Alton Towers Resort
Business of Leisure
MARKETING AND PROMOTIONS
Target marketing
• Target marketing is the development and
promotion of products and services to appeal
to specific market segments.
• Alton Towers Resort use demographics and
attitudes to target people:
• Age
• Gender
• Social group
• Ethnic origin
• Lifestyle
• Inclination to visit a theme park.
Alton Towers Resort’s
2010 target markets
Primary Target Audience - Thrill Seekers:
• 16-24 year old adults
• A diverse group – at one end doing their GCSE’s and the other
making their ways into careers
• Seeking escapism and fun thrills
Alton Towers Resort’s
2010 Target Markets
Secondary Target Audience – families:
• Mixed age range
• Seeking fun and quality family time
Which target market?
Nemesis
Oblivion
Charlie & The
Chocolate Factory
Sharkbait Reef
Peugeot
Driving School
Runaway Mine Train
Marketing mix
The simple Marketing mix is made up of the four P’s:
1. Price
2. Place
3. Product
4. Promotion
Marketing mix
The marketing mix at Alton Towers Resort:
• Product: Britain’s number one short break destination.
• Price: Competitively priced for the available product, offering
value for money options to suit all audience types.
• Promotion: Communications mix including TV, radio, digital
and press to maximise awareness and entice people to visit.
• Place: A unique, accessible environment.
Are there different prices for
different groups? Suggest
reasons for any variations in
entry price. Are all audiences
catered for?
What is Alton Towers
Resort’s pricing?
How do their prices
compare with those of
their competitors?
Are there any costs for additional
facilities? How do these
compare with those of others in
the market?
Price
• Alton Towers Resort ensures that it is competitively
priced and offers many value for money options to appeal
across its target markets.
• On occasion, they drive guests to visit the resort at quieter
times of the year through price incentives and special offers.
• Ticket types include:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Adult
Child
Under 4’s
Senior citizens
Disabled
Family 4; Family 5
Groups of 10+
Annual pass
1 day / 2 day
Place
• Place includes all the activities involved in making the product
available to consumers
• For example…
Place
• …the attraction itself
• …buying tickets through third
party agents
• …buying tickets on the telephone
• …online booking
Place
• Location and access
are important factors
Place
Good
accessibility
on the Park
is also really
important –
this needs to
cater for
customers
with special
needs
How does Alton Towers Resort’s
‘place’ impact on its success?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
When is it open?
How would you plan your journey to the attraction?
How easy is it to get there?
Are there special facilities for people with special needs?
Do you foresee any problems?
Is there a better location?
What other attractions are in the vicinity?
Can you easily buy your tickets?
Product
• Product is the goods and services that are offered to its customers...
Promotion
Promotional
technique
Definition
Advertising
Displaying or broadcasting information about a particular
product or service. You have to pay for the space you
feature on. Can be carried out in a number of ways,
including: television, radio, the internet and newspapers.
Sales promotion
Short-term tactical marketing tools which are used to
achieve specific marketing objectives, for example money
off vouchers, free gifts with purchase and competitions.
Public relations
Relies on persuading newspapers and publications to
feature a product, attraction or service as part of its
editorial content. One way this is achieved is by sending
press releases to journalists.
Personal selling
Training staff to be more effective in making sales to
people who approach the business for information and
help.
Promotion
Definition
Direct marketing
Involves sending or giving promotional materials directly
to customers either by post, over the telephone, email or
door-to-door.
Sponsorship
When one organisation gives financial (or other) support
to something in exchange for their name being
associated with that product or event.
Events
Planned and organised occasion(s) to raise awareness of
the product or service, or to drive visitors to purchase the
product or service.
Displays
If attractive and eye-catching, these can be quite effective
in creating interest and sales. These often feature at
major leisure, travel or tourism exhibitions.
Promotion
Promotional techniques are ways that an
organisation communicates its product and
services to its target market.
What an advert!
• Can you list three adverts that you have seen
or heard that have encouraged you to buy a
product or service?
• What do you feel makes these adverts
successful?
Promotion
• Alton Towers uses a range of promotional tools:
– TV, radio and cinema
Play TH13TEEN advert:
http://www.altontowers.com/thirteen/media/
Promotion
• Alton Towers uses a range of promotional tools:
– Press
Promotion
• Alton Towers uses a range of promotional tools:
– Outdoor
Promotion
• Alton Towers uses a range of promotional tools:
– Digital - E-shot & on-line
Promotion
• Alton Towers uses a range of promotional tools:
– Direct marketing - Door drop, Schools, Parent & Toddlers
groups
Family DM
Schools DM
Promotion
• Alton Towers uses a range of promotional tools:
– Public relations (PR) and events
Promotion
• Alton Towers uses a range of promotional tools:
– Sales promotion
Promotion
• Alton Towers uses a range of promotional tools:
– Sponsorship
AIDA
Acronym used to describe the desired effects of marketing
messages:
– Attention: does it attract the attention of the customer?
– Interest: are the benefits and advantages promoted to raise interest?
– Desire: does it create desire by satisfying the customers’ wants and
needs?
– Action: does it lead customers to taking action or purchasing?
Promotion
Promotional portfolio
• Develop a promotional portfolio for Alton Towers Resort. For example,
you could:
– Pick up leaflets at the attraction
– Take photos of any posters you may spot
– Cut out ads you may find
– Print out any online offers you may discover
• Your portfolio can act as a useful reference point for the different types of
promotional techniques available.