Class Handouts
Class Notes May 12, 1998
Broadway University™
PRODUCING COMMERCIAL THEATER
Class Notes Volume No. 1 May 12, 1998 Class No. 12
Notes taken by Amy Baldwin
Thanks Amy!
This is our last class. Our guest speaker is Nancy Coyne of Serino Coyne Advertising. She has been the creative force behind advertising for Broadway theater for 24 years. The posters, commercials and ads for most Broadway shows come from this agency. This is the 20 anniversary for Serino Coyne.
Nancy has been teaching a course in marketing at the graduate drama school program at Yale. The goal for these students is to run theater across the country. Her goal is to develop clients who understand her point of view. This forum allows her to speak about shows she's working on and the ideal theory behind the advertising without interference from the client.
A presentation is the only way to show how it can be done in an ideal world. The end result is never what you would want it to be.
Now we will see a reel of commercials from this agency over the last 20 years: It includes: Dreamgirls, My One and Only, Phantom, Big Deal (Fosse), Miss Saigon, Sound of Music, Will Rogers Follies, How to Succeed, Grand Hotel, Cats, Sunset Boulevard, Lily Tomlin, Jekyl & Hyde, A Chorus Line, Evita, 42nd Street, Noise/Funk.
Would talking about your first Broadway show incline you to bring your own child to see a show? The current movement is to appeal to an "adult audience". You need to find a group for whom the product is perfect. They will then go out and sell it for you. Again-word of mouth.
People in the market will be attracted by a commercial. It's a big job and there's rarely enough money. Carefully pick a target/strategy and a way of looking at a product. Pick you market-who will really love the show. Find what makes it different and makes them different from everyone else - Uniqueness Be specific about the show itself. The target audience will respond. They use different artists and create a different "look" for each show - find what works for that product. Q: What about radio commercials? You will get tired of it before the audience does. They won't notice that it has been around forever. Be selective about airtime to target a specific market. Each show is different - you don't have to do what has worked before for the next one.
Focus groups have determined that the public knows the ticket prices are too high, but almost always think it is worth it AFTER having seen a show. There is no risk factor for the tried and true (Phantom, Cats, etc.). Many people go back over and over. We try to get them to take a risk and see something new. Disney is another reassurance factor, which helps to sell their shows.
Theater is not a habit for kids these days. Parents feel guilty enough about other lifestyle issues to bring their kids to get them away from TV, computers, etc. Those forums do not have the imagination factor that is required by the theater. Parents are happier when taking their kids to the theater than any other entertainment. It sparks their creativity.
Tuesday-Thursday - problem nights. These are nights when it is hard for people to get to the theater. The 25-35 age bracket is working too hard, for families it is a school night. Wednesday matinees are out of date; not geared for modern schedules. We need performance times that are geared to times people can and want to go. See the Madison Square Garden and Radio City shows. They have extra 11:00 am shows on weekends, and parents love to bring the kids. If this issue could be agreed upon by the theater owners, producers, the unions would come around to seeing the sense in it.
The price issue would be much less if there were times available that are workable. The audience remembers the distinctive things. What they remember from commercials are the distinctive struggles inherent in the show.
Q: Is it possible to do a commercial for a play? It is hard for a straight play. It is not usually cost effective. You need a budget in excess of $50,000/week for advertising. You need at least a 30-second spot to tell a story.
Q: What about testimonial commercials? You don't pay actors, although real people must also be paid if they are used. They are not considered effective any more, but can clear up any misconceptions about a show. They can erode misunderstandings.
Radio is very cost effective. You reach a very specific, targeted audience. It is an interactive medium. You are forced to imagine so it allows you to make the show your own.
Nancy: I don't believe in making ads based on focus groups. I test ads on groups after they are created. Beauty and the Beast is an example. People now want to take the kids, so it is not considered a "date" show.
Direct mail has become very important. It is a way to discount that audiences are familiar with. Increasingly effective for straight plays. You can get the lists from other plays that they have already seen. Responses are 17-21%. Get a small enough target, hit the hard. Exclusivity intrigues them.
You have to have a strategy. Think of this as war. Start with the serious theater-goers and work your way down the chain. How do we come up with the best strategy along with an ad agency? As a producer, ask for a strategy, not a poster or ad copy. Ask who, when, how, tone and approach. We are all in it together. The key is to keep a show running. Share ideas, describe the show, bring input, your vision. Tell who is coming to the show and their response. Help the ad agents sell the show. Q: What do you do when the client doesn't like the ad? They win. Sometimes I fight for it, but they are paying for it, so it is ultimately up to them.
Q: How do you counteract a glut of similar shows? You can't plot 3-4 years ahead. I don't think you should worry. Quality will win the audience.
Q: Has the League ever considered a Broadway subscription series? Yes, but there are too many warring factions. They can't all agree.
Q: How do you handle sensitive material? I have refused to run a couple of ads that bash other shows or were in bad taste.
Q: For a show with a $450,000-$500,000 budget, would an extra $250,000 additional for marketing/advertising be recoverable? If it ran six months, with a star in a 399-seat house you could get it back. You need a star above the title to create awareness.
Most shows do not have an adequate budget. More is better. But, you do need to have something to sell. No star or familiar title, you are dependent on good reviews. It can be a waste to spend the money if there is no advance buzz. You can overcome bad reviews. The critics are not a sample of the American public. Word of mouth can overcome negative reviews.
There are no rules of thumb. Each case is different.
Opening night try to get a "flurry of publicity" by getting all of the critics to come and get reviewed on the same day. Multiple impressions bring the show to mind.
Q: Have you ever been stumped: I think of the problem as a house. Most people try to go in through the front door. Sometimes you need to get in from different angles. Windows, back door, underneath. We use brainstorming to come up with new ideas.
We are out of time. This has been our last class of the session, thanks to Nancy Coyne for a very interesting and informative couple of hours. Any questions for Bruce can be addressed to Broadway University or call at 212-869-2222.
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