MVA pushes TV ad campaign

In a move to reach a wider market, the Marianas Visitors Authority will still push through with a television advertisement of the CNMI in selected cities in Japan.

Due to limited budget, the tourism office has chosen the cities of Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka for the showing of a television commercial, according to MVA Managing Director Perry Tenorio.

The MVA board has approved a $2.1 million budget for Fiscal 2000 for Dentsu 10, a Tokyo-based advertising company the tourism office has tapped to promote the Northern Marianas. Originally, MVA wanted to carry out the television advertisement in October but the delay in the approval of the local government’s budget for the next fiscal year has forced the tourism office to reschedule it in January.

The $2.1 million includes placement of advertisements in trade and consumer publications. “It is too expensive to go nationwide so we will be more effective if we pinpoint exactly where the exposures could be for television for the different islands,” said Tenorio.

In its television advertisement, Tenorio said the Sai-panda mascot, symbolizing the male Japanese traveler created by Dentsu, will be featured in the campaign. The marketing for next fiscal year, however, will show two additional characters — a female Sai-panda and little Sai-panda –– meant to widen its reach by addressing the family and female segments of the market.

As the Sai-panda character and campaign gain ground in Japan, MVA hopes to take advantage of its unique qualities through corporate merchandising of products.

For almost two years, MVA has limited its marketing campaign to newspapers, magazines, subway stations and other mass transit venues because it cannot afford a television commercial.

In its bid to strengthen the CNMI’s presence in the international travel market, MVA has asked the Legislature for an additional $1.75 million for its advertising campaign.

Earlier, the MVA board has approved a joint promotional campaign with Family Mart, one of the biggest stores in Japan, in a move to widen its reach in marketing the CNMI as a family destination.

Campaign materials of the CNMI as an ideal beach destination where families can relax and enjoy will be posted in all 5,300 Family Mart branches all over Japan which has an estimated number of 118 million shoppers.

Dentsu 10 has suggested joint promo campaign. The board approved $90,000 for the production of campaign materials to be distributed in the stores.

In its bid to strengthen the CNMI’s presence in the international travel market, MVA has asked the Legislature for an additional $1.75 million for its advertising campaign.

MVA’s budget for FY 2000 was pegged at $5.88 million by the Office of Budget and Management, which is 16 percent lower than the current appropriation.

In a meeting with members of the House of Representatives, Tenorio appealed for more funding to allow MVA can carry out an effective marketing campaign.

During the meeting with legislators, the tourism chief emphasized the need for an aggressive marketing to help position the CNMI as a quality destination.

With the cutthroat competition in the travel industry, an effective marketing campaign will help the Northern Marianas in increasing its market share in Japan, the island’s main source of tourists, he said.