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the past ten years, Audience Insight has accumulated a great deal
of experience working with clients across the country. The case studies below help illustrate how we can help you come up with effective solutions to your marketing needs. |
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Click
Here for Case Studies:
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Milwaukee Repertory Theater
The scope of research included a comprehensive customer data file analysis, a postal survey of 4,000 ticket buyers, including new and long-tenured subscribers, single ticket buyers and prospects, and a series of four focus groups with new subscribers and single ticket buyers. Specific results of the study are proprietary to the client. Overall themes related to both the strengths and limitations of subscription packaging and how the theatre might create stronger bonds with the full range of ticket buyers. The theater’s resident company is seen as one of the building blocks of customer loyalty, but not as a sales incentive. Other findings suggested layers of value surrounding the Rep experience.
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John
S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation’s trustees funded a second phase for Magic of Music in 1999, involving 15 orchestras. In addition to further work in the areas of program innovation and audience development, the second phase included a significant investment in market research. Each orchestra was required to participate in the research project in order to be eligible for a program grant. All 15 orchestras applied to participate in the research initiative, and all were granted a share of the funds necessary to participate. To begin the research initiative and to set the stage for the local studies, Knight Foundation contracted with AMS/Audience Insight to conduct a national study of classical music consumers, which included both qualitative and quantitative components. The study was unique in scope, focus and design. More than 11,300 random sample telephone interviews were fielded in 15 markets corresponding to the areas served by the 15 orchestras (approximately 750 interviews in each market). The local surveys were preceded by a national telephone survey of 2,200 adults. In addition, 1,500 orchestra ticket buyers were surveyed by mail in each market (750 subscribers and 750 single-ticket buyers, each), yielding just over 10,000 responses. At the end of the two-year study, the 15 orchestras were able to compare national results with market-area results and results for their own ticket buyers – along a wide range of variables relating to classical music participation. Thanks to a combination of resources from Knight Foundation, the orchestras and a broad array of professional expertise in marketing, market research and consumer behavior, this initiative represents the most comprehensive discipline-specific audience study ever undertaken in the United States.
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Dance
Theater Workshop In December 2000, DTW moved out of the space it had occupied for over 25 years in preparation for the demolition and rebuilding of the 27,000 sq-ft new facility. The new facility opened in Fall 2002 and serves as a community gathering space with state of the art production and rehearsal facilities that will serve the needs of generations of artists to come. Audience Insight was hired in 2001 by DTW to assist in the development of a new marketing strategy to coincide with the opening of the new building. Audience Insight partnered with Richard Bryant of Bryant Associates, a firm specializing in arts marketing, to spearhead a prospecting campaign. To kick off of the project, Audience Insight facilitated a workshop with DTWÍs senior staff to identify the marketing needs of the organization. This workshop helped shape the scope of research designed by Audience Insight, which included a postal survey of DTW ticket buyers, prospects and non-users, an on-line survey of DTW artist members and a series of focus group discussions. The information collected from these constituent groups served as the basis for a new ñaffinityî marketing program aimed at creating more powerful and lasting relationships between DTW and its constituents by redefining the traditional membership/subscription model.
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Boston
Lyric Opera As part of its 2002-03 Season, BLO presented a fully staged production of Carmen on the Boston Common on September 20th & 21st, 2002. The performances were free to the public and an estimated audience of 150,000 attended over the two nights. In addition, BLOorganized a ñFamily Dayî on Saturday, September 21, giving families a chance to explore the arts through games, music, and crafts. Prior to the Carmen on the Common weekend, the BLO held over 30 Carmen Preview Programs at libraries and community centers in the Metro Boston area to introduce prospective audience members to opera. In the spring of 2002, BLO hired Audience Insight to conduct research on its Carmen on the Common Audience. The scope of research was broken up into three tasks. In the months preceding the September performance, Audience Insight recruited audience members at Carmen Preview Programs to take an on-line survey about their relationship/experience with opera, their preferred methods of communication and their likelihood of attending a Carmen performance as a result of attending the preview. On the Carmen performance dates, Audience Insight conducted intercept research of audience members and family day participants, asking respondents about their knowledge of and history with the BLO, how they found out about the performances and whether or not the Carmen experience might lead them to sample other operas presented by BLO. In addition, Audience Insight recruited audience members for a series of post-performance discussions, covering qualitative issues such as satisfaction with the performance, barriers to not attending live performances more often and likelihood of purchasing tickets to a future BLO performance.
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Shubert
Theater New Haven In
early 2002, the Connecticut Association for Performing Arts (CAPA),
a nonprofit entity created to oversee the management of the Shubert
on a contract basis with the City of New Haven, engaged Audience
Insight to assist in the definition of market opportunities.
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Monterey
Bay National Marine Sanctuary In early 2002, MBNMS commissioned AMS Planning & Research to conduct a feasibility study for a proposed visitor center for the sanctuary, including an evaluation of several potential sites. In conjunction with AMS, Audience Insight conducted intercept surveys at three locations: Seacliff State Park, Santa Cruz and Monterey, three of the potential sites for the new visitor center. A team of interviewers intercepted visitors in high traffic areas near the coast, asking questions about interest in different marine-themed exhibits and potential programs, likelihood of visiting the proposed visitor center, current use of other attractions in the area and general demographic information. Through this research, Audience Insight was able to capture a profile of current users at each site and could better understand the perspectives of different target segments for the proposed visitor center (i.e. locals vs. visitors, households with kids vs. households without kids). The resulting research report assisted MBNMS in selecting the most appropriate site for its visitor center. |
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Broward
County Cultural Affairs - Fort Lauderdale Riverwalk In March 2001, the Broward County Commission's Cultural Affairs Division commissioned Audience Insight LLC to devise a marketing plan to promote the district to the vast number of tourists that visit South Florida annually, and to resolve several important issues surrounding the proposed cultural district, including it's name and boundaries, leadership structure and funding. A Study Advisory Committee and Stakeholder Group representing a diverse cross-section of cultural, business and governmental organizations provided oversight and feedback throughout the study. The study was funded in part by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Audience Insight worked to understand the unique challenges and opportunities associated with marketing Riverwalk to both residents and visitors, given the diverse stakeholders and public constituencies. The project began with a review of comparable cultural and business improvement districts across the U.S. Interviews were conducted with many of the community's business, cultural, and public sector leaders, and the consultants conducted focus group research with both consumers and representatives of the hospitality industry, and surveyed cultural organizations about cooperative marketing possibilities. The shared vision that emerged was one of a thriving downtown cultural center and a sustained symbiotic relationship between businesses and the cultural sector. The study culminated in October 2001 with a presentation to the community and a final report including a recommended name and concept for the district ("Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale" - a branded destination without specific boundaries), governance and management/staff structure recommendations (the "Riverwalk Marketing Alliance"), and a comprehensive marketing plan, including media and promotional strategies and tactics. A major focus of the program is creating opportunities for promotional collaborations between businesses and cultural organizations. The plan was submitted to the Knight Foundation in late 2001 for funding consideration later in 2002.
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Intrepid
Sea-Air-Space Museum, New York, NY
In preparation for a significant investment in marketing to increase visitor traffic, museum management retained AMS/Audience Insight to conduct a comprehensive program of market research, including on-site intercept surveys, visitor focus groups, data file analyses, extensive telephone research with both visitors and non-visitors/potential visitors, and personal interviews with receptive services professionals in New York City. A focus of the research was decoding the Intrepid’s unique position in the New York market as both a museum and a sightseeing attraction, and understanding the strong feelings of power, freedom, and patriotism experienced by visitors. Results provided the conceptual basis for developing new marketing strategies and tactics in cooperation with the museum’s marketing agency, and provided important feedback to senior management on visitor satisfaction and potential improvements to the museum.
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League members received detailed demographic and lifestyle information about their subscribers and single ticket buyers. With this information, they were able to measure their penetration into various segments of their local market. In addition, League members were provided with a market potential analysis, detailing which segments of their trade area exhibit a high propensity to attend live theatre. The
information gathered at the local level was aggregated into a national
profile of consumers of touring theatre. which is being used in
the development of industry advertising, marketing, and sponsorship
programs. |
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The research program involved two methodologies. First, a telephone survey was administered to both Smithsonian members and the general population. The survey investigated various issues surrounding the tour including awareness, prospective attendance, promotion and pricing variables, and demographic and psychographic characteristics of the survey sample. Subsequently, focus groups were conducted to investigate issues uncovered during the survey research. The resulting analysis not only provided NMNH decision-makers with information regarding public opinion (no tour was planned), but also provided a model for integrating market research into the planning process.
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North
Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center With funding provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Center hired AMS/Audience Insight to study the possibility of creating a marketing “agency” within the Performing Arts Center organization to service the marketing needs of three resident companies and the Performing Arts Center itself. A substantial program of market and audience research was undertaken, in addition to marketing assessments of Charlotte Repertory Theatre, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Opera Carolina, and the Performing Arts Center. Research methods included a community telephone survey, focus groups with ticket buyers of each organization, analyses of mailing lists using geo-demographic segmentation, and a cooperative audience survey effort throughout the 1995-96 season. The consultants developed a business plan for a “marketing service organization” (MSO) which was funded by the Knight Foundation at the level of approximately $500,000 over 3 years. The MSO began operation in July 1995 as a collective resource for the PAC and its resident companies, and has grown as a vital community resource over the years.
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©
2008 Audience Insight LLC, P.O. Box 423, Southport, CT 06890
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In
early 2002, Milwaukee Repertory Theater issued a Request for Proposals
for
research and consulting services
in connection with the theater’s
audience development initiative. The initiative represented an
effort by the theater to reach a higher level of understanding
of audience
behaviors and attitudes, particularly in reference to subscription
packaging, but also the underlying values and beliefs driving loyalty. 
Magic
of Music has been one of the major funding initiatives of the
Knight Foundation since 1994. In its first phase, nearly $6
million in grants was awarded to a select group of 12 orchestras
with the overall goal of strengthening the bond between musicians
and audiences in the concert hall.
DTW
was founded in 1965 as a choreographers' collective devoted to the
sponsorship and support of the work of colleagues and early career
artists. Anchored in Chelsea for 30 years, DTW has expanded its
original vision to become a multi-faceted organization devoted to
developing programs and resources that help independent artists
grow professionally while increasing the public's involvement in
the arts. Now entering its fourth decade as one of the most influential
performing arts centers in the United States, DTW has supported
three generations of artists that have included Mark Morris, Bill
T. Jones, Susan Marshall, Donald Byrd, Whoopi Goldberg & Bill Irwin.
Founded
in 1976, Boston Lyric Opera (BLO) is North America's fastest growing
opera company, dedicated to providing audiences with fully staged,
high quality productions of varied repertoire featuring young, world-class
singers, conductors, directors and designers. 
The
historic Shubert Theater is a not-for profit arts, education, and
community institution situated in downtown New Haven, Connecticut.
In the early days, the Schubert served as a tryout house for many
of BroadwayÍs biggest hits including South Pacific, The King and
I, A Streetcar Named Desire and A Long DayÍs Journey Into Night.
The Shubert currently plays host to touring productions of Broadway
shows, concert events and community programming. 
The
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS), designated in 1992,
is a Federally protected marine area offshore of California's central
coast. It is the nation's eleventh Marine Sanctuary and its largest
- larger then Yosemite or Yellowstone National Parks. It is home
to one of the most diverse marine ecosystems in the world, including
33 species of marine mammals, 94 species of seabirds, 345 species
of fishes, and numerous invertebrates and plants. 
The
area surrounding Riverwalk Park in downtown Fort Lauderdale is home
to six museums, five historical properties on the National Register,
four performing arts facilities, more than a dozen public artworks,
an award-winning research library, three universities, a 3D IMAX
theater and a wealth of shopping and dining establishments. Development
of the Riverwalk area accelerated over the past decade, with over
$200 million invested in new public facilities. A great deal of
additional commercial and residential development is currently underway,
all within walking distance of Riverwalk. For a variety of reasons,
however, Riverwalk is under-utilized as a "downtown destination"
and under-leveraged as an economic asset.
One
of New York City’s landmark tourist attractions, the Intrepid
Sea-Air-Space Museum facility consists of the de-commissioned U.S.S.
Intrepid aircraft carrier, the missile submarine Growler, and the
fleet destroyer Edson, all permanently docked at 46th Street and
the West Side Highway in Manhattan. Exhibits include a Lockheed
A-12 Blackbird reconnaissance jet (the world’s fastest aircraft)
and numerous other historic aircraft, artifacts, and exhibits.
The
League of American Theaters and Producers is the national trade
association for the commercial theatre industry. The League, in
cooperation with its member organizations, retained AMS/Audience
Insight to manage a nationwide research effort to develop profiles
of Broadway subscribers and single ticket buyers. Working with Claritas/National
Decision Systems, Audience Insight geo-coded and segmented several
hundred thousand addresses into selected groups with similar demographic
and lifestyle characteristics.
In
1993, the National Museum of Natural History, a component of the
Smithsonian Institution, was planning a renovation of its Gem and
Mineral Hall. Museum management wished to evaluate the possibility
of organizing a touring exhibition of the gem and mineral collection
during the renovation. AMS/Audience Insight was was hired to ascertain
the level of interest in such a tour.