TABLE OF

CONTENTS
Execu&ve  Summary   2  
Situa&on  Analysis   5  
   Brand  Analysis   5  
     S.W.O.T.  Analysis   7  
     Geographic  Analysis   9  
     Compe::ve  Analysis   11  
     Target  Market   15  
Media  Vision   21  
Media  Objec&ves   22  
Recommenda&ons   23  
     Road  Trip:  Texas   23  
     College  Suitcase   25  
     General  Media   29  
Executive Summary
ShopAcrossTexas  is  built  on  the  belief  that  quality  content  drives  traffic.  Star:ng  from  this  founda:on,  CuNng  Edge  will  
bring  ShopAcrossTexas  to  the  next  level  by  implemen:ng  a  fully  integrated  media  effort  emphasizing  user  interac:on.  
Through  this,  CuNng  Edge  will  establish  Shop  Across  Texas  as  the  go-­‐to  stop  for  shopping  for  travelers.  

The   evolu:on   of   ShopAcrossTexas   comes   in   several   parts.   First   is   a   mobile   applica:on   known   as   RoadTrip:   Texas,  
developed   to   provide   travelers   recommended   stops   and   shops   tailored   to   their   trip   based   on   des:na:on   inputs.  
RoadTrip:  Texas  will  feature  reviews  from  SAT’s  site,  loca:on-­‐based  searching,  content  sharing,  and  more.  

Next  is  a  reassessment  of  ShopAcrossTexas’s  blog  strategy.  CuNng  edge  has  developed  two  alterna:ve  paths:  spread  
resources   between   CollegeSuitcase   and   Hither   and   Yonder   in   aYempt   to   segment   audiences   or   consolidate   efforts  
around  an  enhanced  Hither  and  Yonder  to  serve  as  a  strong,  singular  voice  for  the  SAT  brand.  

However,  the  primary  path  on  ShopAcrossTexas’s  map  to  success  is  content  expansion  that  will  drive  traffic  to  RoadTrip:  
Texas,  a  revamped  blog,  and  the  site  itself.  In  order  for  ShopAcrossTexas  to  become  a  useful  tool  for  travelers,  it  must  
incorporate  a  greater  variety  of  local  businesses,  as  well  as  user-­‐generated  content.  While  maintaining  a  focus  on  retail,  
including   insights   on   local   restaurants   and   other   ac:vi:es   will   grow   SAT’s   audience   appeal.   In   addi:on,   user   reviews  
should  become  a  key  component  to  the  site,  allowing  visitors  to  give  input  and  feel  a  part  of  the  SAT  community.  

Finally,  in  order  to  spread  the  word  about  ShopAcrossTexas’s  brand  reforma:on,  CuNng  Edge  has  developed  strategic  
media   recommenda:ons.   An   increased   digital   presence   as   embodied   by   smarter   SEO/SEM,   stronger   social   integra:on,  
and   placements   on   compe:tor   sites   and   mobile   apps   will   grab   the   aYen:on   of   our   pre-­‐planning   primary   target.   To  
reach  the  more  spontaneous  secondary  target  on  the  road,  ShopAcrossTexas  will  employ  radio  and  OOH  adver:sing  to  
drive  mobile  traffic  and  cross-­‐promote  RoadTrip:  Texas.    

2
 ?
WHERE
ARE WE
Abilene  Allen  Amarillo  Shopping  Arlington  Austin
 Bandera  College  Beaumont  Boerne  Brownsville
State Fair  Bryan  Canton  College Station  Local 
Corpus Christi  Dallas  Denton  Shops  El Paso  Forn
Fort Worth  Discounts  Fredericksburg  Frisco  Gal
veston  Bars  Georgetown  Granbury  Grapevine  Ha
ren  Hillsboro  Houston  Restaurants  Hurst  Jeffers
 Johnson  Sweepstakes  Kerrville  Killeen  Kingsville
Laredo  Lewisville  Longview  Guides  Lubbock  Mc
Kinney  Tours  Mesquite  Midland New Braunfels 
Odessa  Plano  Round Rock  Gifts  Round Top  Salad
San Angelo  Road Trips  San Antonio  San Marcos 
Southlake  Temple  Tyler  Waco  Planner  Waxahach
Weatherford  West  Wichita Falls  Wimberley  The
 ShopAcrossTexas.com  is  a  web  resource  for  people  who  travel  to  
shop   in   Texas.   With   over   74   par:cipa:ng   Texas   ci:es,   SAT   offers  
discounts   to   local   shops,   “best   of”   lists,   advice   on   sights   to   see   on  
a  Texas  road  trip,  and  various  giveaways  and  sweepstakes.  

Every   year,   ShopAcrossTexas   releases   a   survey   to   thousands   of  

Texans   asking   them   to   submit   hundreds   of   their   favorite   Texas  
stores.   From   those   responses,   ShopAcrossTexas   releases   their  
"Best   Stores   in   Town"   list   detailing   the   top   stores   and   their  
informa:on.  

Sweepstakes,   held   monthly,   offer   people   the   chance   to   win   a  

getaway  to  a  Texas  city.  The  bundled  prize  usually  includes  :ckets  
to  aYrac:ons,  paid  hotel,  and  gi`  cards  to  shops  and  restaurants.  

Launched   on   June   18th,   2008,   Hither   and   Yonder   is   a   traveling/

shopping  blog  recommending  what  to  do  this  weekend,  discussing  
travel   topics   and   :ps,   and   featuring   local   stores.   Bobbie   Pen,  
launched  July  12th,  2008,  is  a  blog  featuring  reviews,  ravings,  and  
opinions   on   anything   and   everything   gi`s,   beauty,   shopping   and  
décor.  
5
Traffic Sources
Approximately  51k  visits  this  month  
•  Vast  majority  of  traffic  is  coming  from  the  DFW  area   •  Views   Search  
•  Dallas  has  the  most  visitors  at  approximately  11k   •  Average  of  1:37  spent  on  the  site   Engine  
this  month   •  56.34%  bounce  rate   Direct   17%  
•  Next  most  comes  from  Aus:n  at  approximately   •  84%  of  visitors  are  new   Traffic  
2.5k  this  month   •  85%  of  visitors  are  visi:ng  one   42%  
•  Mobile   :me  only  
•  About  3,000  visits  a  month  come  from  mobile   •  57%  of  visitors  only  visit  one   Referring  
devices-­‐-­‐a  majority  of  those  devices  being   page,  followed  by  almost  19%   Sites  
iPhones.   visi:ng  two  pages   41%  
•  Mobile  visitors  are  nearly  consistent  with  other  
visitors  at  2.17  pages  per  visit  with  1:29  on  the  site  

The  Search  Situa&on  

Keywords:  “Shopping  Texas”   Keywords:  “Shopping  Dallas”     Keywords:  “Shopping  Houston”   Keywords:  “Shopping  San  Antonio”    
   1.  ShopAcrossTexas.com      1.  VisitDallas.com      1.  Virtual  Tourist.com      1.  VisitSanAntonio.com  
   2.  GoTexas.about.com      2.  GalleriaDallas.com      2.  VisitHoustonTexas.com      2.  SanAntonioTourist.com  
   3.  CitySearch.com      3.  Virtual  Tourist.com      3.  10best.com      3.  SanAntonio.com  
   4.  TexasShopping.net      4.  NorthParkCenter.com      4.  Simon.com  (Galleria)      4.  TheShopsAtLaCantera.com  
   5.  TouringTexas.com      31.  ShopAcrossTexas.com  (pg.  3)      69.  ShopAcrossTexas.com  (pg.  6)      70.  ShopAcrossTexas.com  (pg.  7)  

Several  cri:cal  numbers  stand  out.  First,  85%  of  visitors  frequent  ShopAcrossTexas  once  and  never  return,  indica:ng  that  the  site’s  
current  content  is  neither  useful  or  relevant  enough  to  keep  users  coming  back.  In  addi:on,  57%  of  visitors  are  viewing  only  one  
page  before  leaving,  meaning  that  users  either  find  the  site  architecture  too  frustra:ng  or  the  content  not  relevant  enough  to  
explore.  Together,  this  means  there  are  a  majority  of  visitors  coming  to  ShopAcrossTexas.com,  viewing  the  home  page  and  then  not  
further  exploring  or  returning  to  the  site.    

Users  are  coming  to  ShopAcrossTexas  through  a  healthy  mix  of  search,  referrals,  and  direct  traffic  clearly  in  search  of  something,  but  
due  to  poor  content,  site  architecture,  or  other  factors,  they  are  not  finding  it.    
Source:  Google  Analy?cs   6
 Strengths Weaknesses
•  Strong  in  Dallas  market   •  Lack  of  Dining,  Ac:vi:es  
•  Hither  and  Yonder  =  popular  content   •  Too  many  “Best  of”  lists  
•  Strong  shopping  content;  variety  in   •  Weak  presence  outside  Dallas  
shopping   •  Poor  site  architecture  
•  Strong  par:cipa:on  in  sweepstakes,   •  Sloppy  links,  technicali:es  
contests,  discounts   •  Style  features  could  be  sharper  
•  Many  one-­‐:me  discount  seekers  

S.W.O.T
Opportunities Threats
•  Content  expansion  of  eats  and   •  Cultural  intricacies  among  
entertainment   various  markets  
•  Geographical  expansion  to  IH-­‐20   •  Struggling  retailers  in  economy  
running  East-­‐West   •  Changing  technologies  
•  Increased  SEO/SEM  presence  
•  Use  niche  content  to  steal  share  from  
generic  compe:tors  
•  Integrate  reviews  and  user  insights  
7
Strengths Weaknesses
•  Presence  in  Dallas  market  -­‐  High  coverage  on  and  par:cipa:on   •  Narrow  content  
from  Dallas  area   •  No  insight  on  Where  to  Eat  or  What  to  Do  narrows  
•  Content  -­‐  Variety  of  stores  in  the  retail  market  (bou:ques  and   audience  appeal  and  lessens  site’s  u:lity  
other  kinds  of  shops)   •  “Best”  Lists  
•  Gi`  Guides   •  Too  many,  can  become  confusing  
•  Best  of  Lists   •  Need  more  content  variety  
•  Hither  and  Yonder   •  Loca:on  
•  “What  to  Do”   •  Content  and  features  are  centered  around  Dallas  and  
•  Sweepstakes  and  Discounts   its  suburbs  
•  Promote  different  ci:es  and  towns  and  their  local   •  Alienates  users  from  or  traveling  to  other  ci:es  
stores  (The  Grapevine  sweepstakes)   •  Site  Architecture  
•  Best  of  Lists  -­‐  visitors  can  vote  on  stores  to  include  on   •  Sloppy/dead  links  
the  lists   •  Example:  The  blog  links  
•  State  Fair  Discounts  are  major  draw   •  Not  easy  to  navigate  
•  Many  of  the  pages  are  buried  within  different  
Opportunities pages  of  the  site  
•  Content  expansion  of  eats  and  entertainment   Threats
•  Keep  shopping  focus,  extend  content  coverage  to  other   •  Cultural  intricacies  among  various  markets  
travel  ac:vi:es   •  Many  smaller  towns  and  ci:es  have  a  culture  esoteric  
•  Expand  audience  appeal  and  site  u:lity   to  outside  visitors  
•  Geographical  expansion  to  IH-­‐20  running  East-­‐West   •  Visitors  may  find  some  cultural  transla:on  difficult  
•  A`er  improving  content  on  IH-­‐35  corridor,  grow  to   •  Struggling  retailers  in  economy  
include  travelers  headed  E-­‐W   •  Smaller  businesses  o`en  are  hurt  before  the  larger  
•  Increased  SEO/SEM  presence   na:onal  chains  
•  Use  niche  content  to  steal  share  from  generic  compe:tors   •  Smaller  businesses  are  also  prone  to  buy-­‐ups  by  larger  
•  Informa:on  about  smaller  towns  and  those  further   na:onal  chains  
away  from  the  major  ci:es   •  Changing  technologies  
•  Integrate  reviews  and  user  insights   •  So`ware  and  hardware  is  constantly  changing  and  its  
•  Many  of  the  seasons  allow  for  travel     hard  to  keep  updated  
•  Summer  :me  travel  55-­‐60%   •  Mul:ple  plasorms  makes  it  hard  to  produce  one  
•  High  involvement  more  in  the  summer  at  67%   cohesive  product  
•  Fall  and  Autumun  22-­‐25%   8
 Texas Urban Triangle

17  Million  People  
  Just  under  70%  of  the  state  
popula:on  
I-­‐45  
I-­‐35  
  The  stretch  of  I-­‐35  alone  has  a  
I-­‐10   popula:on  11,062,385  in  its  major  
metropolitan  areas.  (2009  census  
es:mates)    

  A  majority  of  Shop  Across  Texas  

ci:es  lie  along  the  I-­‐35  corridor  or  
nearby  it  

Texas  has  a  large  popula:on  with  business  friendly  policies,  which  gives  Shop  Across  Texas  an  ideal  environment  to  
flourish.  Specifically,  with  Shop  Across  Texas’  large  presence  on  I-­‐35  places  it  in  a  strong  posi:on  to  u:lize  the  large  
popula:on  along  that  corridor.    

9 Source:  Federal  Reserve  Bank  of  Dallas  

10
11
Competitive Analysis

With  so  much  informa:on  at  our  finger:ps,  shoppers  on  the  road  have  infinite  op:ons  when  
searching  for  where  to  shop  in  a  strange  city.  Some  of  these  sites  pose  direct  compe::on  to  
ShopAcrossTexas  and  can  be  broken  down  into  four  categories:    
Texas  Travel  Guides,  City  Specialists,  Review  Reservoirs,  and  CVB  Sites.   12
 Texas Travel Guides City Specialists
Uniques:  52K          Visits/User:  3.9          Avg.  Time:  5:30  
Uniques:  100K        Visits/User:  4.5        Avg.  Time:  5:00  
Strengths   Weakness   High-­‐Affinity  Sites   Strengths   Weakness   High-­‐Affinity  Sites  
•  Interac:ve  features   •  A  lot  of  ads   •  texastribune.com   •  Expert  on  Dallas   •  Covers  DFW  only   •  guidelive.com  
•  Extensive  database  of   •  Restricted  content   •  aus:n360.com   •  Extensive  info  on  dining,   •  Can  be  abstruse  to   •  dallascad.com  
ac:vity   •  Bland  design     •  mysanantonio.com   shops,  bars,  events   travelers   •  dallas.citysearch.com  
•  Restaurants   •  houstonpress.com   •  Variety  of  blogs   •  Busy  design   •  pegasusnews.com  
•  statesman.com   •  Quality  copy/graphics   •  dallas.bizjournals.com  
•  Strong  iPhone  app  

Uniques:  63K          Visits/User:  2.9          Avg.  Time:  3:30   Uniques:  100K        Visits/User:  4.5        Avg.  Time:  5:00  

Strengths   Weakness   High-­‐Affinity  Sites   Weakness   High-­‐Affinity  Sites  

Strengths  
•  layout  busy  at   •  do512.com  
•  Trip  planner   •  Bad  design   •  texastribune.com   •  high  local  authority  
•  Tons  of  info   •  LiYle  local  authority   •  aus:n360.com   :mes   •  statesman.com  
•  extensive  coverage  of  
•  Easy-­‐to-­‐use  interface   •  mysanantonio.com   •  Some  content   •  stubbsaus:n.com  
events,  eats,  and  
•  Events   •  houstonpress.com   esoteric  to   •  aus:ntexas.org  
entertainment  
•  statesman.com   travelers   •  news8aus:n.com  
•  definite  local  
personality   •  Obnoxious  
occasional  ad  
takeovers  

Uniques:  390K        Visits/User:  6.6        Avg.  Time:  13:20  

Strengths   Weakness  
•  Detailed  ar:cle-­‐based   •  No  city-­‐specific   Strengths   Weakness   High-­‐Affinity  Sites  
content   op:ons   •  high  local  authority   •  Boring  and  busy  site  •  citysearch.com  
•  Strong  events  database   •  Crowded  with  ads   •  deep  content   design   •  sacurrent.com  
•  Extensive  menu  op:ons   •  Limited  restaurant   inventory   •  emphasis  on  news   •  foxsanantonio.com  
info   •  strong  local  following   over  human  interest  •  ksat.com  
•  No  hotel  info   •  liYle  traveler-­‐ •  kens5.com  
13 relevant  content  
Review Sites CVB Sites
Uniques:  11M        Visits/User:  4.1        Avg.  Time:  5:40   Uniques:  22K        Visits/User:  3.1        Avg.  Time:  7:30  

Strengths   Weakness   High-­‐Affinity  Sites   Strengths   Weakness   High-­‐Affinity  Sites  

•  Strong  local  voice   •  Some  poor  user   •  citysearch.com   •  Organic  search   •  Somewhat  generic   •  guidelive.com  
•  Ground  level   content   •  menupages.com   presence   •  Lacks  local  business   •  bigtex.com  
consumers  =   •  Controversial   •  zagat.com   •  Engaging  design   focus   •  craigslist.org  
credibility   adver:sing/revenue   •  urbanspoon.com   •  iPhone  app   •  More  focused  on   •  dallasnews.com  
•  Searchability   connec:ng  tourists   •  hilton.com  
•  Easy  search   model   •  menuism.com  
•  Deals  and  discounts   with  hotels  
•  Users  build  content   •  Heavy  on  restaurants   •  Deep  events  database   •  Rentals  
•  Forums   •  Weaker  in  shopping,   •  AYrac:ons  
•  Hyper-­‐local  events   ac:vi:es,  &  services   •  Major  shopping  malls  
•  Yelp  Elite  incen:ve   •  LiYle  travel-­‐relevant  
•  Social  aspect   content  
VisitHoutonTexas   Uniques:  33K        Visits/User:  3.1        Avg.  Time:  5:40  
•  High-­‐u:lity  mobile  app  
Strengths   Weakness   High-­‐Affinity  Sites  
•  Organic  search   •  Unengaging  design   •  citysearch.com  
presence   •  Lacks  personality   •  houstontx.gov  
•  Database  of  largely   •  houstonpress.com  
Uniques:  5.1M        Visits/User:  3.2        Avg.  Time:  3:10   local  retailers   •  chron.com  
•  har.com  
Strengths   Weakness   High-­‐Affinity  Sites  
•  Official  contributor   •  Lacks  local   •  business.intuit.com  
reviews   personality   •  menuism.com   VisitSanAntonio   Uniques:  58K        Visits/User:  3.4        Avg.  Time:  6:40  

•  “Best  lists”  content   •  Lacks  color   •  yellowbot.com   Strengths   Weakness   High-­‐Affinity  Sites  
•  BeYer  category   •  Less  audience-­‐ •  yelp.com   •  Organic  search   •  Some  poor  user   •  thesanantonioriver
balance  than  Yelp   generated  content   •  insiderpages.com   presence   content   walk.com  
•  Strong  city  personality   •  Adver:sing/revenue   •  sanantonio.com  
•  Easy-­‐to-­‐navigate  
conveyed   model   •  citysearch.com  
design/info   •  Well-­‐built  list  of  local   •  Not  targeted  to   •  seaworld.com  
architecture   retailers   travelers   •  mysanantonio.com  
•  Mobile  app   •  Varied  lists  of  local   •  Controversial  
eats,  sites   prac:ces  
•  Site  usability   14
 Four Categories of Travelers
As   the   involvement   level   of   the   travelers   increases,   age,   income,   professional   level  
increases,  while  the  number  of  family  members  and  wage  earners  decreases.  

High   Medium-­‐Low  
These   individuals   are   those   who   turn   to   films   and   books   These  travelers  do  not  use  any  books  or  films,  and  rarely  do  
for   background   research.   They   are   me:culous   in   their   any   background   research   on   their   des:na:ons.   They   take  
planning  and  tend  to  travel  more  than  250  miles  on  their   less  than  3  months  to  plan  their  vaca:ons.  
vaca:ons.  

HIGH HIGH MEDIUM

LOW
MEDIUM LOW

High-­‐Medium   Low  
Travelers   in   this   area   of   involvement   do   not   use   specific   These  travelers  o`en  do  not  do  any  background  research  on  
films   and   books   for   research.   Instead,   they   use   more   their   trips.   They   take   less   than   3   months   to   plan   their   trips  
generic  resources  to  look  up  informa:on  about  towns  and   and  travel  less  than  250  miles  away  from  their  homes.    
ci:es.   They   plan   well   in   advance   of   their   travel   date   and  
travel  more  than  250  miles  away  from  their  homes.   This   segment   includes   lower   income   families,   typically   have  
2-­‐3  children  in  the  family,  and  have  2  wage  earners.    
Similarly,   this   group   also   includes   young   families   that  
comprise  of  individuals  whose  careers  are  not  professionally  
developed  or  at  senior  level  posi:ons.    
15 Source:  Tourism  Management  
SAT  should  aim  for  High  -­‐  Medium   •  Type   A   Travelers   consist   of   women   ages   30   to   45   with   a   college  
•  This   group   is   less   likely   to   take   a   plane   educa:on   who   are   employed   earning   a   mid-­‐level   income   and   travel  
everywhere   on   each   trip   and   instead   focuses   domes:cally  3  or  more  :mes  a  year  
on  driving.     •  Research   shows   that   women   are   21%   more   likely   to   go   shopping   on   any  
•  They   are   the   ones   going   on   trips   to   the   city   form  of  trip  
and  tour  and  visit  spas   •  Addi:onally,   women   are   more   likely   to   travel   specifically   to   aYend   a  
•  High  involvement  means  that  people  are  more   specific  event,  go  shopping,  and  visit  spas  for  relaxa:on  
likely  to  rent  cars  out  to  use  as  well   •  The   target   market   is   made   of   researchers.   They   look   for   deals   and     read  
•  They   plan   more   o`en   and   are   actually   reviews  and,  through  they  are  not  likely  to    
interested  in  tourism  and  explora:on   contribute  a  community  type  blog,    
•  Smaller   than   some   segments   in   popula:on   Type  A  Travelers    will  seek  out  and  
size,  but  greater  in  economic  poten:al    consume  the  content  if  relevant.    
•  They  are  also  ac:ve  par:cipants  
 on  Facebook  and  TwiYer.  

TYPE A
TRAVELERS
ShopAcrossTexas should target…
For  its  flagship  site  and  all  suppor:ng  media  placements,  ShopAcrossTexas    
should  target  women  of  all  ages  with  a  focus  on  working  women  ages  30  to    
45  who  have  a  college  educa:on  and  moderate  income.  These  women  have  older    
families  who  are  gearing  up  for  college,  but  s:ll  live  at  home.  Impromptu  weekend  trips  to  another  city  
are  not  part  of  their  agenda.  Instead  they  plan,  plan,  plan.  They  do  extensive  research  to  gather  
informa:on  on  where  they  are  going  and  where  to  stop  along  the  way.  Various  resources  are  used  during  
this  process  such  as  checking  out  local  blogs  and  websites  to  look  for  reviews  and  recommenda:ons  from  
the  locals.  These  travelers  are  willing  to  spend  more  money  during  their  trips  and  more  likely  to  try  new  
things  in  these  ci:es.    
Source:  MRI   16
Source:  Tourism  Management  
 Type A Traveler
Primary  Target  Profile  

Karen  Atwood  is  a  43  year-­‐old  married  mother  of  two  teenage   she   is   able   to   discover   every   city’s   local   charm   and   allure.  
boys.   She   lives   in   the   Dallas   area   where   her   life   revolves   When  she  returns  from  these  trips,  she  immediately  wants  to  
around   her   work   as   a   commercial   real   estate   agent,   but   she   find  ways  to  bring  her  family  back  to  these  ci:es  so  that  they  
makes   it   a   point   to   find   :me   away   from   the   office   to   spend   can   appreciate   what   Texas   has   to   offer.   She   o`en   starts   her  
:me  with  her  family.  Every  morning,  she  makes  breakfast  for   planning   for   these   mini-­‐vaca:ons   by   looking   on   the   Internet  
her   kids   and   husband   before   making   her   way   through   the   for  things  to  do  and  what  to  see  in  these  ci:es  with  the  help  
Dallas  rush-­‐hour  traffic  to  work.   of  her  husband  and  her  two  kids.  A`er  spending  :me  on  the  
road,   they   immediately   find   local   places   to   eat,   but   their  
Much   of   her   work   requires   her   to   travel   across   Texas   to   scope   favorite  thing  to  do  is  to  find  hidden  treasures  of  the  city  and  
out  poten:al  new  loca:ons;  It  is  through  these  travels  that   enjoy  being  a  local.    
17
Casual Trekker
Secondary  Target  Profile  

Expanding  SAT’s  outreach  efforts  to  a  wider  audience,  CuNng  

Edge   has   chosen   a   secondary   target   market   in   which   we   focus  
on   younger   consumers   in   their   early   20s   to   early   30s.   These  
Casual  Trekkers  consist  of  lower  income  ($30,000  -­‐  $40,000  a  
year)  individuals  who  have  not  yet  established  a  professional  
career   in   the   workplace.   These   families   have   a   low-­‐medium  
involvement  in  the  research  process  where  they  take  less  than  
3   months   to   research   their   vaca:on   des:na:ons   and   usually  
travel   closer   to   home.   If   they   are   not   staying   with   family   or  
friends,   Casual   Trekkers   are   staying   at   low-­‐cost   and   budget  
friendly  motels  in  order  to  make  most  out  of  their  money  for  
travel.  

Julia   Hearn   is   a   college   graduate   in   her   late-­‐20s   from   Ohio  

working   in   an   entry   level   posi:on   at   a   small   Dallas   adver:sing  
agency.   She   married   her   college   sweetheart   right   out   of  
college   and   they   are   enjoying   living   the   life   of   young  
newlyweds.   Her   job   keeps   her   busy,   but   she   finds   :me   away   •  Low-­‐medium  involvement  (<3  month  planning,  
from  work  to  spend  with  her  husband.  Julia  and  her  husband   mass  media  sources,  less  than  250  mi  traveled)  
o`en   love   to   wander   around   downtown   Dallas,   but   are   •  Average  age=22-­‐29  
looking  to  explore  more  of  Texas  and  what  it  has  to  offer.  They   •  One-­‐income  family  
o`en   take   liYle   :me   to   plan   these   trips   and   usually   find   •  Lowest   income   of   segments   (40%   $30k+;   24%  
friends  to  stay  with  while  they  are  visi:ng.     $40k)  
•  Stays  in  low-­‐cost  motels,  with  family/friends  
•  Travels  by  car  
•  Common   trip   types:   close-­‐to-­‐home,   city,  
outdoor  
18
 ?
WHERE
ARE WE
GOING
 Media Vision: The Roadmap

While   maintaining   its   focus   on   local   retailers,   ShopAcrossTexas   must   expand   its   site   to   include   What   to   Do   and   Where   to   Eat  
so  as  to  increase  both  u:lity  and  appeal  for  a  wider  audience,  while  also  integra:ng  User  Generated  Content  (UGC)  such  as  
reviews  and  insights  to  foster  site  credibility,  par:cipa:on,  and  community.  

During   content   expansion,   SAT   must   incorporate   intensified   search   and   social   efforts   as   well   as   increase   its   ad   weight   on  
compe:tor   sites   and   mobile   apps   to   raise   brand   awareness   and   usage   among   our   pre-­‐planning   core   target.   To   reach   the  
more  spontaneous  secondary  target,  ShopAcrossTexas  will  establish  a  presence  on  the  road  through  strategic  placements  in  
OOH  and  radio  during  the  spring  and  summer  months.  

Shop  Across  Texas  will  also  engage  consumers  outside  of  its  main  site  through  two  brand-­‐boos:ng  components:  the  revised  
blog  strategy  will  incen:vize  Texas  travel  through  event  coverage  and  short  trip  :ps,  while  the  RoadTrip:  Texas  mobile  app  
will  provide  users  all  the  essen:al  SAT  insights  on  the  go.  

But,   in   whatever   media   endeavors   the   brand   pursues,   Shop   Across   Texas   must   never   shi`   focus   from   those   it   was   created   to  
support:   homegrown   businesses.   In   staying   true   to   the   Lone   Star’s   local   shops,   eats,   and   adventures,   Shop   Across   Texas  
reaches  beyond  clichéd  travel  guides  and  :red  tourist  des:na:ons  to  draw  a  map  by  which  travelers  will  find  the  true  Texas.  

21
Media Objectives
Expect  fun  events  like  the  
popular  GrapeStomp  (get  
Content  
1.  Increase  average  :me  spent  on  the  site  from  1  min  37  sec  to  4  min.  
ready  to  channel  I  Love  Lucy!),  
winery  tas&ng  room  tours,  the  
Central  Market  Culinary  

2.  Increase  visitor  return  rate  from  15.7%  to  40%.  

Pavillion,  People’s  Choice  wine  
tas&ng  and  KidZone.  But  that’s  
not  all–there  will  also  be  loads  
of  live  entertainment  on  6  
stages,  ranging  from  rock  to  
jazz  to  country,  including  Le  
Freak  and  Mark  McKinney.  
3.  Increase  mode  page  views  from  1  to  5.  
4.  Decrease  bounce  rate  from  56%  to  30%  

Digital  Presence  
1.  Appear  in  top  10  search  results  by  Fall  2011.  
2.  Achieve  3%  CTR  (Click-­‐Through  Rate)  in  all  SEM  campaigns.  
3.  Achieve  an  ac:ve  user  rate  of  20%..  

Mobile  Presence  
1.  See  a  monthly  10%  increase  in  mobile  app  downloads.  
2.  From  this,  have  a  30%  of  conversion  with  mobile  coupon  use  to  
develop  a  base  to  build  up  from.  
3.  Achieve  a  50%  repeat  user  rate  in  comparison  to  total  downloads  

22
MOBILE
APP
MOBILE
APP
MOBILE
RoadTrip: Texas
The  primary  func:on  of  RoadTrip:  Texas  is  to  provide  real  u:lity  and  convenience  for  
users  to  boost  the  ShopAcrossTexas  brand  and  drive  traffic  to  its  main  site.  Since  the  
app  will  be  released  as  a  free  feature,  RoadTrip:  Texas  should  serve  as  a  catalyst  driving  
ac:ve,  engaged  users  to  SAT’s  site  and  vice  versa.    

Recommend   Social  
•  Gives  customized  recommenda:ons  for  ci:es,   •  Enable  user  content  crea:on  
shopping,  and  ea:ng  based  on  input  of   •  Support  review  and  sugges:on  pos:ngs  from  the  road  
des:na:on,  preferred  number  of  stops,  city   •  Allow  and  encourage  users  to  post  trip  progress  to  
preferences,  what  kind  of  stop  they  are  looking  to   Facebook,  TwiYer,  SAT  homepage  
make,  and  how  much  :me  they  have  to  spend   •  Facilitate  media  sharing:  user-­‐uploaded  photos,  videos,  
traveling   and  feedback  
•  Local  stores  and  smaller  ci:es  are  given  priority  so  
that  users  can  feel  they  are  geNng  a  truly  
different  experience  than  their  average  IH-­‐35  road  
trip  
Expand  
•  Suggested  loca:on  pages  will  include  SAT  user   •  A`er  establishing  a  strong  app  founda:on  along  
reviews   the  IH-­‐35  corridor,  expand  to  include  the  rest  of  
•  Provide  GPS-­‐based  direc:ons  to  chosen  stores,   Texas.  
restaurants,  sites   •  Start  with  IH-­‐20  and  IH-­‐45,  as  these  two  routes  
•  Integrate  Facebook  Connect  so  that  user  history   pick  up  a  large  number  of  other  SAT  ci:es.  This  
and  preferences  may  be  stored  to  improve  future   will  cover  East  to  West  Texas  and  Dallas  to  
recommenda:ons.     Houston.  
•  By  eventually  including  the  en:rety  of  Texas,  the  
RoadTrip:Texas  increases  its  audience  and  
usability.  
24
COLLEGE
SUITCASE
COLLEGE
SUITCASE
COLLEGE
SUITCASE
COLLEGE
SUITCASE
College Suitcase
The  concept  of  CollegeSuitcase.com  needs  to  be  reworked.  While  an  interes:ng  endeavor,  the  blog  is  completely  
incompa:ble  with  the  goals  and  the  target  market  of  SAT.  SAT’s  target  market  is  middle-­‐aged  women  with  moderate  
incomes  who  travel  o`en  and  have  a  disposable  income  to  shop.  CollegeSuitcase  targets  college  students  who  neither  
have  the  :me  nor  the  money  to  travel.  Spending  :me  and  resources  on  CollegeSuitcase  will  ul:mately  result  in  spliNng  
up  SAT’s  focus.  Currently,  SAT  boasts  to  blogs:  

Hither  and  Yonder     Bobbie  Pen  

+  Incorporates  trip  and   +  Personal  Reviews  
event  sugges:ons   +  Focuses  on  products  
+  Focuses  on  products  
+  Incorporates  discounts   −  Unorganized  
and  savings   −  Infrequently  updated  
+  Heavily  updated   −  Not  a  lot  of  content  
−  Core  market  perspec:ve  
−  Poorly  detailed  event  
sugges:ons  
−  Expensive,  high-­‐end  
retail  sugges:ons  

In  an  effort  to  accommodate  both  preferred  objec:ves  and  changing  consumer  trends,  CuNng  Edge  has  established  two  
alterna:ve  approaches  to  the  CollegeSuitcase  blog.  The  first  outlines  suggested  improvements  to  content  and  coverage  
in  order  to  increase  readership  of  and  par:cipa:on  in  the  current  CollegeSuitcase,  while  the  second  recommends  an  
increased  focus  on  Hither  and  Yonder  to  build  from  its  current  success  and  capitalize  on  its  even  greater  poten:al.  
26
 Option A: College Suitcase Overhaul
SAT’s  ini:al  op:on  is  to  completely  revamp  the  CollegeSuitcase  blog.  CS’s  current  situa:on  consists  of  some  pros,  
but  heavy  cons:  
+ Tips  and  tricks  to  saving  money   − Poorly  wriYen  
+ Sugges:ons  for  surviving  college   − Infrequently  updates  
+ WriYen  from  a  young,  college  perspec:ve   − Narrowly  targeted  to  shopaholic  college  females  

Small   A rmy   o f   I nterns   Focus  on  Trips  and  Events  

To   widen   its   audience   appeal   and   increase   readership,   The   blog   should   focus   on   trip   and   event   informa:on  
CollegeSuitcase   should   deploy   a   small   army   of   interns   with   aYen:on   to   retail   op:ons   while   traveling.   Content  
to  write  from  a  younger  viewpoint  and  provide  insight   can  include  product  selec:ons  and  reviews,  but  should  
for  the  secondary  target  market.  Content  should  come   center  around  local  events  and  ac:vi:es.  Using  fes:vals  
from  a  mix  of  the  State’s  largest  universi:es  such  as  the   and   concerts   such   as   Aus:n   City   Limits   Music   Fes:val  
University   of   Texas   at   Aus:n,   Texas   A&M,   and   Texas   and   the   State   Fair   can   drive   traffic   to   the   blog   by  
Tech   as   well   as   its   largest   metropolitan   areas   such   as   offering   sugges:ons   as   to   where   to   shop,   eat,   and   go  
Dallas-­‐Fort  Worth,  San  Antonio,  and  Houston.   while  students  are  on  the  road.    

By  providing  this  content,  consumers  will  automa:cally  think  of  the  blog  in  the  future  and  revisit  for  further  informa:on.  However,  
there  are  several  reasons  why  we  should  not  invest  too  heavily  in  this  idea.  College  students  simply  do  not  fit  in  with  
ShopAcrossTexas’s  target,  and  finding  content  that  is  both  relevant  to  the  readers  and  congruent  with  the  SAT  brand  would  be  
Sisyphean.  Although  a  college  blog  seems  promising,  researchers  show  that  teenagers  and  young  adults  steadily  see  less  appeal  in  
blogs.  Conversely,  adults  aged  30  and  older  are  increasingly  blogging  about  different  aspects  of  their  lives.  

27
Option B: Revamp Hither and Yonder
While  siphoning  :me  and  resources  into  CollegeSuitcase  will  water  down  ShopAcrossTexas’s  efforts  in  both  outlets,  
focusing  full-­‐force  on  Hither  and  Yonder  will  give  the  blog  a  stronger,  more  direct  voice  with  which  to  support  the  
SAT  brand.  We  recommend  that  ShopAcrossTexas  choose  Op:on  B  due  to  the  benefits  of  revamping  the  Hither  and  
Yonder,  which  greatly  outweigh  that  of  overhauling  of  the  CollegeSuitcase.      

Blogging  Over  Time   Benefits  to  Honing  in  on  Hither  and  Yonder  
30%   28%  
Teens  and  Young  Adults   •  Hither  and  Yonder  has  an  established  readership  and  
(12-­‐29)   successful  content,  and  ShopAcrossTexas  can  leverage    
20%   Adults  (30+)   H+Y’s  current  successes  into  future  growth  
14%   •  Rather  than  split  its  focus  between  two  separate  
11%   readerships  and  content  themes,  SAT  can  concentrate  
10%   7%   efforts  on  a  single  blog  and  market  it  more  effec:vely.  
•  Readership  of  long-­‐form  blogs  is  decreasing  among  
younger,  college-­‐aged  consumers.  However,  older  
0%   audiences-­‐-­‐including  Type  A  Travelers-­‐-­‐are  regular  readers.  
2006   2009  
Suggested  Improvements  to  Hither  and  Yonder  
1.  Expand  content  coverage  to  include  both  Type  A  Traveler  and  Casual  Trekker  targets  
•  Bringing  both  targets  together  around  the  common  theme  of  traveling  local  across  Texas  will  boost  readership  and  foster  
community  
•  Increase  media  variety  by  including  more  video  and  interac:ve  content  to  keep  readers  engaged  
2.  Use  events  and  other  travel  incen:ves  as  main  topics  and  build  content  around  homegrown  retailers,  eateries,  and  ac:vi:es  
•  Give  readers  a  reason  to  travel  (shopping  alone  won’t  do  it)  like  a  major  city  event,  family  holiday,  or  weekend  getaway  
•  Then  fill  them  in  on  the  local  shops  and  spots  they  cannot  miss  
3.  Dish  out  insider  deals,  but  smartly  and  sparingly  
•  Pos:ng  discounts  in  rapid  fire  only  draws  one-­‐:me  bargain  visitors  and  cheapens  the  SAT  brand  
•  Incorporate  exclusive  discounts  intermiYently  on  H+Y  to  aYract  ini:al  visitors,  but  keep  them  coming  back  with  compelling  
content   Source:  Tourism  Management  
Source:  Pew  Internet  and  American  Life  Project,  “Social  Media  and  Young  Adults”,  February  03,  2010   28
GENERAL
MEDIA
GENERAL
MEDIA
Content Expansion
To  increase  audience  appeal  and  brand  u:lity,  ShopAcrossTexas  will  maintain  a  focus  
on  retail  but  must  expand  its  local  content  offerings.    

1.  Build  “Where  to  Eat”  and  “What  to  Do”  categories      
•  Shopping  is  only  part  of  a  traveler’s  story-­‐-­‐we  must  eat  and  explore,  too  
•  Expanding  into  new  categories  draws  new  readers  to  shopping  content  
•  SAT  is  now  suppor:ng  more  local  business  outside  of  retail  alone    

2.  Implement  user-­‐generated  reviews  on  the  site.    

•  Begin  with  content  from  official  ShopAcrossTexas  contributors,  followed  by  user  reviews.    
•  User  Reviews  will  start  off  with  designated  “elite  users”  from  towns  that  can  give  the  
inside  scoop  on  places  that  outsiders  may  not  know  about  and  build  the  founda:on  for  
user-­‐generated  content.  These  reviews  will  help  to  give  visitors  a  beYer  idea  of  the  
businesses  Shop  Across  Texas  recommends.    

3.  Carve  out  market  in  smaller  travel  hubs  before  taking  on  big  ci&es  
•  Yelp,  CitySearch,  and  local  publica:ons  have  a  strong  hold  on  UGC  sites  in  big  ci:es  
•  Smaller  towns  like  Waco,  Abilene,  and  Fredericksburg  have  liYle  informa:on  on  local  
treasures,  and  Yelp-­‐dependent  travelers  from  metro  areas  have  no  source  to  turn  to  when  
passing  through  
•  SAT  will  be  the  go-­‐to-­‐guide  for  review-­‐reliant  Type  A  Travelers  and  the  younger,  local-­‐loving  
Casual  Trekkers  

30
 Strengthen Presence Online
Search,  Social,  and  Compe::ve  

Search  
1.  Content,  content,  content  
•  As  discussed,  give  searchers  a  reason  to  find  you  by  providing  (and  encouraging  users  to  
provide)  unique,  relevant  content-­‐-­‐and  lots  of  it.    
•  Improving  content  inventory  and  site  architecture  will  naturally  result  in  some  SEO  boost.  
•  Increasing  adver:sing  with  linked  banners  on  the  SAT  website  to  publicize  the  blog  will  
help  produce  more  traffic  throughout  the  website.  

2.  Con&nue  to  form  strategic  digital  partnerships  

•  Make  more  friends  with  brands  such  as  VisitDallas.com  
•  Turn  compe:tors  like  City  Specialists  and  CVB  sites  into  partners  with  whom  SAT  can  
mutually  link  

3.  SEM  in  the  Spring&me  

•  Type  A  Travelers  are  planning  summer  and  fall  trips  approximately  3  months  ahead,  so  
save  your  SEM  budget  while  developing  content  to  launch  a  heavy  campaign  in  the  early  
spring  through  summer  months  
•  Think  narrow  search  queries  such  as  “an:que  store  waco”  or  “Mexican  restaurant  
Brownwood”  as  opposed  to  broad  keywords  like  “shopping  Texas”  
•  Focusing  keyword  bids  around  search  queries  and  search  queries  around  text  ad  copy  
means  your  ads  are  highly  relevant  to  all  who  see  them  and  your  PPC  budget  is  not  wasted  

31
Be  Social   Compe&tors’  Sites  and  Mobile  Apps  
1.  Set  Up  A  System   1.  Steal  Type  A  Travelers  from  Enemy  Turf  
•  Type  A  Travelers  are  the  among  the  fastest   •  Establish  an  ad  presence  on  sites  where  Type  A  
growing  segments  in  social  media  growing  by   Traveler  is  researching  to  steal  aYen:on  and  
20%  in  2009   click-­‐throughs  
•  Integrate  SAT’s  new  UGC  features  with   •  Possible  vehicles  include:  
Facebook  Connect  and  TwiYer  by  offering   •  Dmagazine.com  
automa:c  logins,  tweets  and  wall  posts  to   •  Yelp.com  
users’  profiles  any:me  they  post  a  review  on   •  Aus:n360.com  
SAT   •  TexasMonthly.com  
•  Incorporate  RoadTrip:  Texas  by  encouraging   •  Expedia.com  
users  to  check-­‐in  at  SAT  favorites  and  post  trip   •  Travelocity.com  
progress   •  Employ  retarge:ng  ads  based  on  user  ac:vity  
•  Stream  all  social  ac:vity  on  a  homepage   within  SAT’s  site  once  she  has  moved  to  a  
widget     compe:tor  or  other  site  in  order  to  prolong  
2.  Leverage  Social  for  SEO   engagement  
•  SAT  posts  repeat-­‐worthy  content-­‐-­‐that  is,   2.  Meet  Casual  Trekkers  on  Mobile  
content  that  makes  the  re-­‐poster  look  good-­‐-­‐to   •  CTRs  are  2x  higher  for  mobile  banner  ads  than  
Facebook,  TwiYer  with  direct  site  links   for  standard  banner  ads,  especially  among  
aYached   young  adults  such  as  Casual  Trekkers  
•  Followers  and  fans  re-­‐post  your  content  and   •  Find  users  on  the  road  through  banner  ads  and  
link  to  permanent  plasorms  like  blogs,  forums,   inters::al  in  compe:tor  and  high  affinity  
etc.   mobile  apps  
•  Social  efforts  and  subsequent  second  order   •  Some  ideal  mobile  app  vehicles  include:    
links  have  now  become  permanent  SEO   •  Foursquare  
boosters   •  Kayak  
•  Any  content  posted  on  the  blog  will  be  posted   •  The  Weather  Channel  
and/or  linked  on  other  social  media  websites.    
Source:  eMarkter   32
 Radio and OOH
While  online  recommenda:ons  will  focus  heavily  on  the  primary  target,  Radio  and  OOH  
efforts  will  be  directed  at  the  secondary  Casual  Trekkers  during  the  summer  and  fall  months.  
On-­‐the-­‐road  placements  will  be  a  natural  fit  to  cross-­‐promote  RoadTrip:Texas.  These  ads  are  
meant  to  reach  the  target  in  the  car.  These  consumers  are  less  likely  to  have  established  
planning  sites,  and  plan  trips  with  short  no:ce.    

Radio   OOH  
•  Will  broadcast  from  the  major  ci:es,   •  Billboards  will  be  placed  along  major  travel  routes  (i.e.:  
which  will  also  cover  most  of  the   IH-­‐35)  and  the  perimeters  of  major  ci:es  
major  travel  routes  through  Texas.   •  Heavy  coverage  in  smaller  towns  with  liYle  local  
insights  available  online  and  own  those  markets  
•  RoadTrip:  Texas  will  be  featured  for   for  travelers  
it’s  ability  to  locate  the  best  shopping   •  Billboards  will  feature  on-­‐the-­‐spot  sugges:ons  
in  these  ci:es  and  in  smaller  towns   for  retailers  in  the  town  that  they  are  featured  
throughout  Texas.   •  In  addi:on  to  promo:ng  specific  loca:ons,  the  
ads  will  highlight  the  RoadTrip:  Texas’s  ability  to  
•  Purchase  Midday  and  A`ernoon  Drive   deliver  customized  recommenda:ons.  
dayparts,  during  which  shopping   •  These  spots  will  appeals  to  both  travelers  and  locals  
ac:vity  is  greatest   •  Low-­‐Medium  involvement  travelers  could  use  
them  as  an  opportunity  to  find  something  to  do  
•  Locals  who  are  also  low-­‐medium  involvement  
could  plan  short  trips  to  nearby  ci:es  easily  with  
informa:on  provided  

33
 CUTTING
EDGE
John  Chapman                  Kate  Click                  Manuel     Hernandez                  Thao  Le                  Kathryn  Poh