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Early Successes
2nd Mayors of the Californias Summit PresentationPresenter: Stephan J. Erkelens
December 4th, 2009
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Develop a lasting solution to help change the public perception
The Summit’s Challenge & Assignment
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Public Perception = Visiting BC is Unsafe
TOURISM BUSINESS Less US visitors US Biz Travel Restricted Less $ revenues US Investment Restricted
BC StrugglesRecession + Unemployment
Less BC visitors to CA BC Investment RestrictedLess $ Revenues
CA Struggles
The Problem
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The Origin
Manufactured RealitySelective reporting (bad news sells)
Information without context and partial
Constrained dissemination of positive news
Real VulnerabilitiesGlobal recession = hypersensitive audience
Drug-related violence = pervasive nuisance
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A Call to Action
• “...the news is far too powerful a force to be ignored. Unless we use our creativity and commitment to participate in the public debate, our perspectives will be left out. Our diverse voices will not be heard, and our faces not seen. Our issues will be shaped by others, and our goals will remain a private dream harbored by a select few rather than a coherent vision that can be understood and shared by others.”
Lawrence Wallack, News for a Change, 1999.
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The Hurdles
• A coordinated compilation of existing information resources
• A capacity for generating robust streams of authentic news and media
• A receptive and responsive audience• A means to circumvent the existing news
intermediation• A need for a cost-effective aggregation
and dissemination platform
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What a 23-year old taught the world about engagement & mobilization
350,000,000 reasons to embrace
the new media paradigm!
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New Paradigm: Social Media
1. Demographically-relevant audience
2. Clearly defined and segmented profile
3. Engaged and participative community
4. Real-time information
5. Bi-directional messaging
6. Knowledge-enhancing virtuous cycle
7. Unparalleled cost advantage
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The Coalition’s Progress
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– Baja California State and Municipal Governments
– Ministry of Tourism
– Ministries of Economy & Economic Development
– BC Private Sector
A Public-Private Bi-national Partnership
– RSCCD & its Digital Media Center
– The Center for International Trade Development
– The California-Mexico Trade Center
– US Private Sector
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• Vision: REAC will be the pivotal force in positioning Baja California as an attractive destination for tourism and investment.
• Mission: By engaging one of Baja California’s most valuable resources — its fans — REAC seeks to build the leading membership community, committed to restoring the image of Baja California.
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Unleashing the power of 100,000 voicesUnleashing the power of 100,000 voices
Inspired influence = MOBILIZATION
Meaningful engagement = EMPOWERMENT
Organized advocacy = PARTICIPATION
• Because they are there• Because they care• Because they are trusted
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• Because they are there:– Over 15 million annual visitors– 53% foreign nationals– 86% California residents– 78% repeat visitors
Unleashing the power of 100,000 voicesUnleashing the power of 100,000 voices
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• Because they care: - 97% would recommend Baja California to a
friend
- Impacted by and struggle against the un-contextualized media reports
- Most are eager to make their voices heard
Unleashing the power of 100,000 voicesUnleashing the power of 100,000 voices
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• Because they are trusted: - People trust their personal connections more
than any other source of influence- 90% of consumers trusted recommendations
from people they know
- 70% trusted consumer opinions posted online
Source: Nielsen Global Online Consumer Survey, April 2009
Unleashing the power of 100,000 voicesUnleashing the power of 100,000 voices
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Source: Nielsen Global Online Consumer Survey, April 2009
Unleashing the power of 100,000 voicesUnleashing the power of 100,000 voices
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The Go2 Community for “Everything” BAJA
The Go-2 Place for Everything BajaThe Go-2 Place for Everything Baja
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BAJAWise BAJAConnect
The Go-2 Place for Everything BajaThe Go-2 Place for Everything Baja
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BAJAWise• Customized by
Sector– Tourism– Business/Economy
• Customized by Municipality– Tijuana– Rosarito– Ensenada– Mexicali– Tecate
The Go-2 Place for Everything BajaThe Go-2 Place for Everything Baja
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BAJAConnect• The Community
Building Place for “BAJAmigos”
• Leveraging Social Media to connect, engage, inform and mobilize
The Go-2 Place for Everything BajaThe Go-2 Place for Everything Baja
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Thank You.
For further information please contact us through the website:
www. .org