Subject:
Title
Marketing Sponsorship Agreement with St. Petersburg Clearwater Film Society Inc. for the 19th Annual Sunscreen Film Festival.
label
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval and execution by the County Administrator of the Marketing Sponsorship Agreement with St. Petersburg Clearwater Film Society Inc. for the 19th Annual Sunscreen Film Festival (Sunscreen).
• Agreement for $50,000.00 supports the 19th Annual Sunscreen Film Festival scheduled for April 25-28, 2024.
• The Film Commission has been a Headline Marketing Sponsor of the festival since 2015.
• Filmmakers attending Sunscreen between 2008 - 2023 have impacted the County with over $4 million in direct expenditures and over $20 million in economic impact from productions filmed in the area.
• The County’s advertising agency of record estimated the media value of this sponsorship at $51,948.00.
Body
Strategic Plan:
Foster Continual Economic Growth and Vitality
4.6 Support a vibrant community with recreation, arts, and culture to attract residents and visitors
Summary:
This Marketing Sponsorship Agreement will provide the opportunity for the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Film Commission (Film Commission) to be the Headline Marketing Sponsor of Sunscreen, an internationally recognized film festival. In exchange, the CVB will receive tourism promotion benefits including media coverage, brand exposure, naming rights, and more, as detailed in Exhibit A of the Agreement. Sunscreen is scheduled to take place on April 25-28, 2024, in downtown St. Petersburg.
Background/Explanation:
The Film Commission is a department of the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) that is tasked with promoting the County as a filmmaking destination. The production of commercials, film, TV programs and other media contributes to the County’s economy through dollars spent in hotels, local crew wages, retail purchases, and equipment rentals. These activities also generate publicity and public relations for the destination. Attendance at film festivals is one approach the Film Commission uses to increase brand exposure and take advantage of networking opportunities with filmmakers, producers, distribution companies, agents, and production companies.
The CVB has been the Headline Marketing Sponsor of Sunscreen for the past 9 years. In exchange for this sponsorship, the CVB will receive tourism promotion benefits including media coverage, brand exposure, naming rights, and more, as detailed in Exhibit A of the Agreement.
As a direct result of filmmakers attending Sunscreen between 2008 - 2023, the area has seen 15 feature films, 3 web series and numerous short films, all filmed within the County. These productions resulted in direct expenditures of over $4 million and an economic impact of over $20 million to the County.
The County’s advertising agency of record estimated the media value of this sponsorship at $51,948.00.
The City of St. Petersburg is providing $13,850.00 in support of Sunscreen through the Arts & Culture Grant Program. Additionally, the State of Florida is providing $16,384.00 through the Division of Arts & Culture Grant Program.
Fiscal Impact:
Total Expenditure: $50,000.00
Funding to support the Marketing Sponsorship Agreement in the amount of $50,000.00 is provided through the CVB’s Annual Operating Budget. The source of funding is the Tourist Development Tax Fund.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the County Administrator to sign this Marketing Sponsorship Agreement is granted under Code Section 2-62 (a)(1).
Staff Member Responsible:
Brian Lowack, Director, Convention and Visitors Bureau
Partners:
Tourist Development Council
Attachments:
Marketing Sponsorship Agreement
Economic Impact from Films