelbarrow Race, 2021). The event is keen to include young men and women as part of the race in order to keep the unique tradition on to other generations (Thomas, 2020). The primary target market includes individuals native to the Mareeba, Almaden, and Chillagoe communities and their surroundings. A majority of the target market will include people working in these areas, including students, and families that have permanent residence within the said areas. The primary target market will have spent almost 100% of their life in the said areas.
Secondary Target MarketThe secondary target market includes special interest groups and corporate teams living or working within the Mareeba, Almaden, and Chillagoe communities and their environs. The event is marketed to such target groups as a bonding and team building event (The Great Wheelbarrow Race, 2021). This secondary target market is also a way to attract sponsorship by targeting corporate bodies, private businesses, and local authorities in the Mareeba, Almaden, and Chillagoe areas.
Tertiary Target MarketFor the Great Wheelbarrow Race, the tertiary target audience will include international and local tourists who have seen the popularity of event online or are interested in the cultural affairs of the people in Mareeba, Almaden, and Chillagoe areas. The target group will include international students, foreign employees, and tourists visiting the area. A majority of the tertiary target market are attracted to the event due to its popularity.
ObjectivesOverall ObjectiveThe overall objective of the Great Wheelbarrow Race is to pull resources together, bring people together, and provide a way to create social following on an event that is relatable to the culture and history of the people within the Mareeba, Almaden, and Chillagoe areas (Great Wheelbarrow Race, 2021). In this year’s event, the race organizers also hope to offer some release after a very tough 2020 following the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing regulations, the loss of social connection, and poor economic progress of the said areas.
Smart Promotion ObjectiveThe primary objective of the promotional plan is to achieve an 80% attendance for local communities’ friends and families group in the next event in May, 2022. The objective is to increase attendance in order to meet the social and economic goals of the charitable event.
The second objective of the promotional plan is to increase the participation of special interest groups and corporate participation by 50% including al locally operated businesses and organizations and groups such as the LGBTQ and people living with disabilities within the next year of operation
The third objective is to attract and include a new participatory category of tourist groups comprised of people who are not residents of the local community in the next event in 2022.
Promotion StrategiesPromotional Objective Strategy Rationale
The primary objective of the promotional plan is to achieve an 80% attendance for local communities’ friends and families group in the next event in May, 2022. The objective is to increase attendance in order to meet the social and economic goals of the charitable event. In the friends and family category, the promotional strategy will include a fully paid VIP experience for a family or a group of five. To be eligible for the price, friends and family will be required to participate in an online challenge announcing their participation, while holding a mini-wheelbarrow race at their preferred venue, and asking their online followers for support and contributions towards the charities to be announced later. The social media post with the highest number of reactions will earn participants a place in the special VIP race to determine the group that will receive the prize of a fully paid trip within an Australian destination. The friends and family category is what has kept this event active since 2004. Therefore, it is important that the culture is maintained through focusing on them as part of the intention to keep the social aspect of the community active. The use of social media as a promotional tool will help to increase following of the event and attract other people for the same or other target groups.
The second objective of the promotional plan is to increase the participation of special interest groups and corporate participation by 50% including al locally operated businesses and organizations and groups such as the LGBTQ and people living with disabilities within the next year of operation In the special interest groups, the inclusion criteria for a VIP special-interest race will include having a course signed by 2500 online participants with the mention of the Great Wheelbarrow Race and all other hashtags. Those representing people with disabilities, for example, will mention their intent to participate and then ask their followers to share their posts and retweet. Winners will get a spa day for 2. Special interest groups will help glue together the event as a part of the social agenda. It will also help to attract corporate participation and sponsorship in order for the planning to achieve its financial demands.
The third objective is to attract and include a new participatory category of tourist groups comprised of people who are not residents of the local community in the next event in 2022 For people outside of the local communities, participation into a special race for prizes will include elimination based on who takes the best photo or video with a caption explaining why they should participate in a prized category on their favorite social media. Winners will get a free tour at the local museum The use of social media is to help increase the popularity of the event to people outside of the communities. Tourists will help in meeting the economic agenda for the local communities. The more the event can attract tourists, the better the local economy can get
Promotion Budget
Strategy Action Description and Calculation Source Cost
1.1 Competition Equipment
Prize The Great Wheelbarrow Race
A VIP holiday for five at the Park Hyatt Sydney $95 x 5 (Weber & Larsen, 2021) $475.00
Total Cost $475
1.2 Grand Prize A spa day for 2 at the winners’ preferred location
$105 x 2 (Weber & Larsen, 2021) $210
Total Cost $210
1.3 Winning prize Free tour at the local museum Free
Monitoring and EvaluationAll of the promotional objectives have a target of attaining a minimum attendance for the target groups. Therefore, the monitoring and evaluation strategies will be similar. To ensure the objectives are met, the effectiveness and reach of the social media participatory exercises will be evaluated. For the three online participatory exercises and competitions, the number of people participating will help to analyze the effectiveness of the strategy. Again, the same strategy will be applied to measure the reach. The number of reactions from every post with the tag #TheGreatWheelbarrowRace2021 will show engagement for different target groups and participation.ReferencesFisher, J. R., Tran, T. D., Hammarberg, K., Sastry, J., Nguyen, H., Rowe, H., … & Kirkman, M.
(2020). Mental health of people in Australia in the first month of COVID‐19 restrictions: a national survey. Medical journal of Australia, 213(10), 458-464.
Mareeba Shire Council. (March 22, 2021). Nominate Now for Wheelbarrow Race. Mareeba
Shire Council. https://msc.qld.gov.au/alerts-notifications/nominate-now-for-wheelbarrow-race/
Preuss, H. (2007). The conceptualisation and measurement of mega sport event legacies. Journal
of sport & tourism, 12(3-4), 207-228.
The Great Wheelbarrow Race 2021. (2021). Available at
https://www.greatwheelbarrowrace.com/
Thomas, R. (13 May, 2020). Ready to Race. The Express Newspaper. Available at
https://www.theexpressnewspaper.com.au/latest-news/ready-to-race
Weber, I. & Larsen, A. (February, 2021). The Best Five Star Hotels in Sydney. Travel Guide.
Available at https://small-luxury-hotels.net/
