The Expensive Lie: Why Does Broadway Keep Spending Millions on Marketing That Doesn't Work?
The Expensive Lie: Why Does Broadway Keep Spending Millions on Marketing That Doesn't Work?
MezzA101
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/29/23
#2The Expensive Lie: Why Does Broadway Keep Spending Millions on Marketing That Doesn't Work?
Posted: 12/3/25 at 3:58pm
Some thoughts on this article:
#1. I think it's understood by almost everyone that a word-of-mouth of recommendation are more influential than digital ad campaigns in selling tickets. However, you can't get a word-of mouth campaign going in the first place without first convincing some people to see the play in the first place.
Throwing out digital campaigns completely doesn't make as much sense as figuring out how to better target the digital ad spend. For example, instead of maybe a more general New York Times ad spend, put more priority on a retargeting campaign to people who read an article about that play or musical.
#2. Speaking to influencer marketing, one thing that occurs to me is most Broadway shows are most papered at the end of a run, when it's clear the lights are about to be turned off. If you think your Broadway show has the goods, producers should be more aggressive in comping influencers during previews. There should also be a broader definition of influencers. For example, Letterboxd sent me an invite to a Q&A screening of the Oscars contender The Secret Agent, even though I don't have a huge following, because they understand a critical mass of positive reviews of The Secret Agent on Letterboxd is cheap but strategic marketing win.
#3. Maybe there was problem with the marketing campaigns for Lempicka and Real Women Have Curves, but the bigger problem was the musicals themselves. Lempicka was beloved by a few but also had a lot of people who saw the musical and reported it was a complete mess. Real Women Have Curves got more favorable feedback, but like that's a musical where the big empowering number was a boss telling her employees to strip down to their underwear. Those are not examples of shows that had everything going for it, but the marketing.
#4. Getting the right influencers to promote a show is easier said than done. For example, Madonna is a huge Lempicka fan, but didn't actually see the show until it's closing was already announced.
#5. Six is an example of a viral marketing done correctly, not wrong. Maybe the specific example of Katherine Howard’s “All You Wanna Do” didn't drive tickets sales, but Six might not have made it to Broadway if producers didn't encourage fans to film the final medley and share it on social media.
veronicamae
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/13/09
#3The Expensive Lie: Why Does Broadway Keep Spending Millions on Marketing That Doesn't Work?
Posted: 12/3/25 at 7:32pm
It's like...Advertising 101 that someone needs to see a product 7-20 times before they decide to buy it. That's the entire point.... lol
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