Digital Marketing Campaign
“Arora was appointed as the digital marketing media partner for The Promise – On Stage theatre tour. They provided an outstanding service and supplied a highly professional team that took care of strategy, implementation, and feedback. In addition to this, their understanding of the brand plus their creativity and execution of design, copy, and layout was outstanding. A true world-class company which we would highly recommend.”
Grant Eglin, Producer
LET’S SHINE SOME LIGHT ON THE MATTER
The Promise – On Stage emerged as a theatrical sensation, marking a significant cultural moment in South Africa. This stage production, based on Damon Galgut’s Booker Prize-winning novel The Promise, made its world premiere in Cape Town in September 2023, captivating audiences with its compelling narrative and stellar performances.
Through collaborative marketing efforts, the show garnered rave reviews and experienced a series of sold-out performances, prompting a move to The Market Theatre in Johannesburg for a strictly limited run concluding on the 5th of November 2023. Helmed by the internationally acclaimed director Sylvaine Strike, the production boasted a star-studded South African cast and creative team.
Arora Online was privileged to get in on the action too. Our role involved curating a comprehensive online strategy to maximize visibility, engage audiences, and drive ticket sales. Our approach was multifaceted, encompassing various digital channels and tactics to ensure a seamless and captivating online presence.
THE LIGHT BULB MOMENT
The first step in our strategy was to draw inspiration from the world’s best theatre companies. What is the key to speaking to a theatre-loving audience via social media to keep them interested, engaged, and ready to arrive on opening night? What is the best way to run digital ads in this industry? Arora Online specialises in marketing for theatre (our top tips in this blog article), but for a Booker Prize-winning novel being adapted for the stage by the author and South Africa’s finest director… time to pull out all the stops.
We leveraged social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and the vibrant world of TikTok, showcasing captivating behind-the-scenes glimpses, interviews with the cast and crew, and teaser trailers. The content was regularly shared throughout the campaign to generate anticipation and buzz. Additionally, we utilized Linktree to serve as a central hub for information, ticket purchases, and the latest media releases.
Tag teaming with our paid media team who ensure the content reached the intended audience, word spread about the production like wildfire. Google Ads also played a pivotal role in the online success converting traffic to ticket sales. This was accomplished by strategically placing targeted advertisements across the vast Google network. We implemented a comprehensive Google Ads campaign, utilizing search, display, and YouTube ads to reach potential audiences actively searching for entertainment options. Our in-house designed display ads benefited from captivating shots of the highly acclaimed, recognisable cast members and punchy call-to-actions to capture the attention of viewers and drive mass awareness.
Our search ads focused on compelling ad copy driving traffic to the ticket sales pages, while professional video footage of the rehearsals and trailer were promoted on YouTube further emphasizing the production quality.
On the other hand, our email marketing strategy was a key driver in building a direct and personalized connection with the audience. Through carefully crafted email campaigns, we delivered exclusive content and special promotions to subscribers. Our segmented approach allowed us to tailor messages based on user preferences, ensuring a higher likelihood of conversion.
YOU CAN’T MAKE LIGHT OF THESE STATS
As the curtains fell on “The Promise – On Stage,” the glow of success was evident in the campaign’s social media and Google ads statistics:
Social:
- Total Reach: 1,023,839
- Total Engagements: 447,698
- Total Video Views: 277,196
- Average Cost per Mile: R13.15
- Average Cost per Click: R0.52
Google Ads:
- Total Clicks: 2 437
- Total Impressions: 142 618
- Average Click Through Rate: 9.18%
- Average Cost Per Click: R3.33
- Average Cost Per Mile: R51.27
These metrics not only reflect the campaign’s online impact but also highlight the synergy between Arora Online’s strategic approach and the cultural phenomenon that was The Promise – On Stage. The show’s ultimate marker of success is the fact that tickets sold out in the final days of both the Cape Town and Joburg runs.
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