2009 marketing for Broadway productions may take the mobile stage.
The “bright lights of Broadway” have struggled in ’08, due in no small part to the struggling economy. An even in times when a marquee celebrity can’t pack the house, the marketing wizards behind the plays that dominate the Manhattan entertainment scene are turning to a new weapon in their promotional arsenal: mobile marketing.
From vigorous text campaigns to myspace pages, a new round of advertising is in the works for some of the hottest (but not so hot anymore) stage productions in town. “Shrek the Musical,” for example, now has its own social network at www.shrekster.com, a Web site with profiles of the show’s characters and the latest news from the kingdom of Duloc. Giving theater fans access to a show through the Internet helps generate interest and sell tickets.
For “9 to 5: The Musical,” the PR staff is working on an online game in which players can upload pictures of their bosses for a shooting gallery. The show’s Web site will feature personalized e-cards, featuring the voice of Dolly Pardon greeting recipients.
There will be no shortage of mobile marketing endeavors in 2009 to help promote Broadway. If its true that “the show must go on,” I’m confident that mobile marketing will help achieve that endeavor.
