We all know what “branding” is, right? Or do we? Some will tell you it’s your logo. Some will tell you it’s your color palette or your tag line, or the imagery that you use. What we know for sure is that all of that is true, but it’s only a piece of the puzzle. Those things are facets of your true brand, but how patrons feel when they visit your theater or interact with your organization are also part of your theater’s branding.
What is a Brand?
Think about a brand as a knowing, an intuitive understanding of your product, your philosophy, your “this is what we are at our core, what we look like, feel like, sound like, smell like, how we make you feel.” Everything else flows from this simple and vital understanding.
Long-time Director of Marketing in the professional theater world, Michael Gepner, tells us that “Marketing is the process of discovering the point at which the product and the potential customer meet. Communications, sales, these are by-products of the marketing process.”
Leading marketing experts in every field agree with this sentiment. So, if marketing is the process of finding the connecting point between your product and the potential customer, then branding is the core definition of the product itself.
Trillion helped Theatre Under the Stars with its branding, print and digital marketing materials.
How Do You Define Your Brand?
Think about this question: what is the difference between a BMW and a Porsche sports car? Both are German sports cars, both are more expensive than the average car, and both are perceived as high-quality products. Yet these vehicles appeal to two different types of customers. Why is that? They have established their solid brand identities, and the public understands which car suits them best.
No one can tell you what your brand should be. But Trillion can help you to discover that brand understanding for yourself, and then from there, all things are possible. From your verbal identity and the language you use to your logo and photos or videos, all things can flow from this vital tributary.
How to Know if You Need a Brand Audit
A brand audit is a comprehensive look at how your brand is positioned in your market. It examines your brand’s strengths, weaknesses, visual identity, messaging and customer perception. It is a very effective way to take stock and identify any changes you need to make to make your brand clearer and more effective.
Trillion was engaged by Titusville Playhouse in Florida to work through a brand audit. This process led to a refresh that reflected a brand identity much truer to who they actually are. The result was significantly increased traffic to their website and greatly increased ticket sales on the road to building a more stable and sustainable audience.
What are Your Theater’s Differentiators?
Think about what makes your company unique. All live theater companies produce or present live stage plays or musicals. There was a time when every theater’s mission statement used the same three words: “Educate, Enlighten, Engage.” Then came an understanding that if non-profit theaters wanted to thrive, they would have to find and serve a unique purpose in their communities. Your mission—your statement of purpose, along with your vision—how you see yourself in the world, combined with your values—the things that are most important to you, these are the three pillars that will lead you to BRAND.
The step that so many so often miss—how can we understand the “who we are” as the product and the show on stage as product fulfillment?
Remember, the shows on stage are transient. They change all the time. In order to create a more sustainable revenue stream, you have to have something that is itself more sustainable for the consumer to buy into. That’s where brand comes into play. Sell the brand and the ticket sales, the donations and the advocacy will follow.
Think of it this way—if you sell a subscription to someone because you are producing the one big hit show that everyone wants to see, there is nothing tying that customer to you since you almost certainly won’t be doing that show again next season. If you sell a subscription to someone because they understand and appreciate the KINDS of shows you do, how you serve the community and more, and they want that, then you have a renewable audience member. That person sees what you are, understands what that feels like and they will come back again and again because they want that particular experience.
So what IS the difference between BMW and Porsche? That’s the power of your BRAND.
How Branding Can Achieve Your Goals
Once you have entered the hallowed ground of brand identity, there will be many more marketing and identity decisions to make, but all things will flow from the source. Consider some of these questions:
- Do we want to sell tickets or do we want to grow audiences?
- Does our website take customers in the directions we want them to go?
- What does our design aesthetic say about us?
- Does our choice of advertising outlets reflect the audience we want/need to attract?
- Is the language that we use too institutionalized or too common?
- Does our fundraising make an effective case for support? To whom? For what purpose?
- Do the plays we produce carry their own strong brand identity?
- Have we firmly established our own brand identity?
Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this seemingly unwieldy puzzle. But there are lots of ways to start to simplify your process and make decisions that will be effective for you. It may be helpful for you to do an honest brand audit and then refocus on the choices to be made from there.
Trillion Helps Theaters Define and Grow Their Brand
At Trillion, we have the experience and the expertise to help your organization through these rushing waters. Our team is composed of designers, creatives, and innovative strategic thinkers who can guide the way. We focus on a long-term vision rather than just quick fixes. Give us a call at 908.219.4703 or reach out to see how refreshed branding can build success for your theater. After all, it’s what we do and what we love, and this work ought to be just a little more fun, don’t you think?
