Marketing activities offer ‘great return’
MORE than 130,000 people participated in activities by the Central Geelong Marketing Committee over 12 months.
Central Geelong property owners pay about $700 a year under a special rating scheme to fund the marketing body.
The annual report to the Geelong council says the committee delivered a total economic output of $14.75 million from its flagship activities in 2016-2017.
The output is generated from total income of $1.045 million, or a return on investment rate of $1:$14.
That rate of return is slightly down from the average return achieved between 2011 and 2015.
Over those years it generated $53.458 million in total economic output from an accumulated income of $2.811 million, or a return on investment rate of $1:$19.
In receiving the annual report, Geelong councillors Trent Sullivan and Peter Murrihy lauded the committee’s effectiveness.
“It’s a great return on investment,” Cr Sullivan said.
Cr Murrihy also applauded the May Magic program under which shoppers who spent $30 in one day in any central Geelong business can redeem a $10 voucher and go into the running for prizes. Highlights in 2016-2017 Central Geelong Marketing included: THE Tastes of Central Geelong program, which had 32,463 participants engaged in 600 activities with 113 participating businesses. THE Christmas in Central Geelong program, which had 44,492 participants engaged in 227 activities with 42 participating businesses. SCHOOL holiday program, which had 27,388 participants engaged in 412 activities with 75 participating businesses.
Overall the Central Geelong Marketing Committee recorded 132,624 people participating in 1378 activities.