Built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, the original Globe Theatre lasted some 14 years before being destroyed by a fire on 29 June 1613 during a performance of Henry VIII. A theatrical cannon, set off during the performance, misfired, igniting the wooden beams and thatching. It was rebuilt in the following year.
Like all the other theatres in London, the Globe was closed down by the Puritans in 1642. It was pulled down in 1644–45 (the commonly cited document dating the act to 15 April 1644 has been identified as a probable forgery) to make room for tenements.
Fast forward to the 20th century when, in 1949, founder Sam Wanamaker visited London with a mission to find the site of the original Globe, and was surprised to find only a small plaque commemorating the site. In 1970 Sam set out to build a reconstruction of Shakespeare’s original Globe on Bankside. He founded the Shakespeare Globe Trust in 1971 with a mission to recreate the 1599 amphitheatre as accurately as he possibly could. Despite many obstacles, Sam persevered with his ambition for two decades when in 1997 the Globe Theatre was opened by Her Majesty the Queen. Our luxury digital marketing agency had the pleasure of visiting The Globe to see a stellar performance of The Tempest which led us to examine their marketing efforts that draw from over 500 years of history.
Rebrand
With footfall low and attendances dwindling, in 2015, Shakespeare's Globe decided it needed to understand its different audiences, visitors and participants much better and approached branding agency morris, hargreaves, mcintyre. Examining the set up of the Globe the agency explored how to unite the three revenue and cultural strands which made up the offerings of the theatre. Identifying the problem thusly, “The problem was this - Shakespeare's Globe was operating almost as three entirely separate entities: Globe Theatre, Globe Education and Globe Tour & Exhibition. Each had its own teams, sub-brands, logos, data systems and processes but there was no agreed or articulated shared understanding of what Shakespeare's Globe - as a whole - was for.”
Using the notion of a brand being more than logos, fonts or visuals the agency explored the DNA of The Globe to develop the rebrand. Evaluating and consulting with staff, the company The brand's tenets – harnessing curiosity and learning, in unique spaces, performing, Shakespeare for all – brought together all three Globe missions (Education, Tour, and Theatre).
The new visual identity had to respect and reflect the complexity of Shakespeare's work and needed the Globe's cause running through and it had to close the brand gap - keeping the Essence audience engaged while drawing in, exciting and inspiring a new Simulation audience.
Using the last complete piece of oak from the new building's construction, the designers created a printing block in the 20-sided shape of the theatre. Shakespeare's Globe’s new visual identity marries old and new, embraces experimentation, reflects the Globe's unique spaces, and – in its authenticity and inclusivity – resonates with both Essence and Stimulation groups.
The 'We are One Globe' can be found in the marketing of The Globe. For the first time the Globe's Summer 2018 season brochure contains all activity from its three houses. Events are interwoven by theme rather than department. The brochure's page on Othello is not followed by another theatrical production but by the public education Shakespeare and Race week, curated by the research team.
Armed with the new branding and understanding of the audiences closest to their cause, the Globe's marketing team has set about attacking the perception gap in Stimulation non-attenders.
Local targeting
One of the biggest issues that Shakespeare’s Globe faces with regards to its marketing is a miniscule budget. As an educational charity it receives no annual government subsidy, largely making money from its theatre tours, box office sales and donations.
Instead of spending money on above-the-line advertising, such as billboards that could easily be ignored or go unseen, the Globe chose to use more advanced targeting to reach tourists, increase footfall and subsequent ticket sales to the theatre.
It used GPS, geo-location techniques and programmatic buying to pinpoint advertising messages to mobile phones near Bankside and within a one-mile radius of competing sights, including the London Eye, Big Ben and the Tower of London.
In order to prevent the potential wastage of marketing spend, it also drilled down to country level, narrowing down the target audience to tourists from Spain, France, United States, Germany and China where the Globe had previously seen ticket sale success.
Finally, marketing messages were also sent to tourists logging into partnering hotel Wi-Fi either early morning or late in the evening, when they were presumably planning their holiday activities.
Online Offerings
Moving into the digital realm, the website is a treasure trove of content and is the starting point for the Globe’s omnichannel approach to connecting and reaching audiences. Aside from its booking function, the website reflects the company’s promotion of its three strands: Globe Theatre, Globe Education and Globe Tour & Exhibition. There is a focus on both current and forthcoming productions and - in particular - the menu does a great job of keeping current productions in front of the audience with its “What’s On” function.
Each production has its own hub which features reviews, the cast, photos and videos. In particular, the visual offering is exceptional allowing a behind the scenes look into the rehearsal as well as academic readings and insights. It is here that the company particularly excels through its immersive wealth of information.
Elsewhere we find access to the online shop, membership packages and educational offerings. Keeping within the ecosystem, visitors are also able to gain access to the Globe Player which allows users to stream new titles and old favourites. The website is a powerful example of teh careful balance needed between monetizing content and driving sales - either through the shop or booking - with free educational content and resources without the user feeling like they have to pay for something to enjoy the website and gain value.
Social media is used to great effect through production stills, images of the iconic venue and daily postings. Tailoring each message to each platform we see similar content being spread across the channels. Taking advantage of the immediate nature and accessibility of social media, The Globe also take advantage of the shop features on both Instagram and Facebook allowing followers to purchase directly and easily.
Last, but not least, the YouTube channel is a carefully curated miz of live performances, insights and behind the scenes allow it to be both a resource and a source of entertainment. Tackling the famous works of The Bard and looking at modern readings of current issues such as climate change, the channel allows the community to enjoy a plethora of content relating to the writer.
One thing that is for certain is The Globe’s commitment to its online offerings, its brand and its ability to bring the author to life with engaging content is as admirable as it is inspiring. For more information on our luxury marketing agency, SEO, PPC or social media management contact our team via hello@theluxurymarketingagency.com.
