Increasingly Generic/Bland Quality of Broadway Artwork and Show Logos? — Page 2

FANtomFollies said: "Um no. There's no excuse for bad design."

Accepting that proposition as true, you are seemingly oblivious to what makes a design "good." In the context of someone who has millions of dollars on the line, the best design is the one that sells the most tickets.

am I missing something? how is the logo in #26 different from #1?

I feel like its not much of a question of, are the logos/artwork declining, but its the fact that show art isn't what its needed for. As we enter into this era where social media and word of mouth is the best marketing tools, does it really matter what the marquee or poster look like? I don't think so. I think that a lot of Broadway artwork could be better, but I feel like its not used the way the cracked head for Follies was used, or the eyes for Cats.

fashionguru_23 said: "I feel like its not much of a question of, are the logos/artwork declining, but its the fact that show art isn't what its needed for. As we enter into this era where social media and word of mouth is the best marketing tools, does it really matter what the marquee or poster look like? I don't think so. I think that a lot of Broadway artwork could be better, but I feel like its not used the way the cracked head for Follies was used, or the eyes for Cats."

In the words of one of the producing geniuses of Broadway, everything matters. Marquees (and posters/billboards etc) sell a lot of tickets because a lot of people walk around times square and see them while they are trying to figure out what they are going to do during their visit to New York. And these people have no idea what's playing, nor are they locked in to Broadway social media. Producers do not expend small fortunes on these campaigns because they waste precious marketing dollars. (For that we have print ads.) And the familiarity of a title from a movie etc does not change this dynamic. As I have said, it's the "Oh, I didn't know they had made Tootsie into a musical" impact one is looking for. Marketing is not a craft for the ego-centric. You have to get out of your own head. No one on this board is the target of marquees and posters.

HogansHero said: "fashionguru_23 said: "I feel like its not much of a question of, are the logos/artwork declining, but its the fact that show art isn't what its needed for. As we enter into this era where social media and word of mouth is the best marketing tools, does it really matter what the marquee or poster look like? I don't think so. I think that a lot of Broadway artwork could be better, but I feel like its not used the way the cracked head for Follies was used, or the eyes for Cats."

In the words of one of the producing geniuses of Broadway, everything matters. Marquees (and posters/billboards etc) sell a lot of tickets because a lot of people walk around times square and see them while they are trying to figure out what they are going to do during their visit to New York. And these people have no idea what's playing, nor are they locked in to Broadway social media. Producers do not expend small fortunes on these campaigns because they waste precious marketing dollars. (For that we have print ads.) And the familiarity of a title from a movie etc does not change this dynamic. As I have said, it's the "Oh, I didn't know they had made Tootsie into a musical" impact one is looking for. Marketing is not a craft for the ego-centric. You have to get out of your own head. No one on this board is the target of marquees and posters."

You had me until "You have to get out of your own head". But, I will agree when you say that no one on this board is the target for things. In that regard, I can retract some of what I said. Thinking through a more general mindset, I can see how some of today's marketing can reflect what the message the producers are trying to send theatregoers.

I feel like an interesting conversation can be had with Broadway shows that are adaptations of popular films, or commonly known franchises. In the case of the Disney shows, you know what they show is, by just the art. No title is needed...but that is ramble that we could debate further...although, I don't care to. I will say I loved these features in the NY Times about the artwork of a show, and all the drafts. I remember a Wicked, and La Cage (2005). I can find the Frozen one here: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/04/theater/heres-the-new-frozen-musical-poster-and-seven-that-didnt-make-the-cut.html

HogansHero said: "@fashionguru I think you took the "your own head" thing in an unintended way. I was referring to one who is working on marketing, not you personally. I guess I should have said "one has to get out of their own head." "

Sorry! I have such a defence on these boards some times...I apologize. My mistake. But now, I know 100% what you mean, about getting out of "one's head".