Initial Marketing Survey Completed

UMass Dartmouth students presented their report to Supt. Jen Nersesian, Commissioner Brian Rothschild and SEMA director Mary Anne McQuillan at a recent Student-Client Reception

The Schooner Ernestina Commission and the Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey Association, Inc. commissioned the University of Massachusetts- Dartmouth Charlton College of Business Center for Marketing Research to conduct a marketing survey this fall.  The document will be used in the planning for Ernestina’s future operations and programming.

We thank Dr. Nora Garmin Barnes,  Director of the Center for Marketing Research, for offering this invaluable service to Ernestina’s future.

We congratulate the students, Michelle Carpenter, Melyssa Centeno, Chelsey Doiron, Stephanie Louzada and Chandler York for their excellent report.

The Commission will commission a second project to be conducted during the Spring semester.  This study will analyze the demand for services that Ernestina could provide.  The students will start with a list of potential programs and events that is generated from looking at (1) past uses of Ernestina, (2) how other ships are being employed (i.e. information from last semester’s market research), and (3) other desired or potential future uses — including educational, friend-raising and revenue-generating uses (as well as combinations thereof), from hour-long dockside programs to multi-day sails.  From this they will research and analyze who the target audiences for these uses might be, how likely that audience would be to use Ernestina, and what they would be willing to pay.  With an understanding of the demand and potential return on the various activities Ernestina might undertake, the Commission, SEMA, DCR and the Ernestina community can then use this information to build a suite of programming that will help ensure a sustainable and dynamic future for a restored, sailing Ernestina.

SEMA will support the Commission again by paying 50% of the Center’s fee.