Community Collaboration

City of North Bay – North Bay Jack Garland Airport Collaboration


Submitted ByCity of North Bay

Abstract Submission for Community Collaboration Award

Purpose of Project

The marketing partnership between the City of North Bay and North Bay’s Jack Garland Airport (YYB) aimed to attract investment by showcasing the airport’s strategic advantages. The primary goals were to raise awareness among potential investors, stimulate economic growth, and position North Bay as a key logistics and transportation hub in Ontario. The campaign’s outcomes included heightened investor interest, increased airport utilization, and local business development.

 

Effectiveness / Meeting Objectives

The campaign significantly exceeded its objectives, as evidenced by the metrics recorded across various platforms. The campaign generated a total of 513,197 impressions, far surpassing the projected 250,000 impressions and included a 63% open rate on a newsletter blast that provided us with a list of email contacts.

  1. Direct Mail: Mail-out campaigns featured a “Remove before flight” YYB branded keychain coupled with a YYB infographic rack card directed to the top 100 targeted leads.
  2. LinkedIn: The social media component on LinkedIn targeted logistics professionals and pilot groups, while also generating general airport awareness. This campaign achieved 13,994 impressions, demonstrating its effectiveness in reaching relevant industry professionals and driving traffic to the campaign’s landing pages.
  3. Digital Campaigns:
    • Skiesmag.com: The digital presence on Skiesmag.com helped increase awareness, with a three-month placement generating 97,801 impressions.
    • Skies Daily: This outlet yielded 401,402 impressions, underscoring the value of placing digital ads in well-trafficked industry publications and directing traffic to a dedicated landing page for data analytics.
  4. Print Media:
    • Skies Magazine, Wings Print & Billboard: These print campaigns supplemented digital efforts by providing detailed information and visuals to potential investors, reinforcing the digital messages and ensuring comprehensive coverage across different media formats.

Challenges & Changes Made

The highly competitive nature of the aviation industry necessitated that the campaign clearly differentiate YYB from other regional airports by emphasizing its unique benefits. To address this, our team utilized the expertise of all partners to create compelling, data-driven messaging aligned with industry trends. We enhanced digital ad targeting parameters to reach specific demographics and refined the campaign’s messaging to better highlight North Bay’s advantages.

Target Audience

The target audience included potential investors in the logistics, transportation, and aviation industries, along with companies seeking to expand their operations into new regions. The demographics targeted mid-to-senior level decision-makers in these industries, primarily located within North America, and government agencies that influence or support investment decisions.

Specifics of Award Category

The campaign was a collaboration between the Economic Development Department and North Bay’s Jack Garland Airport. The project’s effectiveness stemmed from teamwork, shared responsibility, and a commitment to achieving impactful outcomes.

Sustainability of the Project

Sustainability was a key consideration in the campaign’s design and implementation to ensure short and long-term benefits, including formalizing an annual joint marketing plan to help increase economic growth and job creation. This campaign not only met its objectives but also laid the foundation for continued promotion of lesser-known opportunities such as diversions and testing, ultimately driving economic development in the region.

 

 

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