Philippe Magid
Marketing Manager, Australian Ballet

How many souls are there in the marketing department?
We have a team of four.  Direct Marketer coordinates all direct mail, email, web, groups and other key below-the-line marketing activity.  Our Campaign marketer coordinates all above the line campaigns including print, TV, radio, all brochures/collateral and is also involved in planning photo shoots which are an important part of the brand.  We also have a marketing assistant, who supports the team and also is quite involved in analysis, especially post performances reports on all marketing activity.

How exactly do you go about marketing a ballet company? What are the major strands to your strategy?
We often begin with a photo shoot which we run with our design agency. These shoots are important as they drive the look of the campaign.  We then work with our agency which prepares the draft concepts that we take through to collateral (DL flyers and posters, a tvc if required etc,).  Direct mail and email are important in the early stages of the campaign. This is first done to our own database first and often followed by campaigns to other arts companies based on key segments and maybe purchased lists.  We follow this with a print advertising campaign (which incorporates mainstream newspapers and glossies) and depending on the season that we are selling we may also do TV and radio.  We also do targeted street distribution of our posters and flyers.

You recently rebranded? Why? How did you go about deciding what you wanted from the exercise? Did you achieve it?

It was time to restate the company’s reinvigorated sense of purpose and unique personality. The previous logo launched in 1997.

Recent changes to marketing communications and media relations are also attracting attention and underscoring a sense that things are changing.

A refreshed corporate identity to consolidate and strengthen these perceptions was needed.

Our new brand identity is based around outstanding images of our artists: the dancers say it all.

Typographic treatments are simple and designed to complement and support the photography.

It combines a typographic treatment that is a simple evolution of recent corporate typography (based on the Walbaum typeface), with the addition of two, silver interlocked curves.

These interlocking rings represent

• Two entwined entities: partnering and collaboration
• Circular forms: creativity and informality
• Infinity: a link to tradition and to the timeless qualities of ballet
• Curved lines that lead continually from one into the other: movement

A bold abstract mark was selected to

• Reflect a contemporary outlook
• Project confidence
• Complement both traditional and contemporary dance photography and messages
• Stand out clearly from peers and competitors

All that symbolism sounds expensive. Anyhow we hear that subscriptions are up this year. How much of the credit belongs to you and your team?

We have had a good start to the year with subscriptions.  It’s due to a wide range of reasons.  We implemented key learnings from research with lapsed 2006 subscribers and existing subscribers and have since included:

• New subscriber card and benefits
• introduction of Seniors pricing
• Introduction of Midweek Matinees
• Ongoing single ticket discounts
• Discounted programmes
• Extension of Child price to 17 and Youth to 26
• Revision of imagery and tone
• Must see repertoire - new blockbuster The Nutcracker
• More directed messages across all communication platforms
• The Age brochure in Melbourne
• Outdoor Campaign
• Exclusive priority bookings for Matthew Bourne Swan Lake and Paris Opera Ballet
• Enhanced flexibility

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Have you indulged any less conventional marketing strategies? Product placement? Street teams giving away free AB Cola? Posters above urinals that sort of thing?
Nothing too unconventional…although recently Angelina Ballerina (the full life-size mouse) joined us for an event and we plan to a few more special campaigns with her…

Is there a temptation to rely too heavily on mainstream advertising?
There can be but and we are constantly looking at ways to vary the spend.  We need the mainstream advertising but are also investing in our direct approach. 

What demographic data do you have on your subscribers?
We know their age, how long they have been a subscriber for, the ballets that they prefer, their interests (outside of ballet), how many children they have (and their age), what other arts companies they subscribe to, how they came to be a subscriber.  We are currently planning to implement a new CRM system which will give us greater detail.

We endlessly hear of established arts companies seeking younger audiences. Is this an AB priority? If so how are you going about achieving this goal?
It’s a priority but not on the top of the list.  Our most emerging market is empty nesters/baby boomers and that’s where we see most of growth.

You’ve come from the private sector where you were marketing information and publishing products. Now you’ve landed in the arts. What’s the biggest difference between the sectors?
Plenty…
The luxury of working at the ballet is that we have a great product and imagery to work with.  The corporate sector is better resourced, although we are not doing too badly at The Australian Ballet.  The people are also a little different.

Is there anything in particular that each sector could learn from the other?
I was very impressed when I landed at the ballet as the structure works and also most things are planned and implemented extremely well.  The corporate sector could learn about how to squeeze every $$ out of budgets.  The arts do this very well.  The corporate sector also seems to find ways to spend more time reviewing, reflecting and analysing what works what doesn’t.  This can be attributed to the lack of resources within arts companies but its something that we certainly need to be doing more,

Finally; is it true that when promoted to soloist the lady dancers have their buns permanently stapled in?
No, we actually use a nail gun…they are used to the pain.

Visit the Australian Ballet site.