Technology like smartphones and social media changed how billions of people work, communicate and socialize. Yet, when they first emerged, many questioned their relevance for business and marketing. (more…)
Starmark served up plenty of good cheer and glad tidings at the 2018 Starmark Holiday party on December 4 with our clients and friends gathered from near and far to help herald the most wonderful time of the year. (more…)
Reprinted from South Florida Business Journal.
Today’s companies are investing more time and energy into collecting data. On average, over 9 percent of marketing budgets are spent on data, according to recent studies – more than any other tactic. And that percentage is only growing. (more…)
Starmark was tasked with promoting the Mainstage events taking place throughout the 2018-2019 season at Broward College’s Bailey Hall. The signature event series represents some of the most awe-inspiring, imaginative and evocative performances currently touring the nation. The multilevel performing-arts center is a prestigious arts and culture venue as well as a beacon for arts education in Broward County. While Bailey Hall hosts many exciting shows each year, many in the South Florida community are unaware of all it has to offer. (more…)
Building Topic Clusters is a key strategy employed by content marketers that leverages a single overarching topic pillar and builds niche content around it with internal links to increase search visibility among competitors, enables website crawlers to connect related content and ultimately improves the rankings of your website as a whole. If you’re a digital marketer or an SEO expert planning your 2019 online marketing strategy, Topic Clusters should be one of your top priorities. (more…)
Starmark is excited to announce the launch of the 2019 Digital Vacation Planner, Meetings Guide and Visit Lauderdale TV for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau (GFLCVB). Building on the success of the previous year’s planner and the former Hello Sunny TV, the Starmark team transformed these tools that will inspire a generation of travelers to visit the destination as they peruse the pages of engaging content. (more…)
Starmark was proud to support the Marine Research Hub at the 2018 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS) on November 1. The team joined attendees for breakfast at the 3rd Annual Marine Research Hub Summit. (more…)
We live in a world where instant communication equates to instant gratification. We are digitally connected where receiving a response is as easy as looking at your smartwatch, checking your text messages or looking at your social notifications. With so many ways to hold a conversation, businesses should explore integrating chat bots into their social campaigns. (more…)
Starmark created a bespoke advertising campaign and website for Azul Beach Resorts to differentiate the brand from the rest of the Karisma Hotels & Resorts portfolio and reset the tone to speak primarily to upscale Millennial audiences. The Starmark team delivered a full range of creative assets, including a combined photo and video shoot at Azul Beach Resort Negril. (more…)
In early October, Starmark Chief Digital Officer, Brett Circe, attended the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) Innovate Conference. On the heels of the conference featuring speakers from Shark Tank, Virgin Galactic, The National Cotton Council and other innovation leaders, Brett shared these top 4 trends to watch.
On October 4, 2018, Starmark celebrated another record-setting year with the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau (GFLCVB) at the destination’s annual industry luncheon. Starmark and Finn Partners assisted GFLCVB’s President & CEO Stacy Ritter in unveiling the destination’s 2019 Marketing Plan at the Broward County Convention Center. Tourism industry professionals, local government officials and Broward County council members were among the 600 guests in attendance. (more…)
Congratulations to our client, Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau (GFLCVB), and our extraordinary Starmarkers for taking home a whopping seven awards at the 2018 VISIT FLORIDA Governor’s Conference on Tourism, held September 12, 2018.
For “Mixed Media Campaign”, the Henry went to the Greater Together campaign that underscored Greater Fort Lauderdale’s message of diversity and inclusion. The centerpiece video launched on the United Nations’ World Tourism Day, along with a series of integrated campaign components throughout 2018 that continues to warmly welcome all visitors with an open-door/open heart philosophy.
“Niche Marketing” top honors went to the Underground Lauderdale campaign, an umbrella brand for Greater Fort Lauderdale’s emerging talent in music, fashion, film and create. It’s edgy, gritty, young and inclusive of everyone.
In 2017, Starmark took the brand to the next level: developing a master logo; sub branded Music, Fashion, Film and Create logos; and dedicated campaigns for each sector. Digital, print, social, website and onsite assets were developed for national and local events. There was a fully-branded Underground Lauderdale stage beachside at the 2017 Riptide Music Festival. Art hotspots were launched county-wide for Underground Lauderdale Create that visitors could tour by car, trolley, bike, or foot, with a branded U-Create pocket map and insider’s pass for special offers.
For “Radio Advertising”, the Pandora/Spotify Hello Sunny spot was the judge’s favorite. These 30-second broadcast and digital radio spots combined a soothing, yet sophisticated voice sharing Greater Fort Lauderdale’s carefree lifestyle with captivating Hello Sunny “moments”. The digital version interrupted listeners’ “playlists” to transport them into instant vacation mode, complete with ocean/beach and activity-specific sound effects. Spots ran in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Chicago.
For “Resource/Promotional Material – Consumer”, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Digital Vacation Planner scored the top spot. GFLCVB wanted to wow viewers with an immersive tool that satisfied the pre-planning needs of diverse audiences, (including many upscale millennials), and also served as their go-to guide while in destination. This ambitious effort was translated into six languages. The Planner targeted global leisure travelers through strategic SEO optimization and included links, scan codes and promotional assets that transformed it into a comprehensive selling tool for international tour operators.
“Each year we continue to push the envelope with original programs and campaigns to bring more visitors to the destination. Receiving top honors for the quality and impact of our work is really a win-win for everyone.”
— Dale Baron, Executive Creative Director
For “Resource/Promotional Material-Trade”, judges voted for the Hello Savings Meetings Campaign TV advertising, a meeting planner promotion that offered U.S.-based meeting planners up to $10,000 in the form of cash-back rebates, along with extra hotel perks for eligible booking dates. The campaign successfully resulted in 19 meeting bookings closed, adding $7 million in additional revenue impact.
For the “Tourism Advocacy” category, another judging favorite was the 2017 Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau (GFLCVB)’s luncheon event. To showcase continued tourism growth through SMART strategic thinking, a Purchase Cycle video showcased a family and a meeting planner journeying through the cycle. The event culminated with GFLCVB’s CEO demonstrating a virtual reality walk along the beach.
In the category of “Television”, the Hello Sunny TV campaign took Bronze honors, broadcasting the region’s growing sophistication and offerings, while sharing its authentic, welcoming spirit. The campaign featured more than 50 lead talent of all ages, ethnicities and sexualities, including 3 transgender models – a first for any destination.
“Starmark is proud to be the marketing partner for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau,” said Dale Baron, Executive Creative Director. “Each year we continue to push the envelope with original programs and campaigns to bring more visitors to the destination. Receiving top honors for the quality and impact of our work is really a win-win for everyone.”
The Flagler Awards program, including the prestigious Henry award—a salute to Florida tourism grandfather, Henry Flagler—is held annually to recognize the outstanding tourism marketing efforts of Florida’s travel businesses, destinations and attractions.