| |
 |
 |
Wed, January 21, 2009
Over the past quarter, we ran a survey online that aimed to dive deeper into theatergoers’ behavior and preferences online. While there is a lot of information we took from the research, I pulled out two specific focuses of the research that I think many of you would find interesting. The first bit of information surrounds social networking and usage by website and age group. In short, is it just younger audiences connecting through social networks and which social network do they actually prefer – MySpace or Facebook? The second bit of information is on text messaging usage by age group. The real issue we were trying to understand here was do older audiences feel comfortable text messaging.
Before I share the data, here are a few important points about the survey. We had a little over 1,250 surveys completed in full. We offered no incentive for those to complete it and it ran across a variety of Broadway show websites along with email lists to past ticket buyers. The surveys were completed in October through December of 2008.
Onward with the information…
Social Networking Usage of Theatergoers
The first bit of research I wanted to share was some information we learned on the social networking front. Social networking, particularly Facebook, is a very hot topic right now and will continue to be over the next year. So, we wanted to dive in and see what actual ticket buyers are doing in the social networking space.
When we asked the 1,250 folks, “Are you part of a social networking website such as MySpace or Facebook?”, 45.3% answered “Yes” while 54.7% said “No.” Interesting, huh? Well, let’s make it a lot more interesting by looking at the age breakdown by usage.
Social Networking Usage by Age
18-24 years old (95.3%)
25-34 years old (71.1%)
35-44 years old (48%)
45-54 years old (30.5%)
55-64 years old (21%)
So, before I continue, let’s keep in mind that these percentages are most likely higher than the ‘average person’ because these people are completing the survey online (meaning they are more online savvy to begin with). With that being said, these numbers pretty much paint a direct correlation by age and usage of social networks. No major surprise to me here – but, the big question you must ask yourself is if the usage percents are high enough to justify you using investing in participating in the social nets in a way that justifies the expense. When I say expense, I mean the time, commitment and actual costs that are required to have a meaningful presence.
Finally, one more bit of research that I think you’ll find interesting on this topic. When asked which social network that they used, a whopping 83.4% said Facebook with MySpace coming in a far second at 37.6%. There was nothing even close after that and we listed at least another ten so-called popular social networking platforms.
Beware of the hype surrounding social networking – it’s the Wild West right now as there are a lot of false promises and, quite frankly, ‘scare tactics’ that your brand needs to be on Facebook. The reality is, your marketing plan and goals will determine that – not hype. Know “the what” you are getting into first and fully understand “the why” before jumping in – I’ve seen it backfire in a bad way if you don’t.
Text Messaging Usage of Theatergoers
You know my stance on mobile marketing, so I couldn’t possibly offer up some research that didn’t include data on mobile marketing. When asked, “Other than making phone calls, which of the following do you use your cell phone for?” take a look at the % of respondents by age that say they use their phone for text messaging.
Text Messaging Usage By Age
18-24 years old (92.3%)
25-34 years old (84.9%)
35-44 years old (81.3%)
45-54 years old (69.5%)
55-64 years old (52.4%)
So, it’s not just kids text messaging. The bigger question here is which mobile marketing concept/application makes the most sense for which age group. I have my hunches here based on campaign performance we’ve been seeing as of late, but want to do more research to try and support those hunches.
I hope you found this helpful. There was a lot of other interesting information we have from the survey which we will be talking about in client meetings over the coming weeks. We will have (what I think will be) even more interesting data to share next quarter as we expand our research efforts. If there are specific issues or research you would like to see from us, please don’t hesitate to send me a note. Your feedback is helpful.
Sun, August 31, 2008
Quick reminder - if you are a show selling your tickets through Telecharge, make sure you are participating in the College Tix program. As of right now, NYU, Columbia and Baruch students are participating in the program - there is no cost to participate, you simply need to offer a price point somewhere around $25 - $35 per ticket which are sold like a regular discount code. There are numerous safe guards in place to help prevent the code from being used by anyone other than students and, to date, the program has already sold over 2,000 tickets for Broadway. So, if you're not on it - now is the time as there will be a lot of on-campus advertising that the early bird participators will benefit from most.
Wed, July 30, 2008
All Broadway and off-Broadway shows that sell their tickets through Telecharge have a big opportunity this fall – to sell tickets to students (for free!). As many of you know, over the past year we have been working very closely with the Shuberts and Columbia University (particularly Gregory Mosher and Caralyn Spector) on creating a turn-key program that effectively speaks to college students in the NYC area. While the initial beta test over the Spring/Summer drove over 2,000 tickets to Columbia University students, we are expecting a large rise in ticket sales this coming September. The main reason for that projected surge is due to the fact that we have added NYU and Baruch College to the program with many more schools in the process of signing up for the program. That brings our current reach to students between Columbia, NYU and Baruch to over 150,000+ students in the NYC area with the potential to be much higher as new schools join.
The program is simple and, most importantly, secure. There are built in safe guards to make sure the tickets are ending up in the hands of students – not their parents! If you have any questions, we can help assist you get involved in the program or you can simply reach out to your Telecharge.com representative.
I’m both amazed and thankful for the cooperation and goodwill that has been offered by all parties involved in putting this program together. Nobody’s getting rich off of selling student tickets and it’s a time consuming process to make it effective. Columbia University brought a vision, a commitment and a student body to launch the program… Telecharge.com brought the technology and helped make the fees affordable for students… and Broadway shows have really stepped up to offer tickets for this program that is ultimately going to build future audiences for theatre. And, not to be forgotten, Jenn Elston in our office continues to do an amazing job keeping the shows aware of advancements in the program through what probably feels like ‘herding cats’ (John L classic line).
We all feel really confident that we can see significant rise in ticket sales this September. Fingers crossed AND don't forget to set up the appropriate price key ASAP to make sure you are in the program.
Sat, November 17, 2007
I came across this article written by Carol Setter which brings light to an audience I find very interesting, and one that doesn’t get much attention in the advertising space – the Shadow Millenial. According to Setter, “Shadow Millenials are non-college bound individuals, especially those in the first two years after high school graduation. They make up a significant percent of this age group. Of high school students graduating in 2005, 41.8 percent did not enter college. This represents nearly 1.7 million 18 and 19 year olds who are prime candidates for brand marketing. The Shadow Millennials have been exposed to the same school conditions as college-bound students -- using the internet for entertainment and information. But they are now independent wage earners and decision makers with access to more personal money for products and services. They are sophisticated buyers, handling money independently.”
For entertainment marketers focusing on tapping a younger demographic, you will certainly find this read an interesting one.
Read On
Mon, May 07, 2007
If you are actively seeking to target the Hispanic community, you should certainly consider testing the social networking space. The following article from the Washington Post dives into the topic into some good detail.
One quote worth noting: “About 56 percent of Hispanics in the United States use the Internet, compared with 71 percent of non-Hispanic whites and 60 percent of non-Hispanic blacks, according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project. But the number of Hispanics online jumps to 67 percent among 18- to 27-year-olds _ the group most likely to visit social-networking sites and one coveted by advertisers.”
Click here to read the full story.
1
|
 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
Signup 
About 
Archives
