Live entertainment advertising agency Dewynters has used Beyoncé and her recent Renaissance Tour onsale as inspiration for how theatres can draw in the crowds.
According to Dewynters, 77% of the British public feel that the price to see live music is too expensive. Whilst 53% said a fair price for a ticket would be £40 (€45/$50) or less, the majority of gig-goers said they had paid at least twice as much.
The cost-of-living crisis has put a strain on the purse strings, but despite this and the rising cost of live music tickets, hundreds of thousands of Beyoncé fans still attempted to secure tickets for the singer’s UK dates.
It is also becoming increasingly common for artists to utilise dynamic pricing or surge pricing, where a ticket’s price climbs and falls with demand. This is something that is also regularly used in the theatre industry.
So how do theatres create the same level of demand for tickets in their industry?
Dewynters’ deputy director of creative services, Richard McDermott, said: “Theatre brands need to create an emotional connection but increasingly, they also need to behave with the confidence and clarity traditionally associated with the live music industry.
“Bold messaging and a strong audience focus have always been a hallmark of music industry advertising but advances in audience insights and creative testing are now becoming invaluable tools in building more responsive and impactful theatre brands. Pushing forward into spaces not usually occupied by theatre advertising and making bolder and more confident media choices are also increasing the reach and scope of theatrical brands. While there are no magic bullets, ultimately a brand that looks and behaves like a ‘hot ticket’ has a greater chance of being one.”
Paul Goodman, social media director at Dewynters, added: “From the comments and questions we receive each day via social media we see more and more that audiences are expecting theatre productions to behave like live music and comedy gigs. Before tickets are on sale, audiences are asking for dates, venue and pricing, as well as recommendations for where they can eat and stay when they visit the theatre.
“They want to book their annual leave and check the cost of travel before they even have a ticket. This is especially true for fans of household name musicals and bookers who are hoping to see their favourite screen star on stage.”