When it gets truly cold in the Windy City, the season is right to market summer camps. Early winter and even late fall are key times to find Chicago families to fill your camps.
Yet that ever-earlier timeframe and tight budgets make it challenging. That’s where the 2024 Top Camps Marketing Campaign can help. It harnesses the audience of Chicagoland’s top parenting resource, Chicago Parent — Zoe Marketing & Communication’s sister company.
Here, we'll explain exactly how this campaign gives a strategic boost, addressing:
- What is Chicago Parent’s Top Camps Marketing Campaign?
- Can my camp join in?
- What tactics does the campaign use?
- What are the deadlines?
- What does it cost?
- Are there extra options?
Here, you’ll discover how this campaign can deliver results for summer camps in Chicagoland. And you can decide if it's a good fit for you — and take your next steps.
1. What is Chicago Parent’s Top Camps Marketing Campaign?
This marketing package promotes Illinois summer camps during the critical months of January-June. At this time, camps actively seek campers — and parents are looking for camps.
It includes proven tactics like targeted emails, social media magazine ads, and inclusion in ChicagoParent.com’s roundup articles and “Camp Guide” webpage and directory map.
Top Camps is an opportunity for camps to reach engaged parents in Chicagoland through a trusted media company with 40 years of experience.
Between Chicago Parent’s dedicated audience and extended regional promotions, this campaign delivers at least 150,000 impressions to engaged local parents.
2. Can my camp join in?
Any camp looking to draw children from Chicago proper and its suburbs is eligible.
Day camps should be within driving distance of the region. Overnight camps may be out of state or country (e.g., Canada). Camps can serve kids of any age, most typically 3-17.
All camps are welcome. Examples include, but aren't limited to:
- Traditional outdoor/nature camps
- Scout camps
- Art/music/theater camps
- Coding/tech camps
- Circus camps
- Horse camps
- Science camps
- Gifted camps
- Special needs camps
- Religiously affiliated camps
3. What tactics does the campaign use?
Top Camps has three package options. Each has 8, 6 or 3 elements, depending on your goals. They roll out at various points as early as January. Here's a closer look at all three.
A. Premium Camp Presence Package
This top-tier plan includes eight elements for maximum exposure.
- Digital camp guide promotion: You’re included in ChicagoParent.com’s “Camp Guide,” a one-stop webpage of camp content for Chicagoans. It’s promoted heavily from February to June 2024 via targeted email, social media, digital ads and more.
- Camp listing: Your camp appears in the “Ultimate Camp Guide” in Chicago Parent’s March/April and May/June print and digital magazines.
- Interactive map inclusion (premium): Your camp appears in an interactive map on ChicagoParent.com’s Camp Guide webpage as a premium listing (click for sample).
- 2 magazine ads (half-page): Your designed half-page ad appears in two of Chicago Parent magazine’s print and digital issues (pick from January/February, March/April and May/June).
- Targeted roundup email: Your listing is included in a roundup email of local camps sent to 50,000 highly aligned subscribers (click for sample).
- Partnership Facebook post: Your camp is included as a linked partner on one of Chicago Parent’s Facebook posts (click for sample).
- Social media Reel: Your Reel, created from your listing, is posted to Chicago Parent’s Facebook and Instagram, targeting an engaged parenting audience (click for sample).
- Targeted display email: Your camp is featured as a designed ad in another email sent to 50,000 subscribers (click for sample).
B. Local Camp Visibility Package
This mid-tier plan includes six elements for broad local visibility. It has a smaller magazine ad, and doesn’t have a Reel or display email.
- Digital camp guide promotion: You’re included in ChicagoParent.com’s “Camp Guide,” a one-stop webpage of camp content for Chicagoans. It’s promoted heavily from February to June 2024 via targeted email, social media, digital ads and more.
- Camp listing: Your camp appears in the “Ultimate Camp Guide” in Chicago Parent’s March/April and May/June print and digital magazines.
- Interactive map inclusion (premium): Your camp appears in an interactive map on ChicagoParent.com’s Camp Guide webpage as a premium listing (click for sample).
- 2 magazine ads (quarter-page): Your designed quarter-page ad appears in two of Chicago Parent magazine’s print and digital issues (pick from January/February, March/April and May/June).
- Targeted roundup email: Your listing is included in a roundup email of local camps sent to 50,000 highly aligned subscribers (click for sample).
- Partnership Facebook post: Your camp is included as a linked partner on one of Chicago Parent’s Facebook posts (click for sample).
C. Local Camp Presence Package
This entry-tier plan includes three elements for solid local exposure. It has a basic camp map listing (vs. premium), no magazine ad, no roundup email, no Facebook partnership post, no Reel and no display email.
- Digital camp guide promotion: You’re included in ChicagoParent.com’s “Camp Guide,” a one-stop webpage of camp content for Chicagoans. It’s promoted heavily from February to June 2024 via targeted email, social media, digital ads and more.
- Camp listing: Your camp appears in the “Ultimate Camp Guide” in Chicago Parent’s March/April and May/June print and digital magazines.
- Interactive map inclusion (basic): Your camp appears in an interactive map on ChicagoParent.com’s Camp Guide webpage as a premium listing (click for sample).
4. What are the deadlines?
The ideal deadline to sign on is Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. This is especially important for the “Premium Camp Presence” and “Local Camp Visibility” plans. For your ads to appear in two magazines, this is the latest deadline for print production.
We can work with camps that might “sign on late.” But keep in mind your best option may be “Local Camp Visibility” — and you may lose out on valuable promotional time.
For listings, you’ll fill out a form. Listings will be live within a week after the form is returned.
5. What does it cost?
The prices for Chicago Parent’s Top Camps Marketing campaign are:
- Premium Camp Presence Package: $4,995
- Local Camp Visibility Package: $2,995
- Local Camp Presence Package: $995
6. Are there extra options?
Yes. We offer add-ons to maximize the potency of your campaign at extra costs, including:
- Programmatic ads: We can serve your digital ads on websites and apps that your prime prospects visit based on their interests and behaviors.
- Search engine marketing (SEM) ads: Your text and/or display ads appear for people in Google search results or on certain websites based on people’s Google searches.
- Targeted display email: Add a second to the “premium” package, or add one to the “local” packages. Additional sends can target people who opened your first email.
- Extra Reels: Retarget interested parents and expand your reach with more 30-second Reels for Facebook and Instagram.
- Sponsored content stories: Add one or more custom-written blogs to any package. These appear on ChicagoParent.com and are promoted on Facebook.
What are my next steps to promote my camp?
Maximizing your marketing dollars to boost camp enrollment is key. In this blog, you discovered how the 2024 Top Camps Marketing Campaign delivers powerful branding to the right audience.
For an investment of $4,995, $2,995 or $995, you can reach metro Detroit parents during the critical months of January-June.
Ready to explore if Top Camps is right for you? Talk to us here at Chicago Parent/Zoe Marketing & Communications. We'll help customize a plan to drive results for you.
Still researching your options? Discover how to market and promote summer camps to Chicagoans in 2024.
