Spring Conference 2007
You're The Ones That We Want: The Future of Musical Theatre Marketing
March 16, 2007 7:30 - March 19, 2007 4:00 pm
The Hilton Resort at Walt Disney World® 1751 Hotel Plaza Boulevard Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Spring Conference 2007, held in sunny Orlando, Florida, focused on Marketing – sessions included workshops and presentations on:
- advertising
- subscription marketing plan case studies
- customer loyalty
- maximizing community relationships to market shows
- marketing to diverse demographics
- cutting-edge marketing technology
and other topics that speak to current challenges in marketing Musical Theatre.
The centerpiece of the Conference was a 3-hour workshop on customer loyalty tailored specifically to NAMT member organizations by the Disney Institute (a $200 value per person), which included a take-away workbook covering the workshop’s concepts, strategies, and philosophies. Valuable networking opportunities were worked in throughout the schedule, and there was plenty of entertainment.
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED:
- Friday: Opening cocktail and dessert party at a private viewing area for the Epcot® IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth fireworks display. (Event begins 8PM.)
- Saturday: Keynote Speaker Drew Hodges of Spotco Theatrical Advertising; session creating innovative, effective subscription campaigns; session for sharing challenge and success stories; Disney Institute program on customer loyalty (take-away workbook included); networking cocktail party and entertainment at Adventurers Club.
- Sunday: Networking bus to Daytona Beach (1 hour) with beverages provided; tour of Daytona Beach’s new News-Journal Center; session on “Strengthening Your Brand With Community Partnerships”; Showcase performance TBA; open evening with dining and entertainment options.
- Monday: Annual Membership Meeting; sessions on marketing innovations and coming up with a strong marketing plan for targeted demographics; Finding Nemo: The Musical (songs by Avenue Q’s Robert Lopez and Along The Way’s Kristen Anderson-Lopez). (Conference ends by 4PM.)
The Value of the NAMT Spring Conference
member Tommy Scallen (Chanhassen Dinner Theatres) said:
“I firmly believe in trade associations like NAMT. While I don’t always realize the value immediately, I get an idea or make a contact that easily justifies my membership, and the last five meetings have paid for themselves. So, I make the effort to ensure I can attend the sessions. It’s also a great way to connect with the theatre community across the country, to see and hear what’s happening in the marketplace. It’s good to have a handle on the heartbeat of the industry and our association with NAMT helps us do just that.”
Agenda
FRIDAY, MARCH 16
7:45PM
Bus leaves the Hilton Resort at Walt Disney World® for Epcot® Cocktail Party
Entire group *must* travel and arrive together for party
Please Note: transporation bus to party leaves the Hilton at 8PM. This is the only way to attend the party. Meeting Place: Hilton Convention Circle
8:30PM-9:30PM
Conference Kickoff Cocktail and Dessert Party and IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth Fireworks Display
sponsored by East of Doheny
Epcot® Park, France Lower Terrace
We start the weekend with a bang! Connect with friends old and new over drinks and desserts at a private area reserved for NAMT only, and then enjoy a perfect view of the extraordinary IllumiNations fireworks display from our exclusive location. Epcot® will remain open to us until midnight, giving NAMT members free reign to enjoy the World Showcase at your leisure.
SATURDAY, MARCH 17
The Hilton Resort at Walt Disney World®
8AM-9AM
Conference Registration and Continental Breakfast
Palm Foyer
9AM-9:15AM
Welcome
John Breckenridge, NAMT President
Kathy Evans, NAMT Executive Director
Palm Ballroom 3
9:15AM-10AM
Keynote Speaker: Drew Hodges – President, Spotco Theatrical Advertising
Palm Ballroom 3
Spotco Theatrical Advertising represents such hit musicals as Rent, Avenue Q, Chicago,The Color Purple, Sweet Charity, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and others. Drew Hodges, President of Spotco and Director of Creative Services, speaks to the NAMT membership about marketing trends and shares with us specific success stories, lets us know how Spotco has successfully marketed shows to a young demographic (Rent), and shares practical marketing tools that the NAMT members can use now to get terrific results selling subscriptions and single tickets. Visit www.spotnyc.com for more information about Spotco and Mr. Hodges.
10AM-10:30AM
Coffee Break
Palm Foyer
10:30AM-11:30AM
“Marketing Speed-Dating”
Palm Ballroom 3
This fast-paced ice-breaker introduces you to the rest of the conference attendees and starts our weekend-long dialogue about what marketing challenges NAMT members face and also what strategies are leading to success.
11:30AM-12:30P
“Innovative Marketing Using Traditional Tools: Walnut Street Theatre Case Study”
Mark Sylvester (Managing Director, Walnut Street Theatre) and Ralph Weeks (Marketing Director, Walnut Street Theatre)
Palm Ballroom 3
Philadelphia’s Walnut Street Theatre has 50,000+ subscribers, and they will share their theories on a successful subscription marketing plan with the other NAMT members in this presenation, which includes handouts.
12:45PM-2PM
Lunch
sponsored by The 5th Avenue Theatre
Hilton Poolside (weather permitting)
2:30PM-5:30PM
Disney Institute Customer Loyalty Program for Theatres and Producers
Palm Ballroom 3
Sharon Conroy, Content Specialist
This 3-hour intensive shares the secrets of how to create relationships with customers that keep them coming back. A take-away workbook which includes all the concepts and strategies discussed in the session as well as room for your notes, is included. A $200 value per person.
6:30PM-8:30PM
Networking Cocktail Party
sponsored by Dallas Summer Musicals
Adventurer’s Club, Pleasure Island
Group walks to Adventurers Club together, meeting 6:15PM at Palm Ballroom
with hearty hors d’oeuvres and entertainment.
Evening
Open Evening with suggested activities
NAMT Conference Registrants have access to discount tickets for the weekend of the Conference, including special “after 4PM” tickets to each of the theme parks! Purchase discounted tickets at www.disneyconventionears.com. In addition, guests at The Hilton Resort at Walt Disney World® get “after hours” or “early hours” access to a difference theme park each day.
More activity options coming soon!
SUNDAY, MARCH 18
10AM-11:15AM
Networking Bus to Daytona Beach
Refreshments provided.
11:30AM-12:30PM
Welcome and Tour of News-Journal Center
Home of Seaside Music Theater
12:45PM-2PM
Lunch
sponsored by Seaside Music Theater News-Journal Center Lobby
2PM-3PM
“Strenghtening Your Brand With Community Partnerships”
Julia Tuilo, Moderator (Managing Director, Seaside Music Theater)
With Jay Adams (President, News-Journal Center project board), Julie Rand (General Manager, News-Journal Center), and Earl Weaver (Coordinator of Musical Theatre, NAMT Member University of Central Florida)
The leadership of NAMT member organization Seaside Music Theater shares how they’ve transformed their brand via strong, mutually-beneficial relationships with their resident partners at the News-Journal Center. Among their partners are other Daytona Beach-area cultural organizations, and NAMT affiliate member University of Central Florida.
3:15PM-4:15PM
Showcase Performance sponsored by Seaside Music Theater Gillespy Theater
4:30PM-5:45PM
Networking Bus to Orlando
Refreshments provided.
Evening
Open Evening with suggested activities
NAMT Conference Registrants have access to discount tickets for the weekend of the Conference, including special “after 4PM” tickets to each of the theme parks! Purchase discounted tickets at www.disneyconventionears.com. In addition, guests at The Hilton Resort at Walt Disney World® get “after hours” or “early hours” access to a difference theme park each day.
More activity options coming soon!
MONDAY, MARCH 19
9:30AM-11:30AM
Breakfast and Annual Membership Meeting
*NAMT Members Only*
sponsored by Theatre Under the Stars Palm Ballroom 3
11:30AM-12:30PM
“Member Marketing Innovations”
Bernie Griffin, Facilitator (Director of Development, The 5th Avenue Theatre)
Palm Ballroom 3
NAMT members share their specific marketing success stories to give you new ideas for strategies, techniques, and ideas that you can implement at your organization.
12:30PM-1:30PM
“20 Minutes to Better Marketing”
Palm Ballroom 3
This workshop session challenges break-out small groups to work together to come up with innovative strategies to market an assigned show to a target audience. Get new ideas from other NAMT members that you can take back to your theatre to get great results.
1:30PM-2PM
Coffee and Snacks Break
Palm Foyer
2:45PM
Bus leave Hilton for Finding Nemo: The Musical
Entire group *must* travel and arrive together for performance
Meeting Place: Hilton Convention Circle
3PM-4PM
Finding Nemo: The Musical
Check out the new Walt Disney World® stage musical FINDING NEMO, with songs by Avenue Q’s Robert Lopez and Along The Way‘s Kristen Anderson-Lopez. Walt Disney Entertainment hosts the NAMT members, and brings us up close and personal with some fantastically innovative stagecraft. There will be a talk-back following the 35 minute presentation with Director of Creative Development for Disney Entertainment, Reed Jones and Nemo show director Marsha Jackson-Randolph. We’ll hear about the development of this new musical, which is based on the hit movie of the same title. Read more about FINDING NEMO!
4PM
Bus returns to Hilton
END OF CONFERENCE
This page was last updated on 02/27/2015