By: Meghan Caprez and Rachael Denny
If we’ve learned anything throughout the duration of our project, it’s that live entertainment is everywhere. It’s a common thread that ties the United States, Ireland, the U.K. and the world together. What’s different is how it is promoted.
After speaking with several professionals and artists in the U.S. and abroad, we noticed some common themes. For example, a live performance can be a promotion in and of itself. Both the Kent Clarks a cappella choir and the Irish chart-topping band KeyWest told Anthem band members how they gain fans and social media followers through live performance.
Social media is viewed differently in the theatre community. According to Greg Josken, Disney Theatrical Group’s digital marketing and social media manager in the U.S., the cast is responsible for the facilitation of photo content for “The Lion King” Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. However, there are Disney Theatrical teams in London and Sydney and agencies in other countries where “The Lion King” has a presence because Disney wants to rely on experts who know the culture. In the U.K., theatre social media is much more locked down. Nic Greatrex, marketing manager for Disney Theatrical U.K., said the tone of social media posts is much more serious. Additionally, there is less of a focus on digital media and more of a focus on traditional signage throughout the cities where “The Lion King” tour visits.
According to communications professionals for the Sinn Fein party in Ireland, traditional signage and localizing content is very common in Ireland as well; they said it was the most effective tactic in reaching the public. Carl Harp, communications coordinator at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, said social media is one of the strongest platforms to reach his publics because on each channel, he is able to reach different people. There is certainly a dichotomy in the use of digital media both in the U.S. and abroad right now.
This is changing, however. Anthem band members were able to talk with Donie O’Sullivan, a journalist at Storyful. Storyful is an Irish company that identifies trends and discovers content produced by everyday people on social media for news outlets to utilize. “There’s always someone closer to the story,” Donie said.
If there’s two things we love, it’s comedy and chocolate. We took a trip to the Cadbury factory headquarters in Birmingham. There, we got the opportunity to speak with Curtis Allen, who is on the educational team for Cadbury. He discussed the brand image and messaging of Cadbury, and he showed us a glimpse into some of its advertising history and the thought process behind them. Cadbury uses humor to appeal to consumers; they want to come off as a quirky and happy brand. They are ranked as one of the happiest brands by consumers in the U.K. Whether using fun songs or adorable animals, Cadbury always strives to make people smile. This is similar to our study of Saturday Night Live and how humor and comedy play a large role in advertising. Although humor varies from country to country, the passion of laughter is universal.
Although there are a few industry differences in terms of platforms used, the heart of live entertainment promotion remains the same: To make a statement. Whether they use emerging digital platforms or more traditional outlets, communications professionals in the entertainment industry seek to resonate with their audiences.
After speaking with several professionals and artists in the U.S. and abroad, we noticed some common themes. For example, a live performance can be a promotion in and of itself. Both the Kent Clarks a cappella choir and the Irish chart-topping band KeyWest told Anthem band members how they gain fans and social media followers through live performance.
Social media is viewed differently in the theatre community. According to Greg Josken, Disney Theatrical Group’s digital marketing and social media manager in the U.S., the cast is responsible for the facilitation of photo content for “The Lion King” Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. However, there are Disney Theatrical teams in London and Sydney and agencies in other countries where “The Lion King” has a presence because Disney wants to rely on experts who know the culture. In the U.K., theatre social media is much more locked down. Nic Greatrex, marketing manager for Disney Theatrical U.K., said the tone of social media posts is much more serious. Additionally, there is less of a focus on digital media and more of a focus on traditional signage throughout the cities where “The Lion King” tour visits.
According to communications professionals for the Sinn Fein party in Ireland, traditional signage and localizing content is very common in Ireland as well; they said it was the most effective tactic in reaching the public. Carl Harp, communications coordinator at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, said social media is one of the strongest platforms to reach his publics because on each channel, he is able to reach different people. There is certainly a dichotomy in the use of digital media both in the U.S. and abroad right now.
This is changing, however. Anthem band members were able to talk with Donie O’Sullivan, a journalist at Storyful. Storyful is an Irish company that identifies trends and discovers content produced by everyday people on social media for news outlets to utilize. “There’s always someone closer to the story,” Donie said.
If there’s two things we love, it’s comedy and chocolate. We took a trip to the Cadbury factory headquarters in Birmingham. There, we got the opportunity to speak with Curtis Allen, who is on the educational team for Cadbury. He discussed the brand image and messaging of Cadbury, and he showed us a glimpse into some of its advertising history and the thought process behind them. Cadbury uses humor to appeal to consumers; they want to come off as a quirky and happy brand. They are ranked as one of the happiest brands by consumers in the U.K. Whether using fun songs or adorable animals, Cadbury always strives to make people smile. This is similar to our study of Saturday Night Live and how humor and comedy play a large role in advertising. Although humor varies from country to country, the passion of laughter is universal.
Although there are a few industry differences in terms of platforms used, the heart of live entertainment promotion remains the same: To make a statement. Whether they use emerging digital platforms or more traditional outlets, communications professionals in the entertainment industry seek to resonate with their audiences.
