Memphis Community Theatres Marketing Plan
Table of Contents
1.0 Executive Summary 3
2.0 Situation Analysis 3
2.1 Overview 3
2.2 Current Market Situation 4
2.3 SWOT analysis 5
2.3.1 Strengths 5
2.3.2 Weaknesses 6
2.3.3 Opportunities 7
2.3.4 Threats 7
2.3.5 Keys to success 8
3.0 Objectives 8
4.0 Marketing Strategy 9
4.1 Overview 9
4.2 Mission 9
4.3 Target segment 9
4.4 Positioning 10
4.5 Communication Program 10
5.0 Action Program 11
6.0 Expenses Forecast 12
7.0 Implementation Controls 13
1.0 Executive Summary
The consortium of Memphis community theatres including Germantown
Community Theatre, Theatre Memphis, Playhouse on the Square,
Circuit, TheatreWorks, Harrell, and Arlington Arts Group provide
immeasurable value in increasing cultural quality of life in the
community. By working together with a strategic marketing plan they
can increase the audiences from 60% to 75% of capacity, while building
strong support for the years to come.
Memphis corporate leaders support the arts, including the community
theatres, to ensure that Memphis is a place the best and the brightest
will come to work and live. Young professionals are the audiences of
today and the board members and supporters of tomorrow.
We determined to target the young professionals with needs of
networking in the artistic world in the greater Memphis area. Our
intention is to direct a greater share of the Memphis professionals
entertainment dollars and time towards community theatre. To 8t the
needs and wants of our target audiences, the theatres have to position
and project themselves at a unique level compared to other commercial
forms of live entertainment. Community theatre cannot compete if all it
offers to its audience is the stage. A theatre experience has to be much
more than watching a play. We need to combine the theatre ambience,
audience, actors and directors to create a unique mix of a “cultured”
event. For this revival and recast, Memphis community theatres, as a
consortium, need to play a vital role in offering a high value for
audiences in enjoyment, culture, and bonding to the community.
We plan to use young professional groups like MPACT as channels to
communicate the novel concept of “Theatre Experience” through
presentation and distribution of CDs, <yers with opinion leaders
endorsing their experience.
2.0 Situation Analysis
2.1 Overview
Community theatres throughout the Memphis/Shelby county area, from
Midtown to Collierville, produce a variety of plays throughout the
season. Members make up about 60% of the audiences, who have high
level of education and value arts. Theatres compete in the
leisure/entertainment industry, with Orpheum Theatre, movie theatres
and sports events. Opportunity and issue analysis is followed the
current market situation.
2.2 Current Market Situation
True to their name, community theatres in the Memphis area cater to
the needs of their immediate communities. An interesting aspect is the
high opinion of the theatres their respective audiences have, in spite of
the fact that they vary a lot in physical and psychological ambience and
the plays they stage. Thus we have both audiences and theatres
supporting each other while consuming very diverse offering. Very often
the community theatres are imbibed with the characteristics of the
community they live in. Community theatres throughout the Memphis
area, from Midtown to Collierville, produce a variety of plays throughout
the season. It is an amazing blend of artistic expressions that re<ect the
cultural dynamics of the citys heritage. Some are family oriented and
some are for a more mature audience.
The memberships make up about 60% of the total attendance. Those
that value the arts are typically people with a high level of education, a
background in exposure to the arts, and/or an education in the arts.
The theatres cover some of Memphis Metropolitan Statistical Area
(MSA).With a population of 1.2 million, Memphis MSA includes 8
counties touching three states, which is showed in the Exhibit.
Population in the Memphis MSA is project to grow 3.6% in the next 5
years.
The direct competition comes from Orpheum Theatre, which is an
upscale and for-profit theatre whose ticket prices are sometimes twice
as expensive. Movie theatres, sporting events and other arts activities
also intensely compete with community theatres.
Theatre communication group survey result indicates that overall
attendance rose 4.2% from 1999 to 2003 country wise. Memphis
economy in the first eight months was particularly strong in the
Professional and Business Services sector and the Leisure & Hospitality
sector. Hino Motors (major supplier to Toyota) broke ground recently on
its new auto parts plant in Marion, Arkansas. The location of Hino near
Memphis could result in economic benefits in the Memphis area.
With the positive trend of approximately one-third of adults attending
live performances in the arts each year , we would expect Memphis
community theatres will experience growth.
2.3 SWOT analysis
Based on the SWOT analysis, we will use the strategy that use strengths
to take advantage of opportunities, minimize weakness and avoid
threats, to enhance the cultured value of the theatres by offering quality
plays.
2.3.1 Strengths
Community theatres have excellent awareness, as most of Memphians
knew the theatres are out there. The perceived value of theatrical arts
by well educated people is actually commercial. Richard Florida in his
book, The Rise of the Creative Class, stated “a rich arts and culture
scene is essential for luring the countrys most educate professionals
who need high-end cultural stimulation. Businesses follow the talent.”
Memphis has a significant number of community theatres, spread all
over the county, playing a variety of shows. This diversity helps
community theatre appeal to a wide range of audiences from young
midtown residents to the families in the suburbs.
There is a vexing trend in TV shows and movies towards catering to a
majority audience who prefer slang, sex and violence. Community
theatres could be the one place people could go often to feel nurtured
and engaged in a cultural quality of life. Community theatre could be
the medium where the audience feels that they are interacting with the
actors, directors and players. Very often, especially in childrens plays,
the actors are drawn from the local neighborhood. This intricate
