Taos Hippie Homecoming & Summer of '69

Denish, Reyes, Connelly

Press and Puffery

April 23, 2009

Denish Discusses Stimulus

The community is invited to a Town Hall Meeting with Diane Denish to discuss the Economic Stimulus Package and Recovery Plan, Friday, April 24, 2009 at 10:00 a.m: At Rio Grande Hall located at 121 Civic Plaza Drive. The Lt. Governor invites all from the region to come hear a presentation (a staff member will be presenting a PowerPoint) and ask any questions, provide input, etc. 
Bring your social security card for identification if you want your check.

Be here Now! The Summer of '69.

June 21 and June 24

Read the May issue Of Horse Fly about the way it really was in 1969. Horse Fly Institute is sponsoring two events for old friends that attempt to recapture the spirit of a time when life and art reflected the search for the spirit of authenticity--prior to the great commodification of the alternative culture. We were there when the hippie buses rolled in to the Plaza and lifted more than one glass to the perverse joy of living in Taos while inhabiting our version of cafe society at La Cocina.

The buzz is building for the La Cocina Reunion and Hippie Homecoming. Lewie Wickham will play at Ogelvies from 3 to 6, especially for Cal and Ruthie. The famed Taos-Frisco-Taos Oriental Blue Streaks (aka Dolly and the Lama Mountain Boys) will make what could be a combo comeback-farewell tour and will be featured from 6 to 8 under the Gazebo on June 21. You can watch the painted bodies with old friends as other old friends whip up their memories on the Plaza. Listen to vintage rock and roll played by those who caught the vibes then and still retain it now. On Wed. June 24, come to the Blue Streak Barefoot Boogie and Potluck at the McCarthy-Benavides Building behind the Plaza.

Since February and continuing this summer, Horse Fly celebrates an ongoing series about the founding of the Taos Art Colony and the legacy of the Broken Wheel crowd--not to mention features about the contemporary practitioners of the visual imagination. We continue in May

Huston Memoir

Allegra Huston will read and sign her meoir, “Love Child,” at the Mabel Dodge Luhan House on Friday April 24, 7:30.

UNM-Taos Annual Student Art Exhibition 2009

May 3rd, 2009 to May 14th at the TCA, Stables Gallery downtown Taos.
Hours are 11 am to 5 pm daily. Opening reception Sunday, May 3rd from 1:OO to 4:00pm.

Erin Currier: Schoolgirls and Schoolboys

May 8 to May 30, 2009. Opening reception Friday, May 8, 5 to 7 pm. Center for Contemporary Arts, 1050 Old Pecos Trail, Santa Fe , NM 87505 For info: 505-982-1338; Exhibition curated by Parks Gallery, Taos.

TCA Art Invitation

The Taos Center for the Arts (TCA) announces a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a Visual Art Exhibit to take place in the Encore Gallery: August 28 – September 20, 2009. The TCA encourages installation and contemporary works. RFPs must include: Up to 5 photos or drawn examples of work. Mail or hand-deliver to: Taos Center for the Arts. Attention: Kristine Rippel. 133 Paseo del Pueblo Norte. Taos, NM 87571. Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 10am – 5pm Submission Deadline: 5pm Monday, June 8, 2009. For further information contact TCA Visual Art Director, Kristine Rippel, (575) 758-2052 or at Kristine@tcataos.org

Taos Gallery Association Spring Arts Scavenger Hunt

The Taos Gallery Association (TGA) is organizing a gallery wide Scavenger Hunt to take place May 15 through 25th as part of the Spring Arts Celebration: Summer of Love.
As an incentive to encourage visitors to experience the arts of Taos through the galleries a Scavenger Hunt will take place over a 2 week period (May 15 - 25). Participants can pick up a Lists of Questions at the Taos Visitor's Center (taosvacationguide.com), Taos Chamber of Commerce (taoschamber.com), on TGA website (taosgalleryassoc.com), and in participating galleries (look for the posters). Prizes will include Taos Gallery Association Gift Certificates, a signed Summer of Love poster and certificates to participating local restaurants.

First Annual World Peace Week

Taos Mayor Darren Cordova will attend a very special benefit evening to inaugurate Taos’s first annual World Peace Week on Thursday, May 28th at the Taos Convention Center, Civic Plaza Drive, Taos. Meet the Mayor and talk with the delegates, performers and organizers of the World Peace Week. The benefit reception is from 5:30 to 7 pm, and the concert begins at 8. $125 donation includes the benefit reception, banquet and concert. Concert only tickets are $25.

Benefit tickets are available at The Taos Peace House and Infoshop, PO Box 424, Arroyo Seco, NM 87514, by calling (575) 758 8819, or from the website: worldpeaceweek.net where you can use PayPal.

From the Desk of Cathy Connelly

As usual, my comments are straightforward – everyone is important to the marketing we do, but I’ve tried to capture the subtleties of strength and the different priorities for each entity based on my subjective evaluation – and how the Town marketing team interfaces with each. I’m sure some readers will disagree with my assessments, and certainly everyone’s roles change over time.

Should anyone have further questions, email me – and thank you all for your Taos marketing efforts, including those of you who may not have major funds for marketing but keep things aesthetically welcoming, are friendly and helpful when visitors get here, and stay open late Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings (aside from other extended hours).

Cathy Connelly, Public Relations Director, Town of Taos, cconnelly@taosgov.com, or give me a call 575-751-2001.

Connelly’s Down-and-Dirty Marketing Entity Summary for 2009:

1) The Town of Taos Direct Marketing Contract: The Town of Taos has a marketing/advertising/public relations (free media) contract with Griffin & Associates, headed by Joan Griffin, jgriffin@griffinassoc.com. This was awarded through a Town request for proposal (RFP) process in July 2007 and contractually launched/funded in October, 2007.

This coming Griffin annual budget for 2009-2010 (fiscal year July through June) is designed to again be approximately $400,000 (particularly good given the current economy and other Town cut backs). The Griffin contract requires a “match” be made of another $200,000 worth of marketing, bringing the effective tourism out-of-the-area marketing contract budget to approximately $600,000.

I manage the Griffin contract for the Town, assisting with strategic and tactical decisions as well as Council/community interface about it. The focus for Griffin activity is to bring tourists to Taos – increasing “heads on beds” as well as Gross Receipt Tax (GRT)-generating visitor spending. This contract does not specifically underwrite events.

My “other job” is to function as the local community-related public relations/public affairs director for the Town, for which I have a local/regional marketing budget of approximately $90,475. I report directly to/am managed by the Town Manager, Daniel Miera.

Jeanne Kitzman, head of marketing/group and meeting sales for the Town and its Convention & Visitor Center on Civic Plaza Dr., is also a major part of the marketing team, as is the Town-run, Taos Visitor Center staff, headed by Michelle Hammer, mhammer@taosvistor.com. Both Jeanne and Michelle report to Ron Yachinich, Director, Taos Convention Center/Visitor Center, ryachinich@taosgov.com. Ron has a completely separate, and additional, Town budget for running the Convention Center, plus the Taos Visitor Center facility and its staff. This budget includes the Town’s fulfillment of information (via mailings, phone calls and/or emails) in partnership with the Taos County Lodgers Association (see more details below) to those requesting “information about Taos” via the Taos Visitor Center (including stop ins, phone calls, the web site, and emails).

The intent by the Town of Taos Mayor/Council is to continue to increase the tourism direct-marketing budget as the economy – and revenues – again increase. The results of this program have been sound – particularly given that national tourism is down on average by 11%. Taos’ tourism revenues are holding relatively steady. It takes all of us working together to accomplish this type of positive impact.

2) The Taos County Lodgers Association. Led this year by the Sagebrush’s Louise Blair, sagebrush@newmex.com, and La Fonda’s Steve Slick, lafondataos@aol.com, this organization contracts with consultant Janet Webb, Webb Design, janet@taoswebb.com, and annually develops/publishes the award winning Taos Vacation Guide, related program rack cards/brochures, secures the back page ad on the New Mexico Vacation Guide, and develops/manages the corresponding web site.

This is the web site on which Town’s Taos Visitor Center web page sits, in addition to our “Press Room” information for free media, our monthly e-magazine blasts, and select A-List Travel Story clips. The Taos County Lodger Association package is used by the Town as its leading fulfillment program/package when it comes to tourist inquiries, travel shows, media familiarization trips, free media content referrals, etc. Editorial comment: if you’re marketing to Taos visitors, and you’re not in this guide/web site, you should consider it. Just in the last six months, free media editorial efforts have driven approximately 1 billion (that’s with a “b”) reader impressions to the Taos Vacation Guide materials and web site. With this activity, plus the Taos Summer of Love celebration, monthly visits to the TVG web site have doubled – averaging 20,000-plus a month.

A few new ideas that have been collectively suggested for inclusion in the upcoming 2010 Taos Vacation Guide and website:

Transportation info – glam’ing the New Mexico Rail Runner connection, and other new forms of transportation in our area such as the Taos Express Shuttle

Art workshops and Classes (in all their forms – visual art, performing art, cooking classes, rock climbing, music, etc.)

Festivals:

Things-to-do for kids on vacation here

Web marketing within the social network structures (Twitter, Facebook, etc. Griffin is already doing this with great success).

The TVG program is predominantly focused on causing travelers to make the decision to visit Taos based on gorgeous images and copy focused on our key messages, travel options/information, annually scheduled events, wonderful lodging, workshop/class offerings, the spectrum of unique offerings and activities, the atmosphere, etc. We work hand-in-glove with the Association, not only with regard to content in the Guide, on the web site, and in co-op advertising/sweepstakes, but in relation to sharing the mail-out costs/postage responsibilities for the guide (the Town paid approx $18,000 this fiscal year, plus staff time). The Association’s annual marketing budget, based on grants and advertising revenues, is in the neighborhood of $150,000 to $180,000.

3)State of New Mexico Tourism Department, Region 5 Marketing, and New Mexico Magazine: Steve Slick/La Fonda is also the Taos area representative on the State of New Mexico Tourism Department’s Region 5 Marketing Team – a committee that has a budget composed of funds from the state in addition to regional-players’ contributions. Region 5 includes not only Taos, but Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Taos Ski Valley/the Enchanted Circle, Abiquiu, and Chama. Region 5 retains its own advertising and public relations consultants. Email Steve for more information about the Region 5 marketing plans for 2009-10 (including some cool Isotopes game promotions). Obviously the State of New Mexico Tourism Department itself, its tourism web site, the New Mexico Vacation print guide, New Mexico Magazine(yes, it’s published/owned by the State), and its current public relations firm, Ballentine’s, are also successful elements/partners in the Taos area direct marketing mix. If you would like specific connection information for ‘players’ at the state level for tourism, email one of us for added details.

4)Taos Pueblo: Richard Archuleta and Marcie Winters, tourism@taospueblo.com, are instrumental in leading the tourism effort from Taos Pueblo, the only United Nations Living World Heritage Site in the U.S. and among the top destination-drivers for Taos. They are also effective and critical partners in the overall Taos tourism effort, contributing much to all our activities.

5) The Taos Gallery Association: Co-Chaired this year by gallery owners Jennifer Howell, Jennife and Rob Nightingale. This is another key element to the Town’s marketing regarding our ‘Original Art Colony’ status, and art related marketing/free media content as well as co-op advertising partnerships. The TGA is an independent association, and they raise funds each year for advertising. Jan Mellor, thetaosgallery@taosnet.com, is usually ‘point’ on the TGA’s marketing activities.

6)The Taos News: Once visitors get themselves into New Mexico, the large-sized Taos Visitor Guide (Summer and Winter editions), published by the Taos News, is an invaluable guide, along with the calendar/TEMPO section of the newspaper, particularly for current activity/event information. The Taos News also publishes a variety of other special sections that are also visitor oriented including the Wedding Guide, Dining Guide, Real Estate Guide – and this year, the Taos Summer of Love Guide. These guides are underwritten by advertising revenues. Chris Baker, publisher.

The Taos Visitor Summer and Winter Guides are distributed across the counter at the Town of Taos Visitor Center – not only for its hefty themed trip content, but also for its clear map(s) which include designated free parking, bathrooms, etc. This guide is also inserted in the Taos News’ editions, plus it is used by Griffin selectively for distribution to media, at travel shows, and is distributed, along with the Lodgers’ Vacation Guide at all State of New Mexico Visitor Centers. Chris Baker, the publisher, works with the Town, and many others in the area, to produce a product that is valuable for visitors particularly with regard to ‘on-the-ground what-to-do’ content -- where to go, photograph, eat, play, spa, shop, etc. The guide’s content is also on the Taos News’ web sit – the site and newspaper being essential elements to the overall Taos tourism picture since travelers wanting to know “what do I do this week?” go to the newspaper/web site and its TEMPO section/calendar for current event information. All Taos News guides are distributed and mailed directly by the newspaper (they pay for this) and requests for this guide that come to the Taos Visitor Center staff are referred to them for action.

7)The Taos County Chamber of Commerce, Steve Fuhlendorf, Executive Director. The Chamber is now located on Kit Carson in the Town’s Historic District, and it continues to distribute information/literature to visitors at that location and be helpful in responding to inquiries. For many, calling the local Chamber of Commerce for this type of information is a travel tradition – and the Chamber’s staff has valuable input into Taos’ marketing efforts. It also continues to have visitor information on the Chamber’s web sit but for over a year funding has not allowed for this site to be substantively updated. During the last year for the Chamber core business membership/services have been their focus, including public affairs and business advocacy issues – not out-of-the-area marketing. Moving forward this may change as the Chamber successfully completes its reorganization and turns to focus energy into one of its Economic Development sub-committees that is being designed for Taos sports and recreation-related marketing. The Chamber, along with the Taos Center for the Arts (TCA) is also working with Town of Taos Community Economic Development Director Matthew Spriggs, on establishing the new Arts & Cultural District in the Town of Taos through the State.

8) Taos Ski Valley: Taos Ski Valley Inc., www.skitaos.org, has in the past elected to use the Taos County Lodgers Association’s Taos Vacation Guide as its marketing fulfillment piece for many of its out of the area ski/snowboard shows. It obviously also produces its own added materials/web site, has its own expert in-house marketing/public relations team, marketing budget, and marketing consultants. Adrianna Blake is a primary contact for Taos Ski Valley Inc,’s marketing/public relations. In addition, the Taos Ski Valley Chamber and its municipal Village Council do all they can to partner and help market the region. Allyson Hyder, Executive Director, Taos Ski Valley Chamber of Commerce, can be contacted for further information.

9) Enchanted Circle Marketing Group: This group has made great strides this past year in increasing their budget, co-op partnering, and organizing effectively for the region’s marketing (see their web site that’s just been redone, www.enchantedcircle.org). Rebecca Latham, Red River, meetings@redriver.org, leads this group, comprised of all marketing municipalities/areas along the Enchanted Circle drive:

TAOS: Visitor Center / Chamber
TAOS SKI VALLEY: Village / Chamber
ANGEL FIRE: Village / Chamber
RED RIVER: Visitor Center / Chamber
EAGLE NEST: Village / Chamber
QUESTA: Village / Chamber

Obviously each of the above noted entities is also marketing individually – everyone with different budget levels, staff, priorities and capabilities, but with united objectives for the Northern New Mexico area.

10) Individual and Important Marketers Around Taos: The Taos Tourism Council is a group forming to assist tourism efforts in the area with co-op advertising partnerships, organization of sweepstakes (very effective for capturing and educating new travelers for Taos) and to provide a lean, mean group of area marketers to collectively take advantage of ideas, fast-moving opportunities, etc. Jamie Tedesco, marketing director, The Taos Inn, is its leader. Wendi Gelfound, a consultant who works with Ojo Caliente as its marketing director, is also a Taos Tourism member. There is no fee for membership in this group. Both Jamie and Wendi are active partners for Taos marketing opportunities/co-ops.

Other entities that have “official marketing budgets” and are active on the marketing front with regard to Town involvement include, but are not limited to: El Monte Sagrado Living Resort & Spa, Taos Association of Bed & Breakfast Inns. Taos Mountain Casino, Ross Anderson, The Museum Association of Taos/its individual member museums – University of New Mexico Harwood Museum of Art, Millicent Rogers Museum, Taos Art Museum.

Taos Historic Museums, Morris Witten, programs@taoshistoricmuseums.org.Kit Carson Museum, director.

DMC, four radio stations, Gerry Katz and Jo Jo Valdez.

Sipapu Resort, Stacey Glaser

KTAO, Fusion Marketing/Five Magazine

Cumbres & Toltec Historic Railroad, Gayle Martinez

There are also individuals/groups such as the developers of the nationally syndicated radio program Art of the Song who do much for Taos, individual photographers such as Paula Valentine, paulavalentinephotography@gmail.com, and Geraint Smith, who contribute extensively with their exquisite works, the river rafting association in New Mexico, llama trekking companies, fly fishing companies/associations, the new Taos Sports Alliance, the new Art & Architecture group that is forming in Taos – all contribute as they can to our overall, positive marketing and are in different stages of development/budget development.

If you’re interested in a specific type of connection, sweepstakes participation, co-op ad opportunities, or want to pitch inclusion in an upcoming monthly e-magazine blast to over 1.3 million recipients, let this office know and we’ll put you in touch with a representative/entity that may be helpful to your marketing efforts.

I apologize if others have been left off this partial list – but let me know what you’re up to, and that you want to be more active in the Town of Taos related public relations and marketing efforts, and we’ll add you to this roster! We’ll do an update as new information comes in. Thanks everyone out there for all you do to help share information about Taos and all the wonderful things we offer to those who live here – and those who visit.

KCEC Note

Within the last few months Kit Carson Electric (KCEC) has experienced a few problems which have caused issues with consumers’ bills. At this time we would like to address these issues month by month to explain some of the problems which have been encountered at KCEC.

In December, as the meter change process began in the areas of Cuchilla Road, north Cordillera Road, West Romero Road, Las Cordovas area, Blue Berry Hill road, Arroyo Seco, Seco-Hondo Middle Road and Upper and Lower Ranchitos, KCEC discovered problems with the Contractor hired to replace these meters in the area. These problems specifically were in the meter reading equipment and the meter change out in the area was short approximately 700 meters. Due to the software problems and the meters which were not changed out , consumers in this area received a minimum or small electric usage bill.

In January, KCEC had a communication repeater which failed in the Llano Quemado area. The failure of this equipment caused KCEC to have manual meter readings in the Llano Quemado, Cuchilla Road, Cordillera Road, West Romero Road and Los Cordovas area. There may have been meters which were not read in the area for this billing period and it caused some consumers to receive a minimum bill.

In February the billing equipment at the KCEC main office failed due to a computer virus.
The technical support team was able to generate billing for parts of the KCEC service area but unfortunately KCEC was unable to get the billing out for the entire service area. The strongest area affected was the Cycle two area where 400 of the 5,000 bills processed were not sent out. When KCEC became aware of the problem, the consumers in the area were contacted, but we may not have reached all the consumers affected by this problem.

In March, another equipment failure caused billing problems in the Arroyo Hondo, Valdez, San Cristobal, La Lama and Questa to Wild Cats Den areas. The equipment which is used to communicate the meter readings to the KCEC billing department needed to be replaced which caused a delay in billing. Most consumers in the affected area would have seen a billing period of 45 days, where usually a billing cycle is 30 days. This affected approximately 600 consumers in area.

KCEC is working through all the problems encountered above. We apologize for any inconvenience we may have caused our customers. We welcome and encourage any customer to call the Customer Service Dept. 758-2258 at KCEC for assistance. KCEC will also re-read your meter and explain the billing.

Many members of the greater Taos community have inquired about ‘how the marketing works today’ for the Town of Taos given the shift of players’ roles two years ago. Not all the various players and/or elements are listed here – but many primary efforts are outlined to make your life easier when it comes to ‘figuring it out’ and connecting in a manner that benefits you and your effort.