IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU Marketing Issue (SPOILERS Inside)
IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU Marketing Issue (SPOILERS Inside)
IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU Marketing Issue (SPOILERS Inside)#1
Posted: 6/22/15 at 2:15pm
I'm not sure if this has been discussed elsewhere on the board but I was wondering if the twist of the show poses a marketing problem. I'm guessing they want to keep it a secret that it's actually about two gay couples getting married but does that mean you can't market it as a gay show?
Since June is Pride month you'd think the show would be doing a lot of focus on that aspect but I haven't seen anything. Honestly I don't see the show being advertised at all but that's a whole other story.
IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU Marketing Issue (SPOILERS Inside)#2
Posted: 6/22/15 at 2:18pm
They just want to market it as a straight couple getting married so that the twist isn't spoiled when you see the show.
IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU Marketing Issue (SPOILERS Inside)#2
Posted: 6/22/15 at 2:22pm
Can someone give me a detailed version of the spoilers? I doubt I'll ever see this show.
IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU Marketing Issue (SPOILERS Inside)#3
Posted: 6/22/15 at 2:26pm
"Can someone give me a detailed version of the spoilers? I doubt I'll ever see this show."
Basically a straight couple is getting married but they're only doing it to get the guy's inheritance. They're actually both gay and in love with the maid of honor and best man. Once the secret is out there is a double wedding for both gay couples.
The fact that David Burtka was cast (as a 30 year old, no less) should have been enough of a giveaway.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU Marketing Issue (SPOILERS Inside)#4
Posted: 6/22/15 at 2:55pm
You answered your own question: it's a twist, not much of a twist if you advertise it.
IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU Marketing Issue (SPOILERS Inside)#5
Posted: 6/22/15 at 3:22pm
I actually didn't.
The question is whether not spoiling a twist in your show is worth not being able to market toward a portion of your audience. It's not like the twist isn't obvious from the beginning and I'm sure there are people who would see it if they knew it were about gay couples.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/1/09
IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU Marketing Issue (SPOILERS Inside)#6
Posted: 6/22/15 at 9:46pm
Maybe they could just steal the 'mix-ups, mayhem and a gay wedding!' tagline.
IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU Marketing Issue (SPOILERS Inside)#7
Posted: 6/22/15 at 9:52pm
This show was not my favorite. I wonder if they are making any money. I bet ever after will open at this theatre
IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU Marketing Issue (SPOILERS Inside)#8
Posted: 6/22/15 at 10:20pm
They are not making money (although they are not losing at the level of the big losers this season) but the landlord can have the theatre whenever they want it as they are clearly below the stop clause. I'm not sure why these producers need that incentive to stop losing money but I guess they are having fun. There are at least 2 billionaires among the producers so no need to lose sleep.
IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU Marketing Issue (SPOILERS Inside)#9
Posted: 6/22/15 at 10:28pm
Daryl Roth is a billionaire?
IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU Marketing Issue (SPOILERS Inside)#10
Posted: 6/22/15 at 10:40pm
Not sure if this is coincidental timing, or a marketing team keeping tabs on discussions, but they tweeted this ad tonight:
https://twitter.com/ShouldaBeenYou/status/613105030351097856
IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU Marketing Issue (SPOILERS Inside)#11
Posted: 6/22/15 at 11:15pm
Yes, via her husband Steve, who is the Chairman of the Board of Vornado.
IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU Marketing Issue (SPOILERS Inside)#12
Posted: 6/22/15 at 11:23pmNot only would that give away the twist, but why would a musical aimed squarely at people who pine for old-fashioned musical comedy advertise it as a gay show? Yes, gay rights (or at least gay marriage rights) have made considerable gains in the past few years, but I fail to see how a struggling show would gain a larger audience by advertising how gay the show really is, since it would likely alienate a lot of the audience they're trying to pull in.
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU Marketing Issue (SPOILERS Inside)#13
Posted: 6/23/15 at 3:27am
Having seen the show and being a gay man, I don't think it's "only" a gay musical. It's a musical about love, and ruining the twist would ruin the whole show. I knew there was a twist going in, and I assumed the guy was gay. I mean, Burtka doesn't exactly play it straight. But having the two girls be together was great. You don't see a ton of Lesbians in musicals - granted this season has a few. But I think the advertising is doing a damn good job at marketing this show. But it's really just an overblown regional show. It'll live on for years in dinner theaters, etc.
IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU Marketing Issue (SPOILERS Inside)#14
Posted: 6/23/15 at 9:07am
Agree, this show was all around fun and will live on in regional theatre. They'll eat it up in middle America. I can see why the the critics didn't like it though... (spoiler alert) if the lead character sings an I want song about NOT wanting to get married... and then decides to get married in the last second... she could have easily said "um... why don't we start with dinner?" and everyone would have loved it. They could have also said it was a "4 way marriage" and that would have really freaked people out. lol. There are very few taboos left. Overall though the music was fantastic and the cast is fantastic! I don't think they should advertise it as a gay musical.
IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU Marketing Issue (SPOILERS Inside)#15
Posted: 6/23/15 at 12:33pm
damn I didn't know Daryl was rollin in money like that. She was standing right outside the theatre when I saw the show. I shoulda asked her to spot me a million.
IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU Marketing Issue (SPOILERS Inside)#16
Posted: 6/23/15 at 1:42pmEven with its twist, which is more of a sitcom swerve, I would be reluctant to call it a "gay" show.
IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU Marketing Issue (SPOILERS Inside)#17
Posted: 6/23/15 at 3:58pm
you might have better luck winking at Jordan. 
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/13/05
IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU Marketing Issue (SPOILERS Inside)#18
Posted: 6/25/15 at 12:41pm
My girlfriend and I were actually just talking last week about what a shame it is that they aren’t able to really tell what the show is about without giving away the twist.
Before I read what the twist was, I had gotten the impression from the advertising that this was another overdone story about an ex trying to stop a wedding. When I found out the actual storyline, it piqued my interest much more than when I didn’t know what it was actually about. Not just for the “gay factor,” but knowing that it has something a little different to the storyline than I previously thought.
Not to say that makes the quality of the show any better (I can’t say either way – I haven’t seen it), but it at least has a little something more going for it than what I think the advertising allows.
IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU Marketing Issue (SPOILERS Inside)#19
Posted: 6/25/15 at 2:21pm
Did anyone see the full-page add in Time Out NY yesterday? The show's title was written in rainbow lettering, and there was a tagline something along the lines of "a comedy legal in 37 states". Not giving away the spoiler but strongly hinting that there could be some LGBT themes.
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