The Oakdale Tourism and Visitors Bureau (OTVB) has partnered with NextMedia Group of San Jose for an aggressive marketing program to encourage Bay Area residents to visit Oakdale this summer.
Combined with 60-second radio ads in the Bay Area during June through September, the bureau will receive a new and improved online brand and new website look along with a specially designed logo. Other promotions will feature quarter-page advertisements for Oakdale Tourism in printed media and banners marketing Oakdale “Quick Trips” on radio contest websites.
Quick Trips are customized day plans encouraging those interested to spend a day and/or night in Oakdale as part of an adventure to the Sierras or Yosemite.
“We hope to attract outdoor sportsmen travelling and we’re anchoring Yosemite as our backyard,” OTVB Secretary Virginia Camacho said.
At a cost of $19,700 to the organization’s limited $43,000 budget, Camacho is confident in the return of the bureau’s investment. The OVTB receives funding through a two-percent assessment on the nine-percent transient occupancy tax charged by the city.
“Our overall goal is to produce a $1 million result on a $43,000 budget,” said Camacho. “Spreading our wings in so many venues will help us achieve our $1 million goal.”
NextMedia is a nationwide company that offers advertising programs and marketing campaigns through their community focused radio stations, website creation, and on-going consulting in social media and search engine optimization.
Camacho said that the representative of NextMedia for this publicity endeavor was Clinton Box, a 1996 graduate of Oakdale High School.
“We’re very confident Clinton will give us the positive production we need since he obviously knows Oakdale,” Camacho said.
Camacho said she was also very encouraged that local merchants reported an increase in business at a May 2 meeting.
“The merchants are very cooperative in helping us thrive,” said Camacho. “They were very involved in making our Downtown Round Up a success.”
Lisa Vandermeer was the volunteer chair of last month’s Downtown Round Up that showcased local merchants.
“Those merchants were amazing,” Vandermeer said. “They were so generous I couldn’t believe it.”
Vandermeer said Oakdale Tractor Supply donated over 40 portable railings for use for the arena area and Shawn Carroll of Ross F. Carroll Inc. donated enough sand to use as a ground covering and also came out in a tractor to help spread the sand.
Vandermeer said upcoming events include a climbers retreat and film makers’ event coming later this summer.
“It’s really great what they’re (OTVB) doing and that’s why I volunteer,” Vandermeer said. “We love Oakdale and want to see it be successful.
