How to promote ballet

[JNC]

I don’t think a thread on this already exists although I know it’s been discussed in various threads, I didn’t want to put this in the Swan Lake thread so here goes - 

 

I’ve seen quite a few instagram posts recently by ROH and also someone else (a younger “influencer”) promoting visiting ROH as they received tickets to see Swan Lake (it’s unclear whether the tickets were gratis or not but the wording and “thanks” and obligatory social media posting jointly indicates they were).

 

I’ve always been a big supporter or the Young ROH scheme that provides discounted tickets for younger people (no it’s not means tested because the admin for that wouldn’t make it worthwhile) to get them seeing something they might not have seen with the intention of building lifelong customers. I’m also not against ROH using social media to promote themselves in this day and age.

 

But I can’t help but feel a bit annoyed at ROH (presumably) gifting free tickets to influencers to promote ballet, or at least Swan Lake. When tickets are so expensive for the general public and they haven’t done a good job promoting the current MacMillan bill, and when Swan Lake will a sell itself, it feels poorly thought through. 

 

If this was simply people who had paid for their tickets I’d be less annoyed perhaps. (I’d be interested to know how they selected these individuals as well.) And if tickets were gifted for the MacMillan bill I’d also be less annoyed (as heaven knows that could have done with more promoting particularly to a younger audience who are certainly less likely to be familiar with MacMillan as it’s been a while since these works were on stage). And I also find the “influencer” nature of these posts a bit annoying actually - all dressed up. This risks putting off “normal” people who don’t have “fancy” clothes and seems to risk a stereotype that ROH isn’t for them? 
 

Perhaps I’m wrong to be so annoyed but when I can barely afford tickets anymore the fact they’re giving them away to influencers to promote a well known ballet and promote an image of ROH as a “glamorous” place where you have to look a certain way has irked me. Nothing wrong with ROH being glamorous but it’s more the way they’re trying to market themselves as perhaps more “exclusive” and less for the ordinary people. This also buys into ROH being a special treat - it totally is and at current prices it has to be, but this is also (unintentionally or not) at odds with normal people attending regularly because they love ballet rather than a one-off visit for social media…? 
 

I guess it all boils down to what is ROH’s PR strategy when the MacMillan bill has been poorly promoted (both for in person and cinema streams) with still 100+ tickets available each date left and they’re giving our free tickets to a ballet that is mostly sold out (I’m actually surprised to see there are tickets available for remaining dates, this would never have happened prior to the increase in prices I feel). I suppose you could argue they’re promoting the second run that goes on sale next week but I’d rather instead of gifting tickets to a well known ballet they got a better strategy for people to be interested in lesser known works and also made ROH feel a place you could go to regularly not a one-off big social media event! 

Just interested to others’ thoughts as to whether I’m just bitter (!) or if their social media / PR strategy needs a rethink…!

[Roberta]

I fully feel your annoyance, which you have described so well. 

 

HOWEVER I suspect the marketing strategy of giving tickets to these 'influencers' is that they have many thousands of followers and so, one post on social media via free tickets is considered cost effective in terms of reach.  Oldies like me are not going to be influenced too readily, but younger people clearly are. 

 

As for the clothes, I haven't seen the posts so can't comment, I suppose that is out of the hands of the ROH once tickets are given but these 'influencers' know their own audience and what attracts attention. I used to quite enjoy getting 'a bit poshed up' for a night out at the ballet to be honest, it made it more special, it is special, and used to be the norm though I'm not talking evening dress and tiara; however, I really have no care what others wear and prefer bums on seats in work clothes to empty seats. 

 

I don't know how effective a strategy this is in the long term, though I suppose the ROH marketing team try to keep up with the times I can see no way of monitoring how many people do actually buy tickets as a result of these influencer postings. 

 

[FionaM]

Regarding Swan Lake … all dates in the first run were sold out, so any availability now is returns.  I’m always grateful for these late returns, and have often taken advantage.

 

I don’t have a problem with ROH using influencers to reach a new audience.  The marketing of Swan Lake will overflow … the psychology being that an interested person finding Swan Lake to be sold out will get the idea that RB shows are popular, and, that they better book the next thing quickly.  
 

I also don’t have a problem with the influencer being glamorous.  The ROH is a place of beauty … both the building and the performances.  We all have enough grimness in our ordinary lives that dressing up for a night out is good for our mental health.  Young people are savvy enough to create their own look without going to the expense of the influencer’s products.

[capybara]

Such an important issue!

 

The ROH needs a re-think where it’s social media input is concerned (as part of an overall PR strategy which seems to be missing).

[FionaM]

Just now, Roberta said:

 

I don't know how effective a strategy this is in the long term, though I suppose the ROH marketing team try to keep up with the times I can see no way of monitoring how many people do actually buy tickets as a result of these influencer postings. 

 

this is what a survey to ticket purchasers should find out … not just where did you hear about the show, answer ‘via social media’ … but which type of entity on social media.   Their surveys aren’t clever enough yet. 

[Roberta]

Just now, FionaM said:

Their surveys aren’t clever enough yet. 

 

I think this is a problem yes!  

 

Also I can't be alone in rarely responding to surveys. 

[Tango Dancer]

6 minutes ago, FionaM said:

 

I also don’t have a problem with the influencer being glamorous.  The ROH is a place of beauty … both the building and the performances.  We all have enough grimness in our ordinary lives that dressing up for a night out is good for our mental health.  Young people are savvy enough to create their own look without going to the expense of the influencer’s products.

 

Yes I enjoy getting dressed up sometimes for an evening at the ballet / theatre sometimes.  I mean sometimes I go straight from work in my work clothes (suit or trousers and a smart top) but if I am staying overnight or coming directly from home it's quite nice to dress up a bit.  I mean not tiara and evening dress but a nice pair of black trousers and a silky blouse or a dress in the summer.  It's part of the fun of making it an occasion that you dress up (obviously this is just my opinion and view for myself and I don't mind what other people do).    

Edited March 23 by Tango Dancer

[jmhopton]

9 minutes ago, capybara said:

Such an important issue!

 

The ROH needs a re-think where it’s social media input is concerned (as part of an overall PR strategy which seems to be missing).

 

Yes, what is the overall PR strategy at the ROH? Are they solely dependent on social media? Some attractive posters outside/inside the building/bus stops/tubes may attract new viewers/tourists or perhaps re connect to previous ones who may not have been for a while. Perhaps a clip from the Macmillan Insight in the cafe area might help.  It's a pity they don't seem to do many of the attractive posters they used to (too expensive?) I've got 3 lovely posters; of Alina in Giselle, Acosta/Nunez in Fille, and Putrov/Marquez in Cinderella. These are immediately attention grabbing and attractive and would encourage anyone to go and see these productions. Occasionally you do see posters in tube stations and they had a Cinderella London bus for the new production but today they seem mainly dependent on social media which is presumably where they think their 'new audience' will come from. A bit more attention to affordable ticket prices might make them retain more regulars who are being priced out of the art form they love.

[Roberta]

I will confess to a small collection of vintage 'evening bags' and a peek inside them will reveal the odd theatre ticket stub (long before the days of online tickets and phones) even a proper hanky nicely ironed, with a dab of scent.  I used to scour antique shops for these, and it gave an excuse to use them. (This is before the days of Ebay.) 

 

With influencers, presumably they are promoting the clothes (which they will get free) so showing those off and associating them with the ROH is sound marketing all round. 

 

I still do appreciate the annoyance however, when regulars are being priced out to see others given a freebie is galling.  We can only hope this works in pulling in a new audience of regulars. 

Edited March 23 by Roberta

[RobR]

I fully understand the ‘dressing up’ issue. 
 

The jeans I wear to the ROH are generally newer than those I wear to the National Theatre 🤪

[Roberta]

7 minutes ago, RobR said:

The jeans I wear to the ROH are generally newer than those I wear to the National Theatre

 

That really is dressing appropriately for the place and occasion. 

[zxDaveM]

Just a thought - I can understand why they'd try and get newbies in to see Swan Lake (hence the marketing efforts) as I reckon that life-long fans are more likely to be acquired watching one of the big classics, than something like Different Drummer (think that's one for those who are die hard fans already!)

[FionaM]

https://www.instagram.com/p/C40i9MSIhgt/?igsh=dDdncGxzbDUwdGli
 

This influencer is dressed up as a ballerina in the ROH … and clearly isn’t one.   This offends me.  

[Roberta]

11 minutes ago, FionaM said:

This influencer is dressed up as a ballerina in the ROH … and clearly isn’t one.   This offends me.  

 

Oh well. I hope the tutu was a scratchy one. She does look rather daft but if it brings publicity, and a new audience, I'll not quibble. 

 

Nearly 13,000 likes and who knows how many more views?  It's basically a photoshoot. 

Edited March 23 by Roberta

[Tango Dancer]

25 minutes ago, FionaM said:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C40i9MSIhgt/?igsh=dDdncGxzbDUwdGli
 

This influencer is dressed up as a ballerina in the ROH … and clearly isn’t one.   This offends me.  

 

My goodness that outfit is not flattering and doesn't look great.  I mean I get it on the one hand.  I wear the pinkest sparkly legwarmers I can sometimes and pink tights and a pink scrunchie when I do my ballet class (especially online classes) to indulge my inner 6 year old and feel like a real ballerina instead of a middle aged office worker.  But I don't think it's really good to dress up in a tutu when attending the ballet if you're not a small child.    It kind of feels inappropriate and disrespectful to the professional performers you're going to see.  

Edited March 23 by Tango Dancer

[TSR101]

Surely more annoying for those seated next to her!

[bridiem]

23 minutes ago, FionaM said:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C40i9MSIhgt/?igsh=dDdncGxzbDUwdGli
 

This influencer is dressed up as a ballerina in the ROH … and clearly isn’t one.   This offends me.  

 

It's ridiculous; and how does she fit in a seat wearing a tutu?! Or did she take it off before sitting down? Actually, I don't really want to think about it any more...

[capybara]

26 minutes ago, FionaM said:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C40i9MSIhgt/?igsh=dDdncGxzbDUwdGli
 

This influencer is dressed up as a ballerina in the ROH … and clearly isn’t one.   This offends me.  

It feels to me almost as if the ROH is taking the pxxs out of one of the art forms it houses.

[Roberta]

I suspect the tutu wearing was for the the publicity shots outside the auditorium, she possibly wasn't wearing it in her seat?

 

It's for fun, it's for publicity, it's for young people. Clearly she knows her audience.  I hope it works. 

[JNC]

Glad I’ve sparked some conversation!

 

I’ll clarify that yes I’m very happy that ROH is a “glamorous” place and I have no issue with people dressing smartly - I just want ROH to publicise people dressed “normally” every now and again so people don’t feel they *have* to dress up (by all means do so if you wish and I often admire those who have made the effort to do so!).

 

I actually think this marketing would have been better for the lesser known works not Swan Lake - yes I accept Swan Lake as a “gateway” to other works. But why not show them seeing the MacMillan triple - with a comment about how ballet isn’t just tutus and that the MacMillan works are very interesting and moving (or something like that). That could then spark more interest in those to book now? 
 

Also I appreciate social media is just one arrow in the quiver of an overall strategy (so to speak). But there have been 3 such posts in the last 2 days. For MacMillan, they did one 3 days ago with a photo. Then one a week ago - a short behind the scenes clip but to be honest the colours are greys and blacks (not a criticism as it’s a rehearsal but it does look less engaging on a quick scroll then a photo from the production itself or those of the influencers in the beautiful ROH building with all the red). 
 

I guess I don’t have the data for what “works” but I think I’m just concerned that because the MacMillan hasn’t sold well they’ll continue to reduce the repertoire and focus on “blockbuster” ballets and claim it’s because they don’t sell well. But if you don’t put in the same effort (or admittedly more as these ballets are not household names like SL, Nutcracker etc) if just seems a losing battle!

 

I think I’m also a bit wary that posts like this could encourage more use of cameras in the auditorium. Nothing wrong with that when the performance isn’t happening but it appears some people continue to struggle to understand where to draw the line. Appreciate I may be adding 2 and 2 to get 5 but I’m getting sick of the constant filming during performances and  it doesn’t help when dancers themselves share those posts on their social media stories (that’s for another thread though!). 

Edited March 23 by JNC

[JNC]

@jmhopton I agree beautifully designed posters are missed! Unfortunately they were before my time (all the recent ones have been photos photoshopped style which don’t appeal as much as the proper art designed ones).

 

I love seeing all the vintage posters in the corridor outside the amphitheatre - my favourites are Giselle (the blue background with a white drawing of Giselle jumping), Winter Dreams triple (I think? The one with Darcey, Viviana and one more under a veil), Giselle again as a black and white photo (it’s hard to go wrong with Giselle!), the beautiful cartoons of Elite Syncopations etc. As much as I like Nuñez I was disappointed with the Cinderella poster/art, if this had been a beautifully designed drawing or graphic I’d probably have bought one but the “behind the scenes”/fashion photoshoot with photoshopped flowers didn’t appeal to me.

 

I appreciate these take a bit of money to produce but it’s art supporting art (giving work to artists) and I suppose they wouldn’t need to do a new Swan Lake poster every 2 years (although why not). I’m sure people would buy them in the shop if they were priced reasonably - when you go to an art exhibition you can often pick up a poster for anything between £5-10 and they seem relatively popular. Then you can have print on demand as well as you’re not printing what you don’t sell. 

[Roberta]

The young person in the tutu  (property of Dr Claire Bash, and I think it's actually a pink sparkly basque and pull on) is from New York City and appears to be 'doing' a tour of various cities and promoting (to a younger age group than us) what you can do in London that is fun and with possibly an added bit of glamour! 

 

I don't think Different Drummer falls under the 'fun' category.  Sorry. 

 

I hope she had a lovely time.  I only wish I still had the legs to wear a tutu. Yes I too have a couple at the back of the wardrobe, very ancient. I think I might have joined her. 

Edited March 23 by Roberta

[Fonty]

Personally I think the tutu pictures look like lots of fun.  Love the furry leg warmers.  If it encourages a different, younger audience to see ballet in a less stuffy light I am all for it.  

 

I don't object to someone wearing jeans, and my long term friend and fellow ballet companion goes everywhere in a sweatshirt, black tracksuit bottoms and trainers.  I generally do dress more smartly for an evening out.  Makes it more of an occasion.  What I wear depends on the venue to a certain extent.  If a man wants to wear a dinner jacket and bow tie, or a woman a long dress, then go for it.  

Edited March 23 by Fonty

[OnePigeon]

I think my problem with the entire influencer promotion is the shallow, artificial and egocentric aspect to it.  Why would you wear a tutu to the ROH when you’re not a dancer?  They’re there to be seen, to show off their amazing lifestyles and not to actually promote the art form, but to promote themselves.  How often do you see glamorous young people there pouting for their selfies - they look ridiculous and it’s everything I abhor about the vapid, narcissistic society we live in right now.  It’s so unhealthy for people to be so wrapped up in their looks and outward appearance.  
 

I heard some young women on the train the other day bemoaning their lives because some influencer has their dream life, all the products they wish they could own, a gorgeous boyfriend and spends her weekends doing amazing things.  It’s a horrible, sad artifice and it has serious repercussions for people, especially if they’re emotionally vulnerable and it worries me greatly.   Put your phones away, stop thinking about yourselves and actually engage with the world and the art you have paid/been given a ticket for.  The more businesses and society engage with this form of narcissistic self publicity, the more it becomes viewed as totally normal.  It’s damaging to young people and I’m not ok with it.

[Roberta]

1 minute ago, OnePigeon said:

Why would you wear a tutu to the ROH when you’re not a dancer?

 

For fun? To help garner publicity for the ROH? Ballet is an entertainment after all. Being a little theatrical to promote a theatre is maybe OK every now and again.  (Sex and the City fans rejoice.) 

 

It actually is possible that the photos of the young person in question were taken when no-one was around in the main, only one photo seems to have been taken inside the auditorium and it is possible that the tutu had been replaced with something else by then.

 

If that is Dr Bash with her in the black tutu, she's no intellectual lightweight.

 

 

[LinMM]

Well obviously that tutu is for a publicity stunt only! 
If she were dressed for real like that it wouldn’t offend me ….I’d just be glad I wasn’t her and feel embarrassed for her naïveté as she’s too old to be going to the Ballet dressed like a 3-7 year old!! 
The only thing is will those she’s trying to “influence” take her too literally 🤔

 

In another lifetime Ive worn tutus to perform in but never did like them that much even when I was thin!! 

They are definitely for those under 35! 
You don’t even have to be overweight to not look good in them just a slight tummy and a little thicker around the knees can destroy the look!! 
 

I prefer the Juliet dress look myself!! 
 

If the ROH wants to attract younger people to ballet performances in this way why not use the many genuine students of ballet ( at RBS ENB Rambert and so on) for photoshoots and videos… only if wanted to take part of course. 
 

[Roberta]

I thought it was fun. It wasn't the usual vapid pouting social influencer stuff. I'd have happily have sat next to her and her friend in the theatre (so long as she had removed that scratchy tutu) and I suspect we'd have enjoyed a lovely evening at Swan Lake, and a good giggle in the intervals over a glass of something.   I may have worn something sparkly too. I like sparkly things. 

 

And I'm a very old person. I like fun. I love theatre. I am pleased when anyone promotes it. 

 

[LinMM]

I think if it was just for a few publicity shots you could say it was a bit of fun! 
However if she was seriously suggesting that young people should go dressed to the ballet like this then that would be to mislead! 
In the end I don’t care that much what people wear to the ballet if they feel comfortable with what they are wearing though probably pyjamas or beach wear or dressed up to look like the black swan might be a bit embarrassing to sit next to! 

[Scheherezade]

I have noticed recently - and I mean very recently - a number of young people, largely in the Floral/Paul Hamlyn Hall, glammed up to the nines. I don't know whether they are influencers and their friends, or people influenced by influencers, or whether suddenly, and entirely independently, noticeably larger numbers of young people have decided that they would like to attend performances at the ROH and dress up in a way that I can't say I have particularly noticed previously. I have nothing whatsoever against young people dressing up in this way, in fact I think that most of them look fabulous, but is this entirely coincidental and, if not, is it perhaps reinforcing the exclusivity tag? As regards influencers and their ilk, I have also seen Made in Chelsea people (no, my daughter recognised them, not me) posing up a storm in boxes during the intervals and whilst I may be barking up totally the wrong tree, it did lead me to wonder whether their tickets may have come courtesy of the Opera House. 

[Jane S]

Checking the 'What to Wear' section on the ROH website reveals there are only two rules:

 

1 You must wear shoes

 

2. You must be fully clothed

 

So most people should be able to find something, though 'fully clothed' may be open to interpretation.

 

Edited March 23 by Jane S

[FionaM]

Apparently the influencer has had a mountain of negative feedback from professional dancers.  

[Roberta]

If you look at the photos the audience at that performance is mainly young people, in the stalls.  That's interesting. The Instagram account holder (a student from the US in London) has over 61,000 followers on Insta and 70,000 on TikTok. The likes are increasing.  That's all good publicity.  

 

I note she and Dr Claire Bash are off to Sweden, hope they enjoy that also. 

[Roberta]

1 minute ago, FionaM said:

Apparently the influencer has had a mountain of negative feedback from professional dancers.

 

Really? Good grief. Dancers & other theatre people I've known through my life have been fun people in the main. A good laugh to be with. Maybe I've been lucky with my friends. 

 

If you can wear a purple meringue to Glyndebourne and that's fine (I used to get freebies, so I have seen what others wear, not you understand, that I have worn meringues) ) why not a sparkly tutu and fluffy legwarmers to the ROH?