Take the Vintage Weekend survey and you could win cash

Whanganui Vintage Weekend Trust is putting up $1000 as a cash incentive for people to undertake a survey about the annual Vintage Weekend event. Bruce Jellyman, chairman of Whanganui Vintage Weekend Trust says Vintage Weekend has been held every year since 2012 and while it is going from strength to strength, it's important to know it is delivering value to and for the community.

The survey, commissioned through Horizons Research Limited includes questions such as how people heard of the event, mode of travel, accommodation type, events attended, and by day and time, future intentions, improving the event and overall satisfaction rating. It also offers a section to provide comments. Once the survey results are in, Horizons Research will supply a report which will enable improved, evidence-based reporting to stakeholders and improved planning of future events.

Vintage Weekend event funding comes from a mix of sources including council, funding grants, event registration fees and sponsorships. "We provide funding to Mainstreet to deliver the Caboodle and to the committee which delivers the Riverside Shindig, and we support other events and attractions with funding as well. A large component of our budget goes into marketing the event locally and nationally," says Bruce Jellyman. "The survey will tell us what people like and what they think we can do better across the event programme and with our marketing."

The report will also draw on spending data collected through MarketView which will be accessed with the support of Whanganui & Partners. "We expect to understand more about the economic, social and cultural impact Vintage Weekend has on our community. I am sure the information will especially be of interest to our primary stakeholders, Whanganui District Council and their economic arm Whanganui & Partners," says Bruce.

Event manager Heather Cox, who is overseeing the survey project, says, "We want to receive as many viable survey submissions as we possibly can, so are implementing a far-reaching marketing campaign starting this weekend." Heather says the campaign will continue for two weeks, up until when the survey period closes on February 8.

Heather said she has worked with Katelyn Brown from design company "&US" to develop the new event branding introduced this year for Bayleys Whanganui Vintage Weekend. She says the new branding includes a new logo and collages with images that represent all the best things that Whanganui is known for. "The survey promotion follows the same exciting new look but has a bright pink background to stand out from the event promotion. "When you see the bright pink flyers make sure you grab one to get the link for the online survey. We've intentionally designed it to be short and easy to fill out and we've intentionally gone big on the cash reward, all to generate as much info we can from the people we put this event on for."

Links for the survey will also be included in online promotions and newspaper advertising. The trust expects to receive the report from Horizons Research in March this year. The draw for $1000 cash reward winner will happen not long after the survey closes in February.

Bruce Jellyman said the trust will arrange official scrutineering to oversee the draw and will make a public announcement once the lucky recipient has been personally notified.

Wanganui Midweek 27/1/21