Transcript Marketing Theater & Staged Performances

Marketing Theater &
Staged Performances
Chapter 11
Touring Productions
• Revenue-generator for low-profit shows
• Selling off - secure dates with local
promoters
• Four walling - rent theater and produce
independently
• Presenters who bring in road shows pay
high upfront fees to original producer
Promoting stage
performances
• Advertising - logo recognition
– Review ads
– Quote ads
• Promotion - pre-opening publicity
• Direct mail - subscriber list, zip codes
Avenue Q
Promotion plan
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Press
Group sales
Subscription or sponsor campaign
On-sale period
Promotions with sponsors, opening night
galas
• Advertising with sustained media schedule
Presents deals
Media companies align themselves with
chosen theatrical productions in:
• Broadcast or Internet contests
• Run of show tickets for radio contests
• Media logo ID on playbill
Publicity tricks
• Media events with local auditions and
local casting
• Contests and giveaways on cereal
boxes
• Trivia contests to generate entries and
awareness
• TV promotions
• National auditions on live TV
Audience development
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Internet pricing
Student subscriptions
Pay-what-you-can pricing
Rush seating
Lottery seating in front rows
Mini-subscriptions & speical packaging
Database marketing
House and external lists are used to:
• Identify loyal patrons
• Develop new audiences
• Delivery promotional messages
• Develop new programs from audience
preferences
Licensing theater
• Generate extra revenue
• Wicked as a cultural phenomenon
– Music CD
– Movie version
– Coffee-table book
– Product tie-ins
Audience economics
Gross participation
playwright
lead performer
director
theater manager
Profit participation
playwright
director
lead performer
other performers, mgr
producer
investors
Marketing
ballet & modern dance
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Educational outreach
Three major ballet companies in US
Four major opera companies in US
Metropolitan opera took advertising to
the streets and subways using
non-traditional venues and promotions
Dead Man Walking:
The Opera
Classical music
Innovation being used to offset declining
audiences:
• CD generation
• Educational tie-ins
• Thematic crossovers
• Outdoor venues
• Visual stimulation
Music business promotion
Personnel
• Promoter - books acts
• Artist’s personal manager - selects tours
• Agent - works with manager on tour route
planning
• Road manager - handles tour details
On-sale phase - print ads, radio, merchandise
give-aways, retail exposure, joint promotions
Music Business
Band & artist promotion
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National radio
Tip sheets, trade papers
Internet downloads
Blogs
File sharing
Performance planning
Message development
Music Blogs
Public relations
Event marketing
Detailed planning yields high visibility as:
– corporate id
– client entertainment
– brand awareness
– media coverage
Communications Strategy
Buyer readiness levels
• Awareness
• Knowledge
• Liking
• Preference
• Conviction
• Purchase
AIDA model
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Attention - grab audience with visuals
Interest - draw them in with good copy
Desire - create desire with promotions
Action - ask for the order; establish time
limit
Internet, editorial, reviews
• Web sites with seating, ticket purchase,
podcast performance clips
• Detailed press kits to stimulate editorial
from columnists
• Advanced tickets for reviewers
Promotional Balance
Questions
1. Discuss the similarities and differences of
marketing the 5 types of concerts
2. Explain the types of funding appropriate for
marketing and promoting a concert or live
performances by a nonprofit organization.
3. How would you use PR to enhance the
marketing for a circus? What role would the
celebrity clown play, if any?