INSIGHT: Top Takeaways From Ten Years of TUTS
A big chapter comes full circle for MPMG this summer, when TUTS brings Legally Blonde: The Musical back to the Malkin Bowl stage in Stanley Park in repertory with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (June 27 – Aug 16).
In 2014, when MPMG was just three years old, the bright and bubbly musical show was the first work we ever promoted on behalf of the iconic outdoor musical theatre company.
With more than a decade of collaboration under our belts, we look back at how our relationship, our work, and the world has changed.
Digitized
Prior to MPMG coming on board, 100% of TUTS’ advertising strategy focussed on traditional media. Today, 25% of the company’s advertising budget is dedicated to MPMG-managed digital marketing, coupled with partnerships with a diverse range of online media outlets.
Furthermore, new tools have revolutionized how TUTS connects with and understands its audiences, such as a robust Google Analytics integration to track customer journeys and integration of local tech company Tradable Bits’ incredible fan-building platform.
Socialized
When TUTS first began working with MPMG, the company didn’t even have an Instagram account. As of last month, the IG account boasts more than 10,000 Followers!
Activity on the channels has increased year-over-year, with ample contests, takeovers, cast features, and more – filling up the feeds with bustle and energy. Through new partnerships with influencers, we’re also finding new voices and communities to talk about TUTS in the social space.
In the House
The end result of MPMG’s efforts, TUTS’ thoroughness, coupled with the incredible work of the company’s creative teams has seen unprecedented attendance for TUTS.
Today, TUTS’ annual average attendance is approximately 150% of pre-2014 seasons.
Summertime Tradition
In addition to positioning TUTS as an experience that is greater than the sum of its parts, a major goal in MPMG’s work has been to establish the organization as a Vancouver summer tradition for audiences.
The tactics employed to this end have been many and diverse – from TUTS’ brand repositioning, to enhanced partnership development and strategic alignment with fellow iconic summer events (Celebration of Lights, Fresh Air Cinema, PNE), overhauling subscriptions, and more. The result has been a soaring increase in year-over-year repeat attendance.
It Takes a Village
At MPMG, we have a saying ‘leave no stone unturned’ and when we think about the efforts made by our community partners – across every sector and industry – this saying really resonates.
Over the years, we’ve seen a big shift in how we reach audiences, moving away from in-store displays and contest boxes (remember those!), anchoring many of our partnerships online.
We’ve collaborated with a vast and varied array of loyal and dedicated community partners who have been instrumental in generating awareness of TUTS to various unique communities. Some of these partners include Westin Bayshore, Costco, Book Warehouse, White Spot, Vancouver Aquarium, among many others.
Getting the Word Out
Over the past decade, the media landscape has changed dramatically. With shrinking newsrooms, fewer arts journalists, and the absence of many of our go-to community and daily newspapers, we’re always pivoting to ensure the strength of TUTS’ message and the personal story of its artists are at the forefront of our outreach. It’s no longer about quantity but about the quality of coverage garnered.
To further enhance and complement our media relations efforts, we’ve increased our Influencer Outreach year-over-year. From designing intimate, curated experiences, which immediately provide a deeper connection to the work, to planning VIP preview nights on site at TUTS, the profile and education generated has been worth all the effort.
Our Furry Friend
TUTS is instantly recognizable for its opera glasses-toting raccoon mascot. Many are surprised to learn that this is not Photoshop. TUTS was the recipient of a grant from the now-defunct design agency Karo, who held a photoshoot with an actual live raccoon to develop the brand!
The brand is iconic and serves an important function for TUTS, as it conveys the experience of seeing theatre in Stanley Park’s spectacular outdoor setting.
By 2013 however, the raccoon had been relegated to the margins of its posters and advertisements. MPMG restored it to a position of prominence, creating year-over-year consistency and highlighting that the TUTS experience is so much greater than just a night at the theatre (we also held a social media contest to finally give our furry friend a name: Stanley!)
A Family Affair
From our first year of collaboration (when Shrek: The Musical was the other show running), TUTS has always offered programming with a family appeal. But that was not always reflected at the box office.
Over the past decade, MPMG has prioritized its marketing to target families and the results speak for themselves. Today, TUTS welcomes more than double the young attendances than it did prior to 2014.
Above and Beyond
One of the most consistent truths about MPMG is that we take immense pride in the work we do and view ourselves as an extension of our client’s team – not hired guns focussed solely on our task.
Through the years, this commitment has shown up in a multitude of ways. In Year Two with TUTS, we re-invented their subscription system; In Year Five, we engaged in deep research to survey their audience to see what makes them tick; and today, we even play a role in what goes on stage – with our own Brian Paterson volunteering as a member of TUTS’ Programming Committee.
Categories: MPMG