Marketing Festivals Helen Palmer - palmersquared Avril Baker - Bristol International Festival of Kites & Air Creations

Helen Palmer - Festival experience: Manchester International Festival Cultureshock (Commonwealth Games NW Cultural Programme) Liverpool Biennial British Ceramics Biennial Shisha: Asian Triennial Manchester EuroPride Futuresonic Manchester Food & Drink Festival CPD for Cumbrian festivals including: Potfest, Maryport Blues Festival, Cumbria Guitar Show, Cumberland County Show, Sedburgh Book Town, Word Market Previous board member: queerupnorth, Manchester Jazz Festival

Top tips for marketing festivals: new or established Be clear who is responsible for marketing & PR Set realistic aims, objectives (SMART), targets What’s the budget? Importance of partnerships Don’t leave it to the last minute – plan early Difference between new & existing – no brand currency, no public awareness, no partnerships, no funding - but never enough time, Example – MIF 3 pre-festival commissions Responsibility for marketing – local authority, external event organiser or joint marketing collaborations, who takes the strategic lead, how do sign off procedures work for campaign delivery – Example of Liverpool Biennial: Biennial team, venues, Cap of Culture, Mersey Partnership, NWDA, or MCC Pillar event status Aims, objs, targets – learn from previous festivals and events, balancing profile with ticket sales/attendance and local engagement: needs of local authorities/regional development agencies/arts funders/sponsors/media partners, Example - MIF You can still do great things on small budgets, but don’t waste money – remember to be strategic, the principles are the same no matter the size of the event, but need to prioritise Can’t deliver without partnerships: public, private, voluntary but be clear why you’re going into a partnership, what are the mutual benefits and who will manage the relationships and need to nurture year round, leverage in-kind marketing support, e.g. free adverts, direct mail, e-shots, online links, free editorial, street dressing, e.g. MIF sponsors etc Can’t stress enough the need to plan early – use of gantt charts or appropriate method

Create strong visual identity Differentiation & positioning Brand Create strong visual identity Differentiation & positioning Truth & authenticity Target audiences ‘something for everyone’! Profiling & segmentation – you don’t need to be an expert If new, need to create a strong proposition that differentiates your festival from other festivals – crowded marketplace, e.g. MIF Your visual identity is not your brand – it’s just the visual representation, the brand is what people think of you – can you help to influence that? Example of British Ceramics Biennial Don’t promise what you can’t deliver Targeting audiences – even McDonalds uses target segmentation. MIF example – segmentation by attitude to risk, use of new technologies and especially online marketing, social networking

Year round communications Keep in touch: partners, media, audiences Database development & maintenance Maximising opportunities & not wasting resources Festival buzz Keep momentum going Volunteers & word of mouth Don’t skimp on evaluation Need to keep lines of communication open – easier in the long-run otherwise starting from scratch each time: added challenge if biennial or even triennial event, but importance of networking & online comms Boring but valuable – database Careful budget management in the months in between festivals – ignore cheap advertising offers that don’t fit with the plan! Don’t stop marketing when the festival starts, need to keep going till it finishes Have an input into training of volunteers so that they have key marketing messages, make them feel valued, e.g. MIF Evaluation – setting benchmarks for new festivals, inform future planning, funding reqs, PR value, e.g. MIF, BCB, Liverpool Biennial

Avril Baker - Festival experience: Bristol Wine and Food Fair Bristol International Festival of Kites and Air Creations Largest specialist kite event in the UK 23RD year Attracts over 40,000+ Appeals to the kite community and general public

Marketing your event on a limited budget Maximise editorial opportunities not paid for advertising Look for partnerships/links/contra deals Media partners Star attractions Visitor organisations Increasing use of online for news information Reaching wider audience (website, listings etc) Use printed promotional material sparingly Brochures Flyers Posters Difference between new & existing – no brand currency, no public awareness, no partnerships, no funding - but never enough time, Example – MIF 3 pre-festival commissions Responsibility for marketing – local authority, external event organiser or joint marketing collaborations, who takes the strategic lead, how do sign off procedures work for campaign delivery – Example of Liverpool Biennial: Biennial team, venues, Cap of Culture, Mersey Partnership, NWDA, or MCC Pillar event status Aims, objs, targets – learn from previous festivals and events, balancing profile with ticket sales/attendance and local engagement: needs of local authorities/regional development agencies/arts funders/sponsors/media partners, Example - MIF You can still do great things on small budgets, but don’t waste money – remember to be strategic, the principles are the same no matter the size of the event, but need to prioritise Can’t deliver without partnerships: public, private, voluntary but be clear why you’re going into a partnership, what are the mutual benefits and who will manage the relationships and need to nurture year round, leverage in-kind marketing support, e.g. free adverts, direct mail, e-shots, online links, free editorial, street dressing, e.g. MIF sponsors etc Can’t stress enough the need to plan early – use of gantt charts or appropriate method

Increasing media coverage Good images/clear information for journalists to use Print Broadcast Online Be aware of lead in times for publications and allow for media interviews/photo calls especially in the run up to the event Look for story angles: regional participants, children involved, charity involvement Ensure event is included in regional and national listings and event programmes If new, need to create a strong proposition that differentiates your festival from other festivals – crowded marketplace, e.g. MIF Your visual identity is not your brand – it’s just the visual representation, the brand is what people think of you – can you help to influence that? Example of British Ceramics Biennial Don’t promise what you can’t deliver Targeting audiences – even McDonalds uses target segmentation. MIF example – segmentation by attitude to risk, use of new technologies and especially online marketing, social networking

Local press and media facing cutbacks Less space to fill What’s changing? Local press and media facing cutbacks Less space to fill Work harder to get coverage Increasing use of online sites for information Own website Links Difficulty in securing advertising/sponsorship to support promotional materials Increasing scope for social networking Need to keep lines of communication open – easier in the long-run otherwise starting from scratch each time: added challenge if biennial or even triennial event, but importance of networking & online comms Boring but valuable – database Careful budget management in the months in between festivals – ignore cheap advertising offers that don’t fit with the plan! Don’t stop marketing when the festival starts, need to keep going till it finishes Have an input into training of volunteers so that they have key marketing messages, make them feel valued, e.g. MIF Evaluation – setting benchmarks for new festivals, inform future planning, funding reqs, PR value, e.g. MIF, BCB, Liverpool Biennial

Ensure exhibitors/sponsors etc are an integral part of the event Sponsorship advice Ensure exhibitors/sponsors etc are an integral part of the event Don’t “sell out” to cover costs eg poor quality food concessions as lose integrity of event Sponsors can end up COSTING MONEY! Re demands, expectations and perceptions of volunteers/expecting payment Consider sampling as revenue If new, need to create a strong proposition that differentiates your festival from other festivals – crowded marketplace, e.g. MIF Your visual identity is not your brand – it’s just the visual representation, the brand is what people think of you – can you help to influence that? Example of British Ceramics Biennial Don’t promise what you can’t deliver Targeting audiences – even McDonalds uses target segmentation. MIF example – segmentation by attitude to risk, use of new technologies and especially online marketing, social networking