Rhinos
re-strategise how to get a balanced and effective result from the resources that you have available .
PD : I could not agree with Damian and Brendan more . You must keep your brand visible in the public spaces that media accesses and then of course there is the theory that in a downturn you need to actually increase marketing spend ! Extensive research supports the theory of continued marketing spend , even on the basis that there might be no immediate or visible impact , but wholesale cuts will certainly cause serious damage to brand value in the medium to long term . So , while we need to contain costs at time likes these , the indiscriminate slashing of expenditure is extremely dangerous . The best way to deal with the process is to examine the tree with a keen eye and use secateurs to prune certain branches , rather that attacking the trunk with an axe !
RJ : It is definitely going to be a balancing act between getting the maximum possible value , even up to pre-COVID levels , with greatly constrained budgets . If ever the old term ‘ rifle marketing ’ has had relevance then this next year or so in our sector will redefine its importance . Recessions always made travel a ‘ nice to have ’, but now the pandemic has introduced an additional hurdle in that it could be life threatening . I would reemphasise my point about the government ’ s role in all of this , because it must step up to the plate and deliver a status which inspires confidence in the travel market . If this does not happen then we could be in for a longer and rougher ride then we might want .
JC : No two crises are alike , so Peter Dros ’ analogy of pruning versus chopping down seems very appropriate . Personally , I feel that our responsibility as communicators has not really changed , although perhaps there is an additional ‘ edge ’ to it given the impact of COVID-19 , in which it remains for us to keep our audiences as up to date and informed as is possible . In a previous article , Jason Rowe ( CEO of the Golfers Club ) referred to the growth of golf as being a collective activity , which is refreshing as it starts to break with the perceptions of this being ‘ someone else ’ s job ’, while echoing Damian Wrigley ’ s earlier comments in this article , while further underlining the need to discuss and debate keys issues which are relevant to all of us in golf .
Article by John Cockayne Destination Golf South African Ambassador
Email : cathco @ mweb . co . za
DestinationGolf . travel | 45