Digital campaign | NZ Fringe Festival (Creative Capital Arts Trust)
Driving ticket sales and championing diversity through social media and digital advertising.
Image credit: Wellington Ballroom
THE BRIEF
ARAWHATA is a one-of-a-kind performance that captures the essence and lived experiences of queer, indigenous people of colour through a showcase of dance, music, spoken word, theatre, cultural performance and underground ballroom - a rich and vibrant LGBTQ+ subculture that emerged out of Harlem (NYC) in the early 1970s.
After ARAWHATA won the coveted ‘Best in Fringe’ award at the 2023 New Zealand Fringe Festival, NZ Fringe backed an NZ show tour, taking ARAWHATA to Auckland and Hawke’s Bay.
The NZ Fringe team was operating at full capacity and required external support to develop and manage a concise yet compelling digital marketing campaign. They knew they needed to swiftly and efficiently captivate new audiences in Auckland and Hawke's Bay, while driving ticket sales to achieve sales targets for the Auckland shows.
MY APPROACH
I created a two-part campaign, comprised of an ‘engage’ layer and ‘convert’ layer using paid and organic content across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Google Display, third-party and influencer channels. Channel selections were made to optimise engagement while controlling costs, aiming to strike a balance between precision targeting and broader outreach.
The first half of the campaign aimed to pique interest in the Auckland shows, encouraging prospects to interact with the content and learn more about the event. The ‘convert’ layer was more promotional, creating urgency and a final push for ticket sales. Campaign creative was developed through repurposed showreels and images, behind-the-scenes videos, performer interviews and audience reviews.
100% of the advertising budget was allocated to reaching Auckland audiences, as NZ Fringe had a stronger financial imperative to recover the costs of running shows in Auckland.
THE IMPACT
The campaign opened the door to a wider NZ audience, allowing more individuals and groups to learn about, connect with and empathise with queer, indigenous people of colour.
“Emily did a fantastic job marketing the tour we were running through NZ Fringe. She was quick to respond, professional and considerate.”