Paradise Square Marketing Fail

Paradise Square just got all these Tony noms and this is all their marketing people can do???? Don't get it. Even after they opened, their ads were just: Show Name. Buy Tickets. No pull quotes, no nothing. And now this. It's sad.

Updated On: 5/12/22 at 08:09 PM

As I have written before, it's not just that they have no money, they also have no credit. No one in their right mind is lifting a finger until the money has been wired into their account. That's a big problem when you are trying to react to nominations, awards, reviews, etc. The same phenomenon is playing out across a whole lot of lines in the budget.

well, I start with the basic premise that irrational things cannot be explained but obviously someone has decided to waste a lot of money keeping a show open that no one wants to see

carolynbrooks said: "is there no ad agency involved?"



As per the program, SpotCo is the ad agency they're working with. But it seems unlikely that SpotCo is the problem here. An ad agency can only do so much if the production can't or won't allocate the funds.

carolynbrooks said: "Here is the most is the most intriguing thing: Drabinsky's partner in crime on this show is Peter LeDonne, of Ash LeDonne and later LeDonne Wilner, the ad agency that abruptly closed after LIVENT tanked. LeDonne is a seasoned ad guy, no money might be the issue but something else is wrong - is there no ad agency involved? The sparse marketing is wallpaper and really dull and unimagined."

I'm not sure it's intriguing but...

Peter LeDonne's ad business "season" ended in the last century. He hasn't been an ad man since the 90's. I don't know if he is a "partner in crime" (he is not a producer, only Garth is); he may well be a victim like lots of others. And having people involved in this show who have not been around for years, or have never done what's being asked of them, seems like a pattern. What's intriuging to me is that some of these folks were

The show has an ad agency, Spotco, but as I say above, people don't work for Garth unless and until they have cash in hand. That is the "something else" that is wrong. No one is donating artwork or ad buys to this production.

Sutton Ross said: "All these Tony noms with no money and barely an audience night after night. This is awful."

It's not awful. Awful is when grandma hangs on for weeks even though she is experiencing terrible suffering. What's happening at the Barrymore is stupid but it's not awful. And there is not "barely an audience." Over 4800 souls saw the show last week. I've worked on shows where 4800 people did not see an entire run. The show failed for innumerable reasons, but context is valuable.

It's so sad that everyone thinks this is a show about a lamppost.

the discount tickets offer only runs for one month at a time. If the producers feel the show still needs help, they extend it for another month.

PeterC6482 said: "Why are so many people on this board so anxious for this poor show to announce a closing date?

I don't think they are waiting happily for that, I think they are more puzzled why it's still open and have not announced a closing date yet. I think the Tonys might give it a boost, especially with an incredible performance like "Let it Burn".

"

PeterC6482 said: "I think what's happening here is that there are several producer/investors with very deep pockets who believe in the show's message and will keep it running as long as they see a glimmer of hope, such as Tonys."

First, there is only one producer, and he is a convicted felon serial fraudster with a track record of stealing from his investors. Second, there is likely only one investor with deep pockets and they are likely being conned by said sole producer. #AskMikeOvitz #OnceAThiefAlwaysAThief Third, the Tonys do not offer a glimmer of hope. Fourth, that ad in tomorrow's Times costs te last several week's of revenue.

I am not "anxious" to see a closing notice; I am, however, eager to see the insane throwing of good money after bad come to an end. Irrational waste is bad for the health of Broadway long term and Broadway in general is not healthy atm. (As I have said before, I did not dislike the show, but it is a tale of missed opportunities.)

Don't the Tony performances cost $$$?

Saw this earlier and perhaps this is a clue that they're trying to do a performance and (hopefully) improve their marketing...

New Filing Suggests A Shortcut To Becoming A Tony-Nominated Producer (forbes.com)

zainmax said: "How much do the Tony performances cost??"

If you have to ask, you can't afford it.

Half a million if you don't mind looking skimpy. For PS, are they going to have Juaquina on a bare stage or are they gonna have a full complement of actors cavorting on those contraptions that kept breaking down for the first week or two.

Updated On: 5/15/22 at 11:37 PM

No seriously, how is this show still running? And please don’t say because of the Tony noms because that surely isn’t true.