Innovative Marketing for Theatre

This, mate, might be more of a question than an answer.  We've just released a new video for our production of Jerusalem at the Phoenix.  It's both an innovative way to market the show, and a practical tool for helping audiences understand the thick British slang that pervades the play and sets the mood.  We wanted something light, fun, engaging, and informal-- that would get you inside not the world of the play so much as the world of the actors.  With the help of Hurricane Images Inc., heere's what we did:

In comparison to other theatre companies, I'd say Second Wind operates on a shoe string.  We make amazing things happen on almost nothing.  Theatre is, after all, primarily an exercise of imagination.  The audience knows the action is a fiction, but suspend their disbelief to to allow their imaginations to journey on a rollercoaster of emotion and thought.

Over the past two decades, we've let our imagination explore a whole range of innovative, inexpensive marketing adventures.  Guerilla marketing, by another name.  How to get butts in seats tends to be one of those guarded secrets in the theatre world (like marketing budgets).  So let's let the cat out of the bag.

Most of the time it's hard to say whether a marketing technique is effective.  The metrics aren't there for a good evaluation, and there are typically complex variables.  I could talk for a long time about what worked and didn't work about each of these, but instead I'm going to give it a simple "grade" for effectiveness. If you want me to explain why I gave a specific tool a certain grade, leave me a post.

Post Show Discussions. I've included this because it's something you can promote and advertise beyond the show.  We've done a number-- critic from the SF Chronicle for our production of Ghost in the Light about art forgeries; Israeli Consultate/MoveOn.org/Jewish Voice for Peace for our production of Murder; GMO activist Pamm Larry for Lullaby Tree.  The effective score varies, largely based on how controversial the play topic; the more controversial the better. The score is a range:  D-B

Wallet Drop. For A Beautiful Home for the Incurable will bought five used wallets, filled them with the fake I.D. of one of the play characters, and a message informing the "finder" that they had just won a free ticket to the show if they return the wallet.  We dropped five in various locations, one "returned." Score: C+

Played 3 Card Monty at the Tix Booth.  Almost got kicked out of the square on this one, but we set up a 3-Card Monty game in front of the SF Tix Booth for our production of Top Dog/Underdog. The game is played in the show.  Dressed as the character (a black-faced Lincoln) we challenged people waiting in line to play; winner received a free concessions voucher.  Score B-.

Art Contest. For Ghost in the Light we conducted a "forgery" contest at the three major art schools in SF. Winner received tickets to the show, their work displayed in the lobby, and they joined the panel discussion with the SF Chronicle critic.  Score C+

Behind the Scenes Video. We do this constantly.  We photograph rehearsals and put them into video, and  film special activities related to the video.  Wander around this blog and you'll see what I mean.  Score B

Post on Related Forums.  There are forums for everything.  For The Tender King we engaged in conversations on World War II history forums (the play dealt with Truman's decision to drop the bomb).  Score D

Elite Pass. For two of our productions we created an Elite Pass that would give members special privileges:  frree drinks, free returns, half-price youth ticket, and a workshop.  Score (B-)

Dress Up a Car. For several shows I've gotten a big magnet sticker for the side of my car.  Costs about $25.  But for The Woman in Black I went all out.  The sticker featured a hand coming out of a grave; a severed hand appeared in the window as a continuation.  It was October, and the show is a ghost story.  Got some looks.  Score C+

For comparison, I'll give my scores on some traditional marketing tools: Twitter (C-), Facebook (B), Youtube (B), Google Adwords (C-), Facebook ads (C), Posters (C+)

You'll notice nothing scored higher than a "B". That's because none of them beat word of mouth, building an audience base, email, and postcards.  Part of the "genius" of the Jerusalem video is that its designed to get the cast and crew-- who are a part of that word-of-mouth system-- excited about the show.  And it can be "re-used" on multiple platforms.

But these are just some of the things we've done around untraditional marketing.  What have you done?  Share an idea.  Join the conversation.