Dear jacobhayden,
You requested data that suggests a positive return on investment as a
result of interactive marketing programs (websites, e-mail campaigns,
use of multimedia, etc.) You further clarified that you are looking
for both hard data and anecdotal evidence that proves that interactive
programs are a worthwhile investment. Focus should be specifically on
the performing arts.
First, let me request that if any of the following is unclear or if
you require any further research – please don’t hesitate to ask me for
a clarification. Since the Web did not elicit any relevant
information, I conducted a literature search across several
proprietary databases, and the results follow. Since copyright law
prohibits me from just copying and pasting entire articles, I’ve
included the most important quotes below, as well as citations that
will allow you to find the articles at a library or using an
interactive database such as Proquest online. There are a few numbers
in what follows, but unfortunately most of what I have found is either
anecdotal or else it will provide you with some good quotes.
The first article is from the New York Times –
Uncertain Times: Impulse Buyers Replace Ticket Subscribers
New York Times; New York, N.Y.; Oct 16, 2002; Robin Pogrebin;
According to Pogrebin,
“The Boston Symphony Orchestra, with more than 24,000 subscribers, has
begun to sell an increasing number of 6- to 7-concert series, down
from series of 20 to 23 concerts over the last decade. That symphony's
four-year-old Web site, which sells only shorter subscriptions and
single tickets, has been generating about $5 million in annual
revenue. ''Lifestyles have changed,'' said Mark Volpe, managing
director of the orchestra. ''We're rethinking how we package our
subscriptions.'”
The main takeaway here is that the Boston Symphony Orchestra is
managing to deliver $5 million in annual revenue.
More generically, she writes, “In classical music, more seats are
being sold overall -- 32 million attended the symphony nationwide last
season, up from 27 million a decade ago -- but for shorter series and
on shorter notice, often through the ***Internet***.”
The next article is –
Peeking into cyberspace: A non-luddite manifesto
Performing Arts & Entertainment in Canada; Toronto; Summer 2000; Leon
Kaplan;
Kaplan, writing in Performing Arts & Entertainment in Canada, says
“performing arts on the Internet could be the only hope of bringing
the masses to spectacles,” and that “performing arts on the Net could
be our only hope for bringing the masses to spectacles.”
Some ideas from Kaplan – “New possibilities could engage audiences,
without sacrificing the dramatic power of classic texts. Actors' and
dancers' presentations could bring some form of interaction: a
viewer-controlled remote camera; viewer-controlled musical repertoire;
viewer reactions somehow noticed by performers... all I can do at this
point is to speculate, but the technology is around the corner.”
And also -
“Let's take a look at how the Internet is shaping our audience habits.
The "webcam" phenomenon is increasingly attracting huge audiences.
Real-life netcastings like CDlaunches are becoming the norm.”
Sarah Hall, writing in the Guardian, describes how in London these
kind of interactive Web antics are already in motion –
Net initiative to spy on culture's best
The Guardian; Manchester (UK); Jan 18, 2001; Sarah Hall Political
correspondent;
“Royal Shakespeare Company actors could be spied upon in rehearsals,
and members of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra overheard as
they tune up, as part of a multimillion-pound plan to place the
nation's arts on the web.”
As an aide to Britain’s Culture Secretary, Chris Smith, put it – “"The
key is interaction.” (Is that a perfect quote for you, or what?!) The
Ministry is channeling 150 million pounds (!!!) into the effort
through mid-2003.
And another article, this one from the Chicago Tribune –
Branding helps lure audiences
Chicago Tribune; Chicago, Ill.; Sep 15, 2002; Judy Hevrdejs, Tribune
staff reporter;
Judy writes, “These days, performing arts groups of all types --
musical, dance, theatrical -- are focusing on establishing their
"brand" not only to get people into their auditoriums but to help
capture the diversity of their programs and grow audiences, all while
retaining their artistic vision.” She adds, “How that "brand" is
presented to the consumer visually -- on posters, brochures that land
in your mailbox, in newspaper advertisements and on the Web -- is a
challenge.”
The Washington Post wrote about the Sondheim Spiral in February 2002 –
The Sondheim Spiral
The Washington Post; Washington, D.C.; Feb 15, 2002;
Per the Washington Post, “The Sondheim festival is an unusual enough
project to make the record-breaking sales comprehensible: From the
time the center announced last March that it would mount six [Stephen
Sondheim] productions in repertory, making it possible to see several
of the shows together in a single weekend D.C. visit, there's been
excited attention in venues (such as Sondheim fan *** Web sites ***)
that ordinarily don't pay much attention to the District.”
Nicole Christian wrote about New York’s Waterfront Museum and Showboat
in the New York Times –
Marine Borers Are Eating a Floating Museum Off Brooklyn
New York Times; New York, N.Y.; Jan 22, 2002; Nichole M. Christian;
The museum has managed a handsome return on a very modest investment
in its Web site – “So far, the museum has raised more than $60,000,
through the modest fees it collects renting the barge out for events,
through a series of grants and a campaign on its Web site,
www.waterfrontmuseum.org.”
An older article from the New York Times touts the popularity of Web
directories in the performing arts space –
Surfing to Soothe a Savage Breast
New York Times; New York; May 31, 1999; Jane L. Levere;
Guier writes about the success Broadway shows have been having with
the Web in “Amusement Business” –
Title: Broadway Shows.
Source: Amusement Business, 06/04/2001, Vol. 113 Issue 22, p19, 2p
Author(s): Guier, Cindy Stooksbury
“More theatergoers are purchasing tickets online, Svendsen said.
"About a year ago, one of the popular shows that sold via the Internet
was selling about 40% of their tickets online, and now people are
selling about 60% of their tickets online," she said.
“Further, “Many shows have their own Web site, and some are quite
elaborate. A few show sites include www.cabarettour.com ("Cabaret"),
www.dameednaontour.com ("Dame Edna: The Royal Tour"),
www.siteforrent.com ("Rent"), www.thephantomoftheopera.com ("Phantom
of the Opera") and www.seussical.com ("Seussical"). More can be found
at the LATP's Web site, www.broadway.org.”
And here is an excellent article from the March 2001 issue of Variety
–
Title: B'WAY GOES ONLINE AND BOOTS UP BIZ.
Source: Variety, 03/12/2001, Vol. 382 Issue 4, p49, 4/5p, 2c
Author(s): Graser, Marc
Seussical, not a huge success as a play, was a huge interactive
marketing success.
‘"The Web has always been an afterthought," says David Risley,
director and exec VP of Tarantula Entertainment, a 15-person Internet
design outfit in New York's SoHo that launched the sites for
"Seussical" and "Producers." "Everybody always had the impression that
you throw up a brochure -- a logo, ticket link, and history of the
show. But the sites didn't do anything. When 'Seussical' launched, we
did something that had never been done before," opting to include
music, flashy graphics and point-and-click interaction with material.’
I hope this response adequately addresses your request. Please let me
know if you are in need of additional information concerning this
query.
Thanks,
ragingacademic
Search Strategy:
“performing arts” and marketing and Internet
“performing arts” and marketing and Web
opera and theatre and ballet and marketing and Internet
opera and theatre and ballet and marketing and Web
“performing arts” and Internet
“performing arts” and Web
Databases used:
Proquest
EbscoHost
Infotrac |
