Passport Marketing
Case Studies
“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.”
- Colin Powell, Four Star General and Secretary of State for the United States
Explore My Case Studies
Below you will find two cases studies. The Cirque du Soleil case study features the creation and execution of a comprehensive tourism platform to promote advance show ticket sales through international travel partners. The Visit California case study highlights the initial California market entry strategy and tactics for Japan which included broadcast and digital advertising. Both these case studies highlight the work experience, skill sets, leadership, strategic thinking, negotiation skills and team work necessary to achieve quantifiable results.
Cirque du Soleil
Visit California
Cirque du Soleil
Destination Imagination
Case Study
Cirque du Soleil is the largest live entertainment company in the world with ten touring shows performing in five continents and twelve permanent shows performing in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, Macau, Hangzhou and Tokyo. Cirque du Soleil executed show hosting performance contracts with MGM Resorts International - Las Vegas, Dolby Theatre - Los Angeles, Lyric Theatre - New York, Walt Disney World - Orlando, Venetian Resorts - Macau, Hangzhou Group Xintiandi - Hangzhou and Tokyo Disneyland - Tokyo.
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Cirque du Soleil is one of those rare organizations that became a live entertainment brand category leader because it was first to reinvent the circus experience by emphasizing storytelling with human performance art. As a result of being a best-in-class product, Cirque du Soleil had to invest very little in the promotion of its shows. After several years, pre-arrival show ticket sales sold exclusively through show hosting performance partners began to flatten as a result of the aging shows and increased competition among their entertainment options. It was then that Cirque du Soleil senior management decided to create a formalized tourism program of work to promote pre-arrival show ticket sales from strategic global travel markets. Matthew Boone was hired to create and lead a global comprehensive program of work with a special emphasis on Asia.
"O"
Cirque du Soleil, Las Vegas
Matthew formed, managed and directed every aspect of teams comprised of internal staff (Research/Data Analytics, Brand Management, Consumer Marketingand Travel Trade Marketing, Travel Trade Sales, Digital, Promotions, Social Media and Publicity), show hosting performance partners, tourism destination agency representation, and city, state and national tourism organizations. The program of work was customized by market and consumer target groups in China, Japan, South Korea, India, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore to promote the Cirque du Soleil entertainment experience and grow pre-arrival show ticket sales.
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The tourism platform encompassed the following initiatives:
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Cirque du Soleil Brand Awareness
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Research/Data Analytics
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Planning Cycle
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Attractions & Entertainment Preferences
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Ticket Purchase Channels
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Ticket Pricing
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Ticket Pricing/Net Rates
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Annual Contracting for Volume Producers
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Digital Ticket Access
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Training Multiple Languages
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Product Manuals
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Product Tool Kits (Logos, Copy, Images, Videos, Trademarks and Sample Itineraries)
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Travel Trade Websites
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Travel Trade App
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Consumer Websites
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Travel Trade Seminars
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Sales Missions
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Hosting/Special Events
KÁ
Cirque du Soleil, Las Vegas
The team collaborated with multiple partners internally and externally specializing in tourism to create the first brand management portfolio guidebook for travel trade partners called “Destination & Imagination” to align with marketing and sales strategies and tactics of 12 unique permanent shows. Select Cirque du Soleil shows were promoted in each target market with detailed itineraries aligned with appropriate consumer travel segments. For example, first-time visitors to the USA from China were directed towards KA, while family travelers from South Korea were directed towards Mystere.
The brand management portfolio guidebook was used as a communication tool to create in-language consumer and travel trade websites, tablet and smart phone applications in order to leverage the power of technology in target markets across Asia. For example, when working with leading tour operators in South Korea, Cirque du Soleil partnered with Hana Tour, Korean Airlines, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and MGM Resorts International to create a Cirque du Soleil portal on the website of Hana Tour and Korean Air that promoted target shows with special ticket offerings. This strategy was further integrated into cooperative marketing campaigns with key influencer partners featuring localized digital and social media and live performances by Cirque du Soleil artists at trade shows and media events.
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In addition, the team managed the creation of a “China Ready” tourism strategy to promote live entertainment as a destination motivator among target travel trade influencers in China's primary and secondary markets. The team also negotiated live performances with the USA Embassy in Beijing for China government tourism officials, major travel trade partners and media influencers. Additional live performances were conducted in collaboration with MGM Resorts International and Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority at select China Sales Missions. Hosting major travel trade influencers and China government tourism officials at the Michael Jackson touring show by Cirque du Solei was also conducted in Beijing and Shanghai.
The Beatles LOVE
Cirque du Soleil, Las Vegas
Michael Jackson ONE
Cirque du Soleil, Las Vegas
The “Destination & Imagination” brand management portfolio guidebook platform resulted in a comprehensive annual program of work that promoted brand awareness, leveraged product position among transactional partners, maximized digital presence and grew pre-arrival show ticket sales. The Cirque du Soleil new tourism marketing platform was responsible for creating a new formalized revenue stream that generated 400,000 annual pre-arrival show ticket sales of $26 million. Tourism achieved 5% of advance tickets sales. In addition to enhanced financial performance, Matthew Boone partnered with senior management to establish key tourism-based relationships with US Travel, Brand USA, select convention and visitor bureaus, show hosting performance partners and leading travel trade companies in Asia, Latin America and Europe.
2011
Created first Cirque du Soleil brand management portfolio guidebook called “Destination & Imagination” for travel trade partners.
2012
Designed and implemented the first Cirque du Soleil “Destination & Imagination” training certification program.
2013
Introduced first Cirque du Soleil “Destination & Imagination” travel trade iPad App that provided digital access to show information and tickets.
Cirque du Soleil
Adapting to Travel Trends
Cirque du Soleil “Destination & Imagination" Training Manual
Created first Cirque du Soleil brand management portfolio guidebook for the travel trade partners called “Destination & Imagination” that included information on the 12 shows, videos, visuals and copy. All assets were incorporated into digital marketing tool kits.
Cirque du Soleil Overview
Created a sampler training video on the history of Cirque du Soleil as the world’s largest live entertainment company and its best-in-class shows. This was accompanied by a live performance by show artists for domestic and international key influencers.
Cirque du Soleil “O” Training Video
Created 12 individual training videos in multiple languages on each of the shows that educated travel trade partners on information necessary to promote and sell shows as an advance travel product purchase.
Cirque du Soleil iPad App
Introduced first Cirque du Soleil “Destination & Imagination” travel trade iPad App that gave access to information on the 12 shows, videos, visuals and copy. Included an electronic link to travel trade ticket purchase access.
Visit California
Playful Abundance
Case Study
In 2007, Visit California secured its first state tourism industry approved $50 million in annual funding to promote domestic and international tourism. For the first time, customized program-of-work plans encompassing the various elements of tourism marketing were developed for each target market in Asia Pacific. Work plans were created to establish benchmarks in the following categories: Brand Awareness, Product Positioning in Travel Trade Retail Channels, Visitation and Economic Impact.
As Director of Asia Pacific Marketing (China, Japan, South Korea and India), Matthew Boone managed and directed a team comprised of internal staff (Brand Marketing, Travel Trade Marketing, Travel Trade Sales, Publicity and Research), an in-market tourism destination representation agency, an in-market advertising agency and an external research partner to create a customized broadcast and digital media brand advertising campaign for Japan.
Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica, CA
Road Trips through California
Based upon customized research, the team identified a communication strategy focusing on “California Lifestyle” and “Abundance” that would highlight California product through 11 categories: Family, Fly & Drive, Theme Parks, Food & Wine, National Parks, Well Being/Spas, Shopping, Luxury, Sports & Recreation, Live Entertainment, and Culture.
The team designed and implemented the first Visit California international advertising campaign in Japan, encompassing the integration of both consumer brand marketing with key influencer travel trade partners. The team orchestrated partnerships and product placement comprised of the following initiatives: Airlines, Tour Operators, Retail Outlets, Travel Trade Shows and Training (Product Manuals, Product Marketing Tool Kits - Logos/Copy/Images/Videos/Trademarks, Product Itineraries, Travel Trade Website, Consumer Website, Travel Trade Seminars, Sales Missions, Familiarization Tours, etc.).
In addition, travel trade partner programs were overlaid with promotions, publicity, special events, and social media engagement. One example of this was a TV partnership with FUJI TV to promote the USA winner of the USA Food Network version of Iron Chef. The team brought a USA Iron Chef winner to Japan to conduct a cooking demonstration for consumer media, social media influencers and travel trade partners featuring ”Farm to Fork” California fresh ingredients, which was integrated into destination campaigns featuring, Napa, Sonoma and Santa Barbara.
Saison
San Francisco, CA
Hollywood Bowl
Los Angeles, CA
The team conducted a $3 million dollar vertically integrated broadcast, digital and social media campaign that achieved 435 million impressions and an earned media exposure of $279 million dollars. The team also negotiated and conducted customized travel trade campaigns featuring Food & Wine, National Parks and Fly & Drive with major Japanese travel trade influencers.
Following up on the success of the Visit California Japan campaign, appropriate elements of the Japan campaign were repurposed in China and South Korea. China initiatives promoted California Gateway Destinations and California first-time experiences. South Korea initiatives leveraged initial entry into the USA Visa Wavier program.
In addition to the Visit California brand advertising campaign in Japan, additional efforts in China, Japan and South Korea, resulted in 1.3 million in visitation and $1.6 billion in economic impact from target markets in Asia Pacific.
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Japanese California Brand Advertising Commercial
Created first consumer researched based international broadcast and digital advertising campaign to promote the “California Lifestyle” and “Abundance” in Japan.
FUJI TV California Music Video
Partnered with FUJI TV national network and comedian Gorie to create a music video promoting various iconic California destinations and activities. This California music video reached number one on the Japanese pop music chart.
Japanese California Website
Designed first consumer Japanese website promoting “California Lifestyle” and “Abundance” through 11 core product themes: Family, Fly & Drive, Theme Parks, Food & Wine, National Parks, Well Being/Spas, Shopping, Luxury, Sports & Recreation, Live Entertainment and Culture.
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Universal Studios Hollywood Podcast
Created a podcast to guide guests through a real working movie studio on the Studio Tour attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Disneyland & Southern California Guidebook
Partnered with California tourism partners to promote “California Lifestyle” and “Abundance” through customized guidebooks.
CREA Traveller Special California Edition
Partnered with California tourism partners to promote “California Lifestyle” and “Abundance” through customized special feature consumer publications.