Business Communication and Character

Like last year, Miami Beach is trying humor to avoid the deluge of college students during spring break. Students will have fun analyzing this one. If they traveled, what was their decision process for spring break? Does the Miami Beach humor work for them? Did it affect their decision?

The video is a parody of a break-up, with a few characters explaining, “We just want different things.” It’s a cute concept: The actors (presumably representing Miami Beach residents) prefer quiet and relaxation, while the partner wants “to get drunk in public and ignore the laws.” This is the city’s way of warning people to expect curfews, extra security, restricted beach access, and parking fees. The message seems clear, although the headlines in the middle go quickly.

In addition to the plans mentioned in the video, the Miami Beach website lists far more restrictions, including fines for short-term Airbnb rentals and extensive traffic deterrents.

A few interesting projects emerge from this situation. I’m curious why fewer students went to Miami Beach, which seems to be the case. Were they concerned about the restrictions, or could they not get a place to stay? Students could assess Airbnb hosts’ response to the campaign.

Students also could identify measures to evaluate whether the campaign is working. In this CBS report, two aerial shots of the beach compare this year and last, but students might question whether the videos were taken on the same day of the week, at same time of day, and with the same weather conditions. Business owners say sales are significantly down, but how do we know whether this is a common experience or the experience of only the two interviewed? Students should be able to find more data to assess whether the campaign achieved its goal.

If the campaign was successful in Miami, the impact on the rest of Florida might be negative. Spring breakers in Ft. Lauderdale have caused the city to increase security. Perhaps students should consider this and other negative consequences, in addition to the business impact, to advise Miami on future campaigns.

(Thanks to Bambi Van Horn at University of Nebraska at Kearney for sending this example—and last year’s.)