New Jersey Scenic Byways Strategic Marketing Plan

Advisory Committee’s Message

To our stakeholders:

What follows is more than a document; it is an opportunity to realize the overall objective

of expanding awareness and usage of The New Jersey Scenic Byways Program to benefit

the byways’ visitors, communities and partners. In this way, The New Jersey Scenic

Byways Strategic Marketing Plan is fundamental to our mission and can serve the broader

tourism goals of further diversifying visitors to the State and the locations within

New Jersey that they visit. This plan has been developed for the New Jersey Scenic Byways

Program and all who want to help market New Jersey’s byways as distinct attractions

within the State.

The Strategic Marketing Plan supplements market information from New Jersey Tourism

with specific details about the demographics of the New Jersey Scenic Byway users—which

differ slightly from the demographics of New Jersey’s visitors overall—and how to reach

them with compelling messages and stakeholder prudence. A profile of existing users was

conducted during the development of this document through an analysis of both location-

based services (LBS) and intercept survey data. It yielded insights about who visits the

various points of interest, where they live, how often they visit, the time of year and even day

of the week they typically visit, their age and gender, the types of activities that interest them

and how visitors obtain information regarding the New Jersey Byways. Added to this are

insights developed through conversations with others. Interviews on best practices were

conducted with individuals who work closely with scenic byways in other states; and two

workshops garnered the perspectives of a broad stakeholder group, including representatives

of numerous New Jersey destination marketing organizations, counties and byways, the New

Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), the North Jersey Transportation Planning

Authority and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Parks and Forestry.

All of these sources, as well as findings from two New Jersey Tourism studies—2017

New Jersey Visitor Profile and New Jersey Image Study (2005)—combined to yield a rich

perspective on the market. Taken as a whole, these data form the basis of an effective and

targeted marketing plan whose implementation can help to increase awareness and usage

of the New Jersey Byways and assist byway organizations in their missions to better serve

potential visitors.

From Then to Now: The New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

New Jersey adopted its Scenic Byways Program in 1993 in response to the National Scenic

Byways Program established by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal

Highway Administration under the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act,

and in response to the New Jersey State Development and Redevelopment Plan (SDRP)

adopted in 1992. The state agencies, local governments and members of the public engaged

in the development of the New Jersey Scenic Byways Program were the same as those

involved with the SDRP. Both focused on statewide planning objectives regarding land

use, economic development, transportation, conservation, farmland retention and historic

preservation. Housed in the NJDOT, the New Jersey Scenic Byways Program builds on the

SDRP’s initiative to provide a framework for communities to create a management

strategy and to develop plans that balance development, conservation, tourism and

economic vitality.

Twenty years later—in December 2013—the New Jersey Scenic Byways published its

Program Guidebook that presents the strategies, procedures, and supporting materials that

can help to increase the program’s effectiveness and position both the program and the

growing family of designated byways to become more sustainable.

The guidebook was developed to provide existing and potential byway organizations with

a basic understanding of the program. At the statewide level, NJDOT promoted cohesion

and a forward focus across the New Jersey Byways Program. The development of the

guidebook as a statewide approach that the individual byways could adopt and adapt

serves as a good example of this statewide and local balance.

Chapter 5 of the guidebook, Implementing Your Vision: A Toolkit of Ideas, includes topics

essential to helping the designated scenic byway organizations maintain a strong presence

in the community. Marketing Your Byway, Topic 4 in this toolkit, offers recommendations

that well-organized and sufficiently-resourced individual byways can leverage to

understand their local markets, implement several key tactics and engage partner

resources. However, many organizations find marketing to be outside their field of

expertise and difficult to maneuver. Thus, the development of this Strategic Marketing

Plan is a valuable next step in helping the local byways through a state effort that furthers

the combined statewide and local approach.

Marketing to Meet Audience Needs and Interests

A statewide marketing plan needs to respond to ever-changing marketing operations, the

flourishing use of digital travel and navigation resources, more sophisticated audiences,

and shifts in New Jersey visitor trends. It must offer consistency and flexibility at the local

levels by providing a clear parent- and sub-brand structure and messaging platform. A

data-informed, strategy-based, comprehensive, creative and usable plan can enhance the

program and benefit tourism and local businesses across the State. It is an opportune time

to put a forward-looking marketing plan in place to help ensure the continuity and further

growth of the program. It should also be considered as a tool to assist the various state and

not-for-profit agencies in working together toward economic growth, promotion of healthy

communities, historic preservation, land conservation, and increased tourism in the many

New Jersey communities and counties surrounding the eight byways.

Sincerely,

The New Jersey Byways Advisory Committee

The New Jersey Scenic Byways Strategic Marketing Plan has been sponsored by the New Jersey Scenic Byways

Program and is funded in part by the Federal Highway Administration.

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for NJ Scenic Byways Program

Table of Contents

Background and Context ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 1

A Snapshot of the New Jersey Scenic Byways ................................................................................................. 1

Mission and Vision ....................................................................................................................................... 1

Profile ............................................................................................................................................................. 1

Strategic Marketing Context .............................................................................................................................. 3

Best Practices ................................................................................................................................................. 3

Marketing Challenges .................................................................................................................................. 4

Marketing Opportunities ............................................................................................................................ 6

Marketing Audiences .......................................................................................................................................... 9

Brand and Messaging ....................................................................................................................................... 13

Objectives, Strategies and Tactics .................................................................................................................... 14

Objectives .................................................................................................................................................... 14

Strategies ..................................................................................................................................................... 14

Tactics .......................................................................................................................................................... 14

Appendix A ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 19

Brand Architecture ............................................................................................................................................ 19

How to use the Brand Architecture ......................................................................................................... 19

Appendix B .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 23

Messaging Architecture .................................................................................................................................... 23

Appendix C .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 25

Relationships of Tactics to the Audiences, Objectives, and Strategies ....................................................... 25

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for NJ Scenic Byways Program

List of Tables

Table 1. Marketing Audiences ....................................................................................................................... 13

List of Figures

Figure 1. Byways Profile ..................................................................................................................................... 2

Figure 2. Visitor Profile ..................................................................................................................................... 10

Figure 3. New Jersey Activity Participation .................................................................................................. 11

Figure 4. Brand Architecture ............................................................................................................................ 21

Figure 5. Messaging Architecture ................................................................................................................... 24

Figure 6. Recommended Objectives, Strategies and Tactics ........................................................................ 26

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

Background and Context

A SNAPSHOT OF THE NEW JERSEY SCENIC BYWAYS

MISSION AND VISION

The mission of the New Jersey Scenic Byways Program is to recognize and preserve New Jersey’s unique

historic, cultural and natural heritage; improve roadway safety and appearance; create and nurture

partnerships among citizens and all levels of government; provide opportunities for commerce through

heritage-, cultural- and nature-based tourism; enhance quality of life, and instill pride in local communities.

The New Jersey Scenic Byways’ vision is to assist the local byway-sponsoring organizations with

highlighting the driving routes that tell the stories of New Jersey’s history, natural features, recreational

opportunities and beauty; improve the livability and quality of life for residents and visitors; and provide

connection and support for the various interest groups that maintain New Jersey’s unique features,

distinctive places and diverse communities.

PROFILE

Figure 1 provides a quick, current overview of the New Jersey Scenic Byways Program and a timeline of the

program’s development.

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

FIGURE 1. BYWAYS PROFILE

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

STRATEGIC MARKETING CONTEXT

By exploring the program’s marketing challenges and opportunities, The New Jersey Scenic Byways

Program can adopt a marketing strategy that helps it to carry out its mission and reach its vision by:

• Addressing gaps;

• Building on what is working;

• Forming sustaining, symbiotic partnerships;

• Increasing the awareness and use of the byways in a manner that benefits their surrounding communities; and

• Expanding travel to the byways through effective communication of the byways’ authentic travel

experiences.

BEST PRACTICES

Research conducted through a series of interviews with byway agencies and coordinators in other states

revealed best practices they employed. These helped to form the concepts considered in this plan which was

developed for the specific needs of the New Jersey Scenic Byways and the profile of its audience. The best

practices identified in the research included:

• Appeal to multiple audiences, for example through:

 Information in both print and digital formats to reach groups that prefer each;

 Marketing material targeted to children to appeal to young families (e.g., coloring books, selfie

locations, passport programs, or school lesson plans); and

 Maps for various target groups, such as those seeking fishing or bicycling.

• Strong promotion of the features that differentiate the byways, such as:

 Development and use of strong byways stories or themes;

 Emphasis on the authentic experiences that byways deliver; and

 Jointly highlighting the history and outdoor recreation themes, as a unique differentiator for visitors’

experiences.

• Web-based features and interactions, such as:

 Rotating featured byways;

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

 Story maps;

 Photo contests;

 Downloadable byway itineraries; and

 Frequent updates to the website to ensure it reflects the market-ready status of the byways.

 Use of social media for access to features such as:

 Newsletters; and

 Blogs.

• Partnerships for building byways awareness and supporting its marketing, including with:

 Regional DMOs, local Chambers of Commerce, and County Tourism Groups;

 Other groups that might market to visitors while they are on the byways, such as AAA, motorcycle

groups, and hiking clubs;

 Businesses along the byways that can benefit from increased visits to the area; and

 Businesses that can sell products and services for use while on the byways, such as camping gear

companies and tour purveyors.

MARKETING CHALLENGES

The key challenges to the New Jersey Scenic Byways program that can be addressed through effective

marketing are lack of byways awareness and lack of byways information.

Although the New Jersey Scenic Byways has a strong brand look, with a distinct logo for each of the eight

byways, the logos have not been promoted. These symbols and the byways they represent therefore remain

relatively unknown. While seven of the byway routes have been marked using the byway logos, late

revisions to the signs removed the byway names causing confusion about what the visuals represented.

Information about the byways and what visitors can do within the byway corridors is limited. Though

dated, the 2005 New Jersey Image Study remains the most recent document of this type. It was developed for

the New Jersey Office of Travel and Tourism and it states:

Primary attractions in New Jersey, such as Atlantic City and Cape May, received the highest

awareness levels, activity levels, and positive image ratings. Lesser-known attractions that were

cultural, historic, or outdoor recreation related, received the lowest awareness levels, activity levels,

and image ratings.

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

The byways will remain underused without dedicated funds to promote strategically determined marketing

activities and a centralized, easy-to-use location where visitors can search for a high quality experience.

Therefore, promotion of the byways is of critical importance, with a greater statewide focus on byway

marketing.

Additionally, the New Jersey Scenic Byways Program lacks formally integrated relationships with other

entities that are expressly for the governance and execution of statewide marketing. This would help to

ensure an effective implementation of the strategic marketing plan. The matrix of agencies working on the

development of the Scenic Byways Program has remained constant since its inception, but without

Memoranda of Understanding cementing the relationship among the agencies on the Advisory Committee.

This further complicates the process of formalizing marketing relationships in particular, and it creates

difficulties when an agency’s staffing changes and it needs to replace its representative on the Advisory

Committee.

With the loss of dedicated Federal funding for the National Scenic Byways Program, the New Jersey Scenic

Byways Program faces a financial challenge that requires new approaches to funding, executing and

partnering for its marketing. Additionally, there is a limited organizational capacity for the program, making

it necessary to build a marketing plan with consideration for broadening that capacity.

Overall governance presents challenges that impact the facility for marketing. Neither the Byways Program

nor the individual byways fit readily into a category for any given specialized state agency to administer or

fund; the program has limited financial resources and no guaranteed sustainability or support. The benefits

and results of the program are not well documented or visible beyond grant funding and project completion.

NJDOT already has limited financial resources available to the New Jersey Scenic Byways Program, and this

will be exacerbated if the funding sourced for the program dissipates. Without dedicated funding at the

national level, there is no guarantee that there will be funding on the state level. This means that

sustainability of the program on the state level remains precarious and there is no contingency plan in place.

At the local level, commitment is inconsistent and it can be difficult to keep the byway organizations active.

Each needs a fiduciary agency to access many of the governmental grants and to work with the MPOs, yet

not every byway has one. Along some of the byways, the readiness for visitors is inconsistent or under-

developed; all struggle with sustainability to some degree, both financially and in maintaining their

stakeholder groups as the members age and retire without interest from others to succeed them.

In a context where the byways program across the country is not well known—even among those actively

using the byways—these issues suggest a need to heighten the profile of both the state and the national

programs despite the question of whether the resources and infrastructure are available to do so. Best

Practices research found that some states have created an overarching group to work with the state byway

coordinator. This foundation or Byways’ Friends Group is another way to support byway development,

sustainability and peer networking through marketing, social media, grant writing, and fund raising.

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES

There are opportunities to address the marketing challenges faced by the New Jersey Scenic Byways, because

the program enters into the strategic marketing process with many strengths. The byways highlight,

recognize and promote the use and enjoyment of New Jersey’s transportation corridors, which offer

outstanding scenic, natural, recreational, historic or archaeological significance. They are among the most

beautiful locations within the State, easy to reach with cell phone service nearly throughout. Situated in all

six of New Jersey’s marketing regions, they span mountains, seashore, the Delaware River, the Appalachian

Trail, canals, hiking and biking trails, and shopping areas, and they offer rich resources for history and

nature lovers. For example:

History:

• There were more Revolutionary War battles fought in New Jersey than in any other state.

• Six of the byways have corridors or buildings shown on the Crossroads of the American Revolution

National Heritage Area map. This heritage area, which was designated by the U.S. Congress in 2006,

encompasses 213 cities and towns in New Jersey and all or parts of 14 counties from Bergen to

Gloucester.

• Among many historic sites, the byways treat visitors to historic districts, including the Morris Canal,

which is listed in the New Jersey Register of Historic Places and is a nationally-designated Historic Civil

Engineering Landmark.

• The Palisade Scenic Byway received National Natural Landmark designation in 1983 and in 1999 was listed

on the National Register of Historic Places and the New Jersey Register of Historic Places; and the D&R

Canal and many of its historic structures were added to the national register of historic places in 1973.

Nature Preservation:

• The Bayshore Heritage Scenic Byway follows the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route, which is part

of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network designated by the World Wildlife Fund.

• The Pine Barrens Byway overlaps with the Pinelands National Reserve, which is the first National

Reserve created by Congress under the National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978. In 1983, the New

Jersey Pinelands were designated a U.S. Biosphere Reserve by the United Nations Educational, Scientific

and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and they were recognized as an International Biosphere Reserve

in 1988.

The New Jersey Scenic Byways Program has worked diligently to establish a strong foundation. The New

Jersey Scenic Byways Guidebook provides clarity and advice to local byways and those seeking designation on:

the policies, procedures, roles and responsibilities; navigating the byways requirements; tools to implement

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

the byways’ vision; funding strategies; and other resources and partnerships. It also boasts several decades

of committed management at NJDOT, first in Planning and then in the Office of Landscape Architecture.

The New Jersey Scenic Byways Program Guidelines for the Development of Scenic Byways Signage provides

graphic standards for the New Jersey Byway logos and for signing the routes. During the development of the

document, a graphic artist assisted the program with the development of a visual brand and seven of the

byways with designing their own branded logos, which were then used to mark their byway routes.

The program’s website, a section under the NJDOT website, offers a good deal of useful information for

individuals wishing to travel the byways, including highlights, maps and route options for each of the eight

byways. It is best designed for administrative use, but the assets it contains could be valuable in a website

designed for visitor use.

Each byway received assistance with the preparation of its Corridor Management Plan (CMP) document, a

requirement for state designation in New Jersey and, if the opportunity arises, for national designation. Not

only do the CMPs help to build partnerships and support systems in each local corridor, they also includes a

section on tourism and marketing for the particular byway. As described on the New Jersey Scenic Byways

website, the CMP…

…outlines the vision, goals and strategies to preserve, protect, enhance and promote the byway. It

specifies priority actions necessary to advance the byway and assigns responsibility for implementing

recommendations. The plan includes … economic benefits, funding needs and sources and any other

relevant information.

Development of a CMP is an open process for engaging all stakeholders in drafting a guiding

document for the byway corridor that reflects a collective vision and the framework for achieving that

vision. Building and achieving the support and commitment of many individuals, organizations and

agencies along the byway is a critical component in achieving a successful byway. Therefore, a

resolution of support for the designated CMP and byway implementation must be endorsed by the

agencies with jurisdiction over the byway's designated roadways, such as a municipality, county,

state or regional authority. It is important to get letters of support from the municipalities and

counties located along the byway that do not have jurisdiction over the byway route.

The New Jersey Scenic Byways Program also benefits from the geography of the State. While small and

therefore relatively easy and inexpensive to traverse, it is close to a large population both north and south of

the State. New York City and Philadelphia in particular draw international visitors to the area. These factors,

in combination with the diversity of the attractions on the byways, can yield a wide range of potential

visiting audiences.

One of the strengths to build upon is the existing tourism within the State. The 2017 New Jersey Visitor Profile,

the most recent of these annual reports developed for Visit New Jersey, reports that one-third of all visitors

to the State chose Atlantic City as their destination, and that the top activity for most visitors was the

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

beach/waterfront. The 130 miles of beautiful shoreline is a great benefit to New Jersey overall and to its

value as a tourist destination. In response to this, the Byways can:

• Appeal directly to those visiting Atlantic City and the shoreline who might want to expand their

experience beyond those attractions;

• Broaden the visitor audience to New Jersey by building awareness of the byways’ non-shoreline

attractions among those not interested in Atlantic City and the shoreline;

• Promote the Bayshore Heritage Byway and the Pine Barrens Byways as attractions directly in the

shoreline vicinity; and

• Recognize that the visitors who want only the Atlantic City experience are not a target audience.

The 2005 New Jersey Image Study found that visitors to the State gave high ratings to experiences that can be

found on and around the byways, including:

• High quality restaurant experiences;

• Ease of travel from place to place;

• A relaxing/fun place to visit;

• Good for boating and water sports; and

• A good place for fishing.

The study also showed that non-visitors were less likely to rate these highly and that:

Travelers to New Jersey may believe they already know what there is to do in the State, but with

increased promotion and utility of travel planning resources, travelers can be exposed to the many

attractions previous visitors to New Jersey value.

Therefore, the New Jersey Scenic Byways Program can benefit from making existing visitors aware that these

attractions exist on the byways. It also can market these attractions to those who are not yet aware that the

State offers them at all.

In 2017, the visitor profile—while continuing to show a disproportionate amount of visitation to the Atlantic

City area—reported that: “Non-Atlantic City portions of the State account for the largest share of visitor

growth.” It shows more than 100 million visits to New Jersey in a ten-year trend that confirm growth coming

from tourism expansion beyond Atlantic City, the shore, and the traditional summer season. This confirms a

level of interest that the byways can tap into.

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

The profile shows that visiting friends and relatives is a primary reason for coming to New Jersey (as was

true in the 2005 report), with this reason scoring even higher when excluding Atlantic City visits from the

data: “If Atlantic City is excluded… the overwhelming reason for Overnight Leisure travel becomes to Visit

Friends or Relatives.” This factor, as well as shopping and dining experiences, rank high for all visitors to

New Jersey, including those not going to Atlantic City. Among the most profitable activities (stay-dollars

generated) are culinary/dining, shopping and visiting friends and relatives. For visits to New Jersey

excluding Atlantic City, travel parties including children are the most prevalent, followed closely by couples;

when Atlantic City is included, parties with children drop considerably in prevalence. The profile reveals an

increase in the average incomes of visitors to the State when excluding Atlantic City visits, and the average

length of stay is longer when excluding Atlantic City—more than four nights longer than the average U.S.

destination and the surrounding states used for the competitive set in the study. While the data are not

current for trip planning time frames, the 2005 study (which shows consistency with the 2017 profile in other

aspects) suggests that most travelers (55%) plan their trips in fewer than the two months prior to traveling,

so they need time-sensitive information on activities; some New Jersey travelers have an even shorter

window, with 25% doing so in less than one week and 60% in less than one month.

All of these findings combine to suggest an opportunity to actively build on the growing market of non-

Atlantic City visitors by creating greater awareness of and interest in the byways and communicating more

actively about the authentic travel experiences they offer. The convenience of a nearby byway with its

cultural and recreational offerings and adjacent local businesses can have particular appeal to visitors who

have not pre-planned extensively, who seek activities appropriate to families or active couples with their

local friends and family, who are looking for an authentic experiences, who need season-appropriate

suggestions, and who are interested in local dining and shopping experiences. This indicates that

strategically developed campaigns that leverage the LBS findings could offer significant results and help to

further diversify the geographic spread of the visitor market in New Jersey.

MARKETING AUDIENCES

The marketing audiences include both visitors and potential visitors to the byways. Based on the research

conducted by Cambridge Systematics, the stakeholder workshop insights and the prior studies from

New Jersey Tourism, there is a primary opportunity to grow awareness among a defined target audience.

Figure 2 offers a snapshot of some of these data and a high level persona for the target audience.

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

FIGURE 2. VISITOR PROFILE

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

As Figure 2 indicates, the data show that the primary audience with which to grow awareness, reach and

visitation are affluent residents of New Jersey with interest in nature and outdoor adventure, between the

ages of 40 and 64. The findings show this group to be visiting the most, even without specific byways

awareness. Age 40-64 audiences from Pennsylvania and New Jersey seeking nature and outdoor adventure,

and similar visitors seeking family fun, also are a valuable target for marketing and increasing awareness of

the byways. While interest in historic and cultural sites was not as predominant as other factors, it did have a

place. These are the primary intrinsic qualities that the byways have to offer, and there is a clear secondary

audience of visitors seeking these experiences. The individual byways may wish to consider using the LBS

data and intercept survey results to get even more specific audience analyses on the visitors to their

locations. This could lead to the very targeted, geographically based marketing, particularly in digital

campaigns.

Because the New Jersey Image Study and the 2017 New Jersey Visitor Profile show that most non-Atlantic City

visitors to New Jersey are visiting friends and family, residents along and near the byways are primary

audiences and influencer audiences. It will be valuable to increase the knowledge of the byways and their

offerings among the communities in the byways corridors, so they view the byways as a destination to visit

and to share with visiting friends and families.

The following chart from the New Jersey Visitor Profile shows the participation levels among New Jersey visitors

in various activities.

FIGURE 3. NEW JERSEY ACTIVITY PARTICIPATION

Source: 2017 New Jersey Visitor Profile, page 73.

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

With so much of the byways’ use being opportunistic—rather than planned as a byways visit—other key

potential influencer audiences are stops along the byways, which could be leveraged for information

sharing. These are appropriate locations for cooperative (statewide/local) print materials. Such influencer

audiences along the byways include:

• Hotels, motels, inns;

• Shops featuring local items;

• Outdoor/nature outfitters and shops; and

• Wineries, breweries and distilleries.

The overall approach with the influencer audiences is to generate and help them understand the value they

gain from promotion of the byways, and thus engage them as byways advocates.

Cambridge Systematics’ research revealed that only 7% of visitors along the byways want to receive

information in print formats. The rest prefer website, email and social media communications. With the

increased use of the internet to share news and reach a large customer base, other influencer audiences to

reach include:

• Popular bloggers, vloggers and podcasts that focus on New Jersey and surrounding area travel and

outdoor/nature activities; and

• Local and regional news outlets with strong web-based reporting.

In summary, the marketing audiences include:

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

TABLE 1. MARKETING AUDIENCES

Primary Audiences

Secondary Audiences

Influencer Audiences

Affluent residents of New Jersey,

Pennsylvania and New York with

interest in nature and outdoor

adventure, between the ages of 40

and 64.

Affluent residents of New Jersey,

Pennsylvania and New York with

interest in cultural and historic sites,

between the ages of 40 and 64.

Residents along and near the byways,

in their role as host of visiting family

and friends.

Affluent residents of New Jersey,

Pennsylvania and New York with

interest in family fun, between the

ages of 40 and 64.

Businesses along the byways,

including:

• Hotels, motels, inns;

• Shops featuring local items; and

• Outdoor/nature outfitters and

shops.

Key digital media, including:

• Popular bloggers, vloggers and

podcasts that focus on New Jersey

and surrounding area travel and

outdoor/nature activities; and

• New Jersey local and regional

news outlets with strong web-

based reporting.

There are additional channels for the marketing message that will figure into marketing tactics such as travel

apps and social media sites. Since these are either tools that the Byways Program and partners are free to

leverage or are paid placement, they are not considered audiences to be reached with a persuasive or

informative marketing message.

BRAND AND MESSAGING

Consistent brand and messaging help to ensure that audiences have a clear understanding of the byways

and their benefits—whether marketing and communicating at a statewide or a local level.

Appendix A provides a Brand Architecture and a description of how to use it as a governance and planning

tool for the New Jersey Scenic Byways Program brand.

Appendix B provides a Messaging Architecture and a description of how to use it as the basis for consistent

language that the byways will use in their marketing messages in order to connect with the intended

audiences.

It is recommended that byways partners engaging in marketing receive training in using the brand and

messaging to help them carry out the tactics effectively.

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES AND TACTICS

The overarching goal for developing a statewide approach to marketing the New Jersey Scenic Byways is to

expand awareness and usage of the program and of the individual byways to benefit the byways visitors,

communities and partners. In doing so, the marketing also will help support the broader New Jersey tourism

goal of further diversifying visitors to the State and the locations in New Jersey that they visit.

OBJECTIVES

To help reach this goal, there are four marketing objectives—statements of what the marketing should

achieve—that will help to increase awareness and interest:

1. Create a cohesive statewide byways brand that builds on the byways logos and will create a positive

perception of the overall program benefits while giving the individual byways and their partners a

brand they can use effectively;

2. Increase awareness by introducing and actively engaging visitors and potential visitors to the aspects of

the byways that most appeal to their preferences;

3. Interact with visitors and potential visitors when, where and how they most value; and

4. Leverage the local residential and business communities along the byways as active brand advocates

STRATEGIES

There are three key strategies, or high level approaches that describe how to reach these objectives:

1. Establish and extract value from overarching, high-impact, informative and easy-to-use print and online

brand assets that are flexible enough to be used in a way that is relevant to particular byways, audiences

and seasons;

2. Use integrated campaigns to provide statewide and local experience-based marketing campaigns that

can be specific to the season and the location; and

3. Offer local residential and business stakeholders easy means and incentive to share the byways

marketing/information messages.

TACTICS

The following tactics are the recommended actions to operationalize the strategies.

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

Marketing Toolkit

The development of a marketing toolkit is essential in increasing awareness and information about the

byways. The marketing toolkit is a set of materials and templates that the New Jersey Scenic Byways

Program can provide for the individual byways and the statewide program to use and adapt easily. This is

recommended to include:

• Postcards (print);

• One-page overviews (8-1/2” x 11” print);

• Tri-fold brochures (4” x 9” folded print);

• E-blast templates;

• Graphics to use in social media posts;

• Graphics to use in in-app advertising;

• All-season photo library of the byways;

• Brand guidelines;

• Messaging guidelines; and

• Strategic guidance for use of the toolkit (including workshops).

In developing the brand and messaging guidelines, and providing the strategic guidance, it is important to

establish that all marketing choices reinforce the brand and allow for both consistency and flexibility across

the brand family, whether marketing at a statewide or a local level. The logos must be included in all

communication to further brand awareness and form the graphic foundation for all marketing assets. It is

important to build understanding of what the logos stand for through the marketing.

Overview Book

There is a significant story to tell about the value and history of the byways, and it makes a strong visual

impact. To take advantage of this, a comprehensive, high-impact overview book is recommended in two

PDF formats:

• Print for placement in key locations; and

• Digital to allow for an interactive user experience, seasonal variations in the photography, and easy

updates over time.

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

Website

In addition to the current administrative website, a website designed for visitor use is recommended. This

would be highly visual, interactive and responsive (e.g., adjusts to screen size) and could be managed to

keep information and visuals updated to be seasonally appropriate so visitors would best understand the

authentic byways experience. The website also could be used as a research tool to continue getting

anonymized insights on the marketing messages and interactions. It also is recommended to use the website

as a means to deliver other customer-facing marketing materials, such as print material that visitors could

download.

Specific Marketing Tactics

It is recommended that the byways use the marketing tools and messages to help carry out the following

tactics:

• Place local-focused literature in key business/partner locations that attract the target audiences (include

statewide information in these materials to broaden knowledge about the other byways in New Jersey);

• Develop seasonal social marketing that is designed for visitor action, such as:

 Byways “passbook” that is “stamped” via a social media campaign; or

 Inviting local B&B guests to post photos and stories with a hashtag to win a future stay with the

most like/shares, in a “where in the world are you on the NJ Scenic Byways” contest.

• Pitch seasonal byways stories, yielded from the social media campaigns, to key statewide and local news

and/or travel media and blogs;

• Develop and distribute seasonal eblast campaigns targeted to three distinct audiences:

 Byways visitors, with messages reflecting the social media campaigns and the media pitches

 Local residents, focused on using the local byway and showing their guests the best of their

community

 Local businesses and partners, focusing on serving their customers by sharing information about the

byways (linking to marketing literature they can print or order); and

• Geographically targeted advertising on Waze and Google Maps, in partnership with local businesses if

possible (e.g., “You’re on a NJ Byway—a great place to stop for a hike” or “You’re on a NJ Byway—stop

at XYZ Country Inn for info on fishing here.”)

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

The inclusion of geo-targeting and seasonal campaigns allows the marketing to respond to visitor needs and

behaviors, including their preference for on-line/interactive information, short trip-planning timeframes,

and a desire to know more about the location when there.

Partnerships and Funding Tactics

To help support the development of these tactics, it is recommended that the byways reach out to local

partners for Cooperative Marketing (joint marketing) and Sponsorships (recognition in marketing materials,

in return for financial support).

Good options for partnerships can include state organizations such as the New Jersey Historic Trust; Federal

organizations such as the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance through the National Park Service; and

County organizations such as County Planning. Other valuable partners are nonprofit organizations along

the byways with vested interest in the intrinsic qualities of the Byways or in the economic value delivered by

attracting visitors to the Byways corridors. Outreach also should include regional DMOs, local Chambers of

Commerce, interest groups such as biking and equestrian groups and Crossroads of the American

Revolution. Various businesses such as hotels/inns/B&Bs, restaurants, wineries, breweries, distilleries, and

family reunion businesses also can have interest in Cooperative Marketing and Sponsorships.

To establish these partnerships, it is necessary to give local stakeholders easy means and incentives to share

the byways messages and materials. It will be necessary to show, not only through direct outreach but also

through the seasonal e-blast campaigns, how financial support and advocacy can benefit all parties along the

byway.

Partners also can assist through:

• Fundraising events;

• Membership dues;

• Collaboration with other programs;

• Funders’ tours that convene influential groups; and

• Networking.

Cooperative Marketing also can take the form of shared digital marketing campaigns, content to augment

marketing materials, and joint PR efforts. Sponsorship can entail byways literature with space for custom

content, shared app-based ads, features in maps, and shared gamification.

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

Integration

The marketing tactics will work best as an integrated unit, and this will best be supported by participation

from all of the byways as well as the statewide program. Working together, the Byways and their partners

can use these tactics to show travelers all that New Jersey has to offer.

See Appendix C for a depiction of the objectives, strategies and tactics that shows how they align with each

other and serve the specific audiences.

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

Appendix A

BRAND ARCHITECTURE

HOW TO USE THE BRAND ARCHITECTURE

A brand embodies the relationship and connection between an entity—in this case the New Jersey Scenic

Byways Program—and its audiences. The Brand Architecture is a widely accepted tool for documenting and

conveying the overall structure of the organization’s intended brand. Figure 4 adopts the Brand Architecture

approach to clarify the New Jersey Scenic Byways brand.

By referring to the Brand Architecture, the byways can help ensure that all messaging and marketing

activities support the brand. It reflects the strategic work that went into defining the brand: the

underpinning of research, the opportunities that the byways want to leverage, the challenges they must

overcome, and the audiences they face. It is critical that the audience’s point of view is a leading factor in

developing the structure of the brand, because this helps to ensure a brand to which audiences have a

positive response.

Positioning Statements

The Brand Architecture begins at the top with a high-level statement of how the New Jersey Scenic Byways

Program defines and distinguishes itself to its audiences.

• For the visitor audiences, this is the positioning statement: The New Jersey Scenic Byways give families and

individuals unique and diverse opportunities across the State to enjoy nature, pursue outdoor adventure and have

fun while exploring cultural and historic sites in scenic settings.

• For the business and partner audiences, this is the positioning statement: The New Jersey Scenic Byways

Program promotes the intrinsic value of the byway areas and offers opportunities to enhance the economic benefits

derived from visitors by attracting families and individuals to diverse areas across the State to enjoy nature, pursue

outdoor adventure and have fun while exploring cultural and historic sites in scenic settings.

Whenever and however the byways and their partners market to each audience, they can use these

statements as a guideline so their chosen approach and message supports the position in the marketplace.

Offering Categories

Next, the Brand Architecture divides the offerings (what the byways provide) into a set of categories that

directly reflect how the audiences gain perceived value from the byways:

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

• For visitors, these include: Nature Experiences, Outdoor Adventure, and Cultural and Historic Experiences;

and

• For businesses and partners, these include: Cooperative Marketing (opportunities to market themselves

cooperatively with the byways) and Sponsorship (opportunities to market themselves by investing in

sponsorship of the byways).

Products and Services

What an organization markets are its products and/or services. The New Jersey Scenic Byways Program has

a clear-cut set of products it markets to visitors: the eight byways. Each one of these, based on its most

prevalent assets, fits into one or more of the offering categories; this is indicated by where they are placed

under those categories in the Brand Architecture. The Brand Architecture also includes several products and

services that the Byways can offer to business and other partners as part of the cooperative and/or

sponsorship marketing offerings.

Audiences Served

The Brand Architecture aligns the audiences with the offering categories by placing them under these

categories. This allows the right marketing and messaging to target the right audiences based on the

experiences they seek.

Key Decision Makers and Influencers

In addition to knowing who its audiences are, the byways must know who makes the decisions about using

the byways (among visitors) or investing in them (among businesses and partners). This identifies the

decision makers and states who most significantly influences those decision makers. The byways should

focus their marketing and messaging efforts to reach these decision makers directly and through their

influencers.

Key Insights

In order to choose the right marketing messages and tactics, it is necessary to have some insight into the

mindset of the target audience. The key insights are written as statements from the audience members. This

helps us to understand what matters to them so the marketing and messaging can be responsive.

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

FIGURE 4. BRAND ARCHITECTURE

NJ Scenic Byways Program

Brand Architecture

Visitor Positioning

The New Jersey Scenic Byways give families and individuals unique and diverse opportunities across the state to enjoy nature, pursue

outdoor adventure and have fun while exploring cultural and historic sites in scenic settings.

Business and Partner Positioning

The New

Jersey Scenic Byways Program promotes the intrinsic value of the byway areas

and offers opportunities to enhance the economic benefits derived from visitors by

attracting families and individuals to diverse areas across the state to enjoy nature,

pursue outdoor adventure and have fun while exploring cultural and historic sites in

scenic settings.

Offering Categories

Nature

Experiences

Outdoor

Adventure

Cultural and Historic

Experiences

Cooperative

Marketing

Sponsorship

Products and Services

Bayshore Heritage Byway (emphasis on

wildlife, particularly bird watching/habitats)

Bayshore Heritage Byway Shared digital marketing campaigns Features on Byways and Visit NJ websites

Delaware River Byway Content to

augment marketing materials

Byways literature with space

for custom content

Millstone Valley Byway Joint PR efforts

Features in Byways

app-

based ads (e.g., on Waze

and Google Maps)

Palisades Byway

Features in Byways system-wide information

(e.g., maps, gamification)

Pine Barrens Scenic Byway (wetlands, endangered

species, forest)

Pine Barrens Scenic Byway

Data

sharing

Upper Freehold Historic Farmland Scenic Byway

Warren Heritage Scenic Byway

Western Highlands Scenic Byway

Audiences Served

Individuals, couples and families,

primarily ages 40 to 64, from New Jersey and neighboring

states, seeking primarily nature experiences, outdoor adventure and family fun.

Individuals, couples and families, mostly ages 40

to 64 and from within New Jersey, seeking

primarily cultural and historic experiences.

Non

-profit organizations and for-profit businesses

along the scenic byways with a vested interest in

the intrinsic value of the byways and/or the economic value delivered by attracting visitors to the

byways areas.

Key

Decision Makers

and Influencers

Decision makers: Heads of household making recreational and travel decisions for self and family

Influencers: Friends and family; social media networks

Decision makers: Business owners; business managers with marketing responsibility;

non-profit management

Influencers: Local chambers of commerce and other local business membership organizations

Key Insights

I may or may not use the byways, because I’m not really aware of them as entities or as a program. But they have things

that interest me so I’d like more information.

I want my business to benefit from the patronage of people who visit the byways,

and I want to increase that benefit by helping to draw more byways visitors.

I mostly want to get my information digitally—whether on a website, through social media, or through the apps I use.

This is especially convenient because I don’t plan very far ahead for my visits.

Because my organization fundamentally supports

one or more of the intrinsic qualities

of the byways, I want to support them

and gain visibility through them.

As someone from out of state, I mostly come to New Jersey to visit friends or family.

Being outdoors, connecting to nature and/or being active matter to me.

I’m not necessarily aware that these are significant options for me in New Jersey.

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

The Brand Architecture serves as a governance and planning tool for making marketing decisions, so the

program and its individual byways can ensure that they support the overall brand position, meet audience

needs and fit into the offering categories. Over time, elements may change; research could reveal that

increased awareness of the byways, for example, has added to the types of visits and their target insights.

What should be least likely to shift is the overall positioning.

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

Appendix B

MESSAGING ARCHITECTURE

The Messaging Architecture provides a foundation for the key messaging. All brand messengers/advocates

can use it as a baseline for communicating about the New Jersey Scenic Byways. They can adapt it for the

tone and style of the given message, audience and tactic; build on it with more specific information and

stories as appropriate; and use whichever messages make the most sense for the situation, in whatever order

works best.

At the center of the Messaging Architecture is a central, unifying message. It then divides into several

overarching messaging categories.

Though both the visitor audiences and the business/partner audiences are incorporates in the Brand

Architecture, the Messaging Architecture is limited to a basic foundation for the visitor audiences. It includes

some sample byway-specific supporting statements.

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

FIGURE 5. MESSAGING ARCHITECTURE

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

Appendix C

RELATIONSHIPS OF TACTICS TO THE AUDIENCES, OBJECTIVES, AND

STRATEGIES

The top section of Figure 6 shows that Objectives 1, 2 and 3 relate to the primary and secondary visitor

audiences, while Objectives 1 and 4 relate to the influencer audiences.

Below that, it displays three strategies and the objectives they support:

• The strategy on the left support Objective #1;

• The strategy in the middle supports Objectives #2, 3 and 4; and

• The strategy on the right supports Objective #4.

The last section contains the tactics, lined up under the strategy(ies) that each supports. First the three main

tactics are presented: the website, the overview book, and the marketing toolkit. Then it describes more

specific tactics using the toolkit.

Marketing Research and Strategic Marketing Plan for New Jersey Scenic Byways Program

FIGURE 6. RECOMMENDED OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES AND TACTICS

Overarching Goal:

Expand awareness and usage of The New Jersey Scenic Byways Program to benefit the Byways visitors, communities and partners.

In doing so, help support the broader Tourism goal of further diversifying visitors to the state and the locations within New Jersey that they visit.

INFLUENCER:

Residents and businesses

along the byways,

and appropriate digital

media outlets

PRIMARY AND

SECONDARY:

Affluent residents of New

Jersey, Pennsylvania and

New York, age 40-64,

with interest in: Nature

and outdoor adventure 2.

Family fun 3. Cultural and

historic experiences

AUDIENCES

STRATEGIES

Establish and extract value from overarching, high-impact, informative and easy-to

use parent brand assets with flexible, audience-relevant and season-specific content

Objectives: 1

Through integrated digital campaigns, provide statewide and local experience-

based marketing campaigns that are season- and location-specific

Objectives: 2, 3, 4

Offer local residential and business stakeholders easy means and incentive to share

the byways marketing/information messages

Objectives: 4

High-impact, highly visual, seasonally appropriate, interactive, responsive visitor-facing website and ongoing management, serving as a research tool for continued

anonymized insights on marketing message and interactivity, and as delivery mechanism for the marketing toolkit

High-impact, interactive PDF overview book that allows for seasonal visual experiences and provides comprehensive information on the Byways as a whole and

individually; also to be available as appropriate in non-interactive print form for placement in key locations

Marketing toolkit

for use statewide and by the local Byways, accessible online. To include: postcards; one-pagers; tri-folds, eblast templates, social media post graphics; photo library; in-app add graphics; brand guidelines; messaging guidelines; strategic

guidance for use (including workshops)

Leveraging the Marketing Toolkit

Outreach to local Chambers of Commerce, biking groups, equestrian groups,

hotels/inns/B&Bs, restaurants, family reunion businesses, etc. to develop Partnership

(joint marketing) and Sponsorship (financial support recognition) opportunities

Geo-based campaigns on Waze and Google Maps, some partnering with local businesses (e.g., “You’re on a NJ Byway—a great place to stop for a hike” or “You’re on a

NJ Byway—XYZ Inn has info on fishing here”)

Local-focused literature—also with statewide information and reference back to the statewide digital assets—placed in key business/partner locations that attract the target audience

Seasonal visitor-led social marketing (such as a passbook concept), promoted through local businesses/partners: e.g., guests at local B&Bs invited to “where in the world

are you on a scenic Byway” contest to post photos and stories, winning free future stay at a participating B&B for the one with the most likes/shares

Seasonal pitching of byways stories yielded through social campaigns to key statewide and local news and/or travel media/blog

outlets—

primarily digitally based

Seasonal eblast campaigns targeted to visitors, with messages integrated to social media campaigns and media outlet topics

Seasonal eblast

campaigns targeted to local residents focused on (1) using the local

asset and (2) showing your guests the best of your community

Seasonal eblast campaigns targeted to local businesses/partners focused on serving your customers by sharing information on the byways (links to literature they can

print/order)

Create a cohesive parent brand presence for the Byways Program as a statewide asset to enhance the perceived benefits of the overall program and offer

brand value that the individual byways and their partners can leverage

2 Introduce and actively engage visitors and potential visitors to the aspects of the Byways that most appeal to their preferences 2

3 Interact with visitors and potential visitors when, where and how they most value 3

4 Leverage the local byways residential and business communities as active brand advocates for the byways 4

OBJECTIVES

Objectives: 2, 3, 4

Objectives: 4

Objectives: 1