The Calgary Stampede Marketing Strategy
What is the Calgary Stampede?
July 11, 2019
The Calgary Stampede, dubbed “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth,” is one of the world’s largest rodeos and attracts over one million visitors. The Calgary Stampede is a 10-day Western/new-Western themed festival packed with events, activities, shows and food for locals and tourists alike. The 107th Calgary Stampede is well-positioned to continue its organization’s century of success. What makes the Calgary Stampede so successful year after year after year? How do they constantly generate enough interest in locals and tourists alike to keep them coming back for more? The answer is simple, the Calgary Stampede marketing strategy.
From a business perspective, the Stampede marketing strategy is excellent. They take relatively the same product year after year and try to sell it to the public in a new and meaningful way. Though their strategy changes slightly year by year, here’s a list of different strategies and tools the Stampede implements to achieve their success.
Community Marketing
Community marketing is a strategy that involves forming and engaging the current community of established customers. The Calgary Stampede relies on the repeat visits from local Calgarians and Albertans to continue its success. Thus, nurturing their presence in Calgary is the Stampede’s number one concern.
After 107 years of tradition, The Calgary Stampede has become a part of the city’s identity. The Calgary Stampede is a non-profit organization, despite generating millions upon millions of dollars in revenue, they re-invest a lot into community initiatives that benefit Calgarians year-round. In turn, the Stampede will be forever woven into the city’s DNA and the Calgary Stampede leverages that expertly. The city wants the Calgary Stampede to succeed because it’s their event as much as it is the organization running it.
Current Events/Trends
Staying on top of current events, trends and milestones is a must for a major annual event like the Calgary Stampede. It keeps things fresh and new, by providing a new twist on a classic event. Such milestones like the centennial, bicentennial, 100th year, 101st year, 110th year and more, are promoted excitingly by the marketing team at Calgary Stampede.
But one great example of this was Stampede 101 right after the 2013 Calgary flood. A flood that devasted communities and the livelihood of many Albertans and Calgarians. “Hell or High Water” was the slogan that rallied all of Alberta especially Calgarians towards a greater cause than just simply attending the event. That slogan became the rallying cry that empowered Albertans to stay strong through this disaster.
Volunteers
On top of its normal workforce, The Stampede has its legion of volunteers to rely on to help run the 10-day festival smoothly. The Calgary Stampede uses its volunteers not only to help with the event but in its promotion too. Using their networks to market too, but also as a way to engage and showcase their engagement with their audience.
The Stampede doesn’t just view their volunteer’s like a nice add-on to the work they do, they are an essential part of the Stampede experience. Their value in the volunteers helps volunteers buy into the Stampede vision. The volunteers, therefore, share their own experience of the Stampede on their social media, in their networks and authentically promote their experience.
Are you ready to get involved in the festivities? Try attending a classic stampede breakfast!
Here is a list of FREE pancake breakfasts.
Talk to a person
