CELEBRATING A BANNER YEAR FOR EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING: 2023 YEAR IN REVIEW

Happy New Year! 2023 has officially come to a close, and what a banner year it was!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by theatreMAMA (@theatremama)

As we reflect on the past year, we can’t help but become overwhelmed with gratitude for all of the incredible opportunities 2023 brought to thetareMAMA. Back in March, we published a blog post titled, “If Sundance and SXSW are any Indication, 2023 is the Year of Experiential Marketing,” — we are over the moon that our prediction came true!

theatreMAMA’S Year in Review: 2023

Chicago Dance Mob
The Chicago Dance Mob had an epic year! The iconic Street Team was featured on “The Broadway Show,” attended the Curtain Up Broadway Festival, brought the “All the Jazz'“ flash mob back to Times Square, helped patrons save on tickets to Chicago and celebrated the musical’s 27th Anniversary on Broadway.

t

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by theatreMAMA (@theatremama)

Sling TV + The Bachelor Activation
We created a brand new living media campaign for Sling TV! To promote ABC being available on Sling TV in New York markets, seven models clad in dapper tuxedos evoked ABC’s The Bachelor by passing out 500 long-stemmed red roses with Sling TV discount cards elegantly tied around them to the public. Additionally, ten MAMA Brand Ambassadors flooded the streets with cheer and enthusiasm while handing out discount offers and 900 Sling TV swag bags.

t

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by theatreMAMA (@theatremama)

Cirque du Soleil + Disney ‘Drawn to Life’
We launched a new living media campaign for ‘Drawn To Life’ by Cirque du Soleil & Disney at Disney Springs in Orlando, FL. ‘Drawn to Life’ marked our 15th experiential marketing partnership with Cirque du Soleil! The immersive Street Team operates daily out of the residential show’s big top and box office. MAMA’s ‘Drawn to Life’ team was also invited to attend exciting off site events like the WDWPA Charity Golf Tournament and Orlando Pride.

theatreMAMA Turned 18!
April 9, 2023 marked MAMA's 18th birthday and 18 years of joyful, creative, innovative, connecting Experiential Marketing campaigns!

Blue Man Group
Our Blue Man Group Brand Ambassadors had a blast promoting the long-running Off-Broadway show at various locations across New York City and at events like Intrepid Kids Week, NYC Pride and NYU’s Welcome Week.

Waitress
We brought back our Waitress team to celebrate the Tribeca Film Festival screening of Waitress — Live on Broadway! The event marked the first-ever Tribeca Film Festival screening in Times Square. theatreMAMA’s Experiential Brand Ambassadors were at the event to ensure a sweet-as-pie experience for all attendees.

Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground & The Democracy Project
Over the summer, MAMA’s Brand Ambassadors got a bit Presidential promoting the limited runs of Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground Off-Broadway and The Democracy Project at Federal Hall.

Madison Square Garden Street Teams
We were thrilled to promote multiple events at Madison Square Garden in 2023! Events included various boxing matches, Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Twas the Night Before … and audience ingress services at the Mariah Carey and Travis Scott concerts.

The Metropolitan Opera Season Opener
To open the Met Opera’s new season with as much drama as, well, an opera, our Brand Ambassadors activated all day throughout Manhattan. The day culminated with our Met Opera Street Team assisting guests as they arrived to watch a free live transmission (in partnership with the Times Square Alliance) of Jake Heggie’s Opera, Dead Man Walking, on multiple screens in Times Square.

Goosebumps + Sony Pictures
Just in time for Halloween, theatreMAMA got to bring Slappy, the legendary Goosebumps dummy, to life to promote the new series by Sony Pictures and Disney +. The Slappy Brand Ambassadors activated outside the Javits Center to offer limited edition Goosebumps tote bags to New York Comic Con attendees. Fans swarmed the Slappy team to snap pictures and chat about their love of the franchise.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by theatreMAMA (@theatremama)

X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X at the Metropolitan Opera
MAMA's ambassadors celebrated X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X premier Met Opera performance with a special activation in both Brooklyn and Harlem. The Met team passed out limited-edition zines that featured quotes from the opera's libretto, by playwright, poet, and journalist Thulani Davis, superimposed on images of Black life in Harlem by the photographer Jamel Shabazz. The X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X team continued to activate in Harlem and Brooklyn throughout the show’s limited run.

Candy Cane Greeters
Our Candy Cane Greeter program returned to Radio City for its fourth year! MAMA’s Candy Cane Greeters took the ordinary to extraordinary for guests waiting in line to see the Christmas Spectacular Starring The Radio City Rockettes! Looking for a little North Pole magic? The Candy Cane Greeters create an immersive experience while assisting guests entering and exiting Radio City Music Hall.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by theatreMAMA (@theatremama)

Official Brand Ambassadors for the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes
Our Official Brand Ambassadors for the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes returned for their ninth year promoting NYC’s most iconic holiday show! Patrons were delighted to engage with our joyful holiday Street Team, and equally as thrilled for the opportunity to purchase discount tickets with theatreMAMA’s sales team discount code.

Rockefeller Center Elves
Our Rockefeller Center Elf Street Team returned this year to spread a whole lot of holly-jolly while assisting guests visiting the area! The Elf team handed out informative holiday maps, led guests to the Rock Center Santa Experience, helped guests navigate Rockefeller Center attractions, shops and restaurants and brought holiday magic to NYC!

Cirque du Soleil x Art Basel
We were given the incredible opportunity to create the Cirque du Soleil Icon program! Cirque invited MAMA Brand Ambassadors, Derrick and Ali, to experience Art Basel, Miami while interacting with the art and artists as the Cirque Icons. Celebrating 40 years of productions that offer emotional, compelling entertainment, the Cirque Icons were thrilled to shine their light on the incredible artists that were showcased at Art Basel. Our team even partnered with local influencers to further amplify Art Basel and Cirque du Soleil. What an exciting collaboration!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @lefeels_

Thank you to all of our wonderful clients, fabulous Brand Ambassadors and stellar staff for making 2023 an epic year! We look forward to working together again in 2024 and can’t wait to see what this new year brings!

theatreMAMA’s Brand Ambassadors at Times Square Tribeca Screening of Waitress

Last night was sugar, butter, FANTASTIC! Our Waitress Street Team went to Times Square for the TSX live Tribeca Film Festival simulcast screening of Waitress – Live On Broadway!

The event marked the first-ever Tribeca Film Festival screening in Times Square. The Times Square viewing of Waitress – Live On Broadway! was open to the public with 300 seats available on a first come, first served basis.

theatreMAMA’s Experiential Brand Ambassadors were at the event to ensure a sweet-as-pie experience for all attendees. Dressed in Waitress aprons and outfits inspired by the Broadway show, our team helped the public download the TSX app so patrons could hear the film’s audio as it was screened on TSX Entertainment’s 18,000-square-foot digital screen in the middle of Times Square. Our Brand Ambassadors also assisted in answering questions about the event, chatting with fans, posing for photos and hyping up the crowd – they even got the audience to do the wave!

Credit: Times Square NYC

Credit: theatreMAMA

The excitement and anticipation for the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of Waitress – Live On Broadway! was palpable. Fans wore Waitress-branded attire and didn’t hesitate to cheer “Sugar, butter, flour!” along with our Brand Ambassadors as they opened up the seating area. Many came prepared with rain gear and event organizers even provided a free poncho at every seat in case of inclement weather. It started raining about 20 minutes into the screening, but that barely deterred Waitress fans who diligently put on their rain gear and stayed until the end of the event.

theatreMAMA had the sweetest time assisting with the TSX Times Square viewing of the Tribeca premiere of Waitress – Live On Broadway! What an honor it was to represent this beautiful show again and to be present at this historic screening event.

theatreMAMA’s Waitress — Live On Broadway! Brand Ambassadors posing for a photo with Waitress fans.

There is still time to catch Waitress – Live On Broadway! starring Sara Bareillis, Charity Angél Dawson, Caitlin Houlahan, Drew Gehling, Dakin Matthews, Eric Anderson, Joe Tippett and Christopher Fitzgerald. Additional Tribeca Film Festival screenings include:

• Thu June 15 - 2:30 PM 
  Village East by Angelika
  RUSH

• Sun June 18 - 5:30 PM 
  SVA Theatre

Order Up! Catch MAMA at Waitress Tribeca Film Premiere in Times Square

The Tribeca Film Festival premiere of Waitress, the Musical – Live on Broadway! will screen at 7:30 p.m tonight, Monday, June 12, at both the BMCC Theatre and in Times Square via TSX Entertainment’s 18,000-square-foot digital screen.

With a little help from the TSX app, the public will be able to watch Waitress, the Musical – Live on Broadway! in the middle of Times Square on the corner of 47th street and 7th avenue. Beginning at 6:30 p.m., attendees can claim one of the 300 available seats on a first come, first served basis. Brand Ambassadors from theatreMAMA will be there (dressed in our best Waitress-inspired attire) to help film-goers download the TSX app which will broadcast the film’s audio. In lieu of competing with the notorious noise pollution in Times Square, attendees will access the audio for Waitress, the Musical – Live on Broadway! from their own headphones and personal devices via the TSX app. 

The Times Square screening of Waitress, the Musical – Live on Broadway! marks the first-ever viewing of a Tribeca Film Festival feature in Times Square. Times Square attendees will view a live broadcast from the festival premiere that will include Sara Bareillis introducing the film and a live performance from the grammy-winning artist immediately following the screening.

Waitress, the Musical – Live on Broadway! captures the 2021 return engagement of Waitress, the Musical on Broadway and stars Sara Bareillis, Charity Angél Dawson, Caitlin Houlahan, Drew Gehling, Dakin Matthews, Eric Anderson, Joe Tippett and Christopher Fitzgerald. 

Our Waitress Street Team can’t wait to visit the diner once again! We’ve truly missed bringing a bit of Waitress to the patrons of Times Square after wrapping our Experiential Marketing campaign when the show closed on Broadway. We are ready to help make tonight’s premiere of Waitress, the Musical – Live on Broadway! as sweet as Jenna’s “deep dish blueberry bacon” pie! 

Tips for attending Waitress, the Musical – Live on Broadway! in Times Square:

• Arrive early to get seats. Attendees can arrive up to an hour prior to the 7:30 p.m. screening.

• This outdoor event is rain or shine. Please prepare for the possibility of inclement weather.

• Bring your phone and headphones so that you are able to access the film's audio via the TSX app.

•  Be sure to fully charge your phone so you can download the TSX app and access the audio for “Waitress, the Musical – Live on Broadway!” uninterrupted. 

• If you need help downloading the TSX app, find one of our Waitress Brand Ambassadors! We will be the team dressed in Waitress aprons and ready to assist you! 

Location Scouting for Experiential Marketing Activations: 5 Key Takeaways

theatreMAMA’s Street Team for Broadway’s Waitress at Bryant Park in NYC.

Experiential Marketing is a strategy that creates increased brand engagement, positive brand associations and memorable experiences that customers want to share through user generated content and word-of-mouth. Each Experiential Marketing campaign is uniquely designed to act as the living embodiment of a brand – we literally bring your brand to life. Because no two living media campaigns are the same, there are often myriad variables for us to consider when launching a new program at theatreMAMA. One of the most important variables to address when planning a new campaign is location. Even the most fabulous Experiential Marketing team will be ineffective if no one can find them. This frustrating scenario is why location scouting is KEY to a successful Experiential Marketing campaign. With that in mind, we compiled a list of 5 key takeaways from our location scouting experiences.

5 Key Takeaways: Location Scouting for Experiential Marketing Activations

theatreMAMA’s Chicago Dance Mob promoting Chicago the Musical in Times Square, NYC.

1. Know Your Demographics

Knowing who you’re targeting will often directly affect where a campaign takes place. Our Chicago Dance Mob seeks to engage both NYC tourists and locals who are interested in seeing Chicago on Broadway. To achieve this, we station our Street Team in the Times Square area where there is a healthy cross-section of locals and tourists making their way through The Theatre District. In contrast, promoting a boxing match at Madison Square Garden took our Brand Ambassadors across the city to bars and gyms in hopes of engaging local sports fans.

2. Weather Matters

Unfortunately, weather is a variable we can’t control, but we can prepare for it. While promoting Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Drawn To Life’ at Disney Springs in Orlando, we quickly realized that Florida in May means unrelenting sun and heat. To combat this, we scouted different locations throughout Disney Springs that could support our Street Team’s immersive theatricality and provide much-needed shade. Offering a reprieve from the sun helped us increase overall guest interactions and allowed our team to stay relatively cool while they work their Cirque-inspired magic!

theatreMAMA’s Street Team for Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Drawn To Life’ at Disney Springs in Orlando, FL.

theatreMAMA’s Street Team for LUZIA by Cirque du Soleil in Vancouver, Canada.

Having alternate locations in case of weather is paramount to successful location scouting. When considering a primary location, be sure to factor in alternate locations that could work in case of inclement weather. When Cirque du Soleil’s LUZIA took us to Vancouver, Canada, there was heavy rain predicted on the same day we were to launch an outdoor, parade-style activation that included a Mariachi band, 2 costumed-characters and 8 Brand Ambassadors. Because of this, our team diligently scouted alternative locations that would allow us to have the same massive impact, but would provide coverage for our performers. We figured out that we could station ourselves inside transit hubs and it was a huge success! Commuters were delighted by the Mariachi band and our Cirque du Soleil LUZIA-inspired performers! We offered the magic of Cirque du Soleil on a dreary, rainy day! 

3. Pedestrian Traffic is Important

Even in a pedestrian heavy area like New York City, there are still many locations that don’t generate high foot traffic. Assuming an area will be busy simply because it’s in a big city can lead to major disappointment on the day of an Experiential activation. Location scouting prior to an event can alleviate this issue. Taking the time to research an area, talking to locals about different neighborhoods, capitalizing on events already taking place and physically scouting activation locations are musts if you want to maximize the number of impressions a campaign makes. 

theatreMAMA promotes the Met Opera’s season launch with Street Teams located across NYC.

4. Proximity to Venue

When representing a live event or a brick and mortar business, proximity to the venue being promoted is essential. Patrons are more likely to engage with a brand immediately after an experiential interaction if they can easily access it. For our ‘Drawn To Life’ team in Orlando, that means locating our team within walking distance of the Cirque du Soleil big top! Guests experience fun, immersive interactions with our Street Team and become curious about the show. With the big top in such close proximity, our team can seamlessly send guests to the ‘Drawn To Life’  box office to find out more information and purchase tickets to the show. Likewise, our Toy Soldier Street Team for the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio city Rockettes consistently stations a handful of Brand Ambassadors within view of Radio City Music Hall – a tactic that exponentially increases day-of and walk up ticket sales. 

Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Drawn To Life’ Street Team performer promoting the show at Disney Springs in Orlando, FL.

Brand Ambassadors for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular outside Radio City Music Hall.

5. Flexibility is Paramount

Alegria by Cirque du Soleil-inspired Activation with Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte and Villa Maria Wine.

Experiential Marketing campaigns are accompanied by many different variables, so the ability to be flexible and pivot on the spot is of the utmost importance. Location scouting is a way to cut down on the uncertainties that uncontrollable variables (like weather) can bring. By knowing an area and understanding how to optimize an activation – even if you have to pivot to plan b, c or d , you will create the circumstances for a successful campaign no matter what gets thrown your way.

Related Links:

Freda Salvador Guerrilla Fashion Activation

Jersey Boys Tri-State Mobile Marketing Tour

Wintuk Mobile Marketing tour to Tri-State Area Fairs and Festiva

Sugar, Butter, Farewell! As Waitress Takes Its Final Bow on Broadway, theatreMAMA Closes Up Shop On This Promotion

Combine equal parts theatreMAMA and Waitress the Musical, add one brilliant soundtrack(by the incredibly talented Sara Bareilles), sprinkle with sweet-as-pie Ambassadors, top it all off with an EPIC pie hat...and you’ve got a recipe that’s baked to perfection! Waitress is near and dear to our hearts, especially since we’ve been in partnership with the musical since the very beginning! We started this promotion at the Brooks Atkinson box office over three years ago when Waitress opened on Broadway and have enjoyed every sugar-filled second of promoting this wonderful show!

Waitress the Musical has taught us that “Everything Changes,” so even though we’ll be hanging up our aprons and putting away our pie hats, marketing this special show will remain in our hearts forever. theatreMAMA is grateful for every second we spent working with Waitress and what better way to show how much this musical matters to us than in the form of a love letter?

Dear Waitress,

Thank you for all the beautiful, magical, pie-filled memories! From launching our Waitress street team in Times Square on Day 1,

To handing out delicious Pies-In-A-Jar at the Box Office when you opened,

To catching the attention of patrons in Times Square with our FABULOUS pie hats and custom designed costumes,

To pushing day of sales by interacting with Broadway-lovers waiting in line at TKTS,

To surprising those same TKTS patrons with a free Pie,

To the millions of people who couldn’t help but sing the soundtrack along with us (Did you know over 330,000 people come through Times Square every day?! That’s 50 million visitors annually, who all got a chance to see our amazing team!),

To the seeing-impaired 12 year-old Waitress super-fan who cried tears of joy when she got to feel one of our Ambassador’s pie hats before heading to the matinee, (there’s no picture of this unforgettable memory, but it will live in our hearts forever!)

To all the lives changed, made better, and made sweeter because of this incredible show!

We love you, Waitress!! This has been one extraordinary (and delicious!) journey that will remain baked in our hearts forever!

Love,

MAMA

 Related Links:

Waitress the Musical on Broadway Street Team with theatreMAMA

theatreMAMA's Candy Cane Greeters at Radio City

Radio City Christmas Spectacular Street Team Brand Ambassadors

theatreMAMA’s Year In Review 2019

theatreMAMA Takes A Walk Down Memory Lane Through 2019!

The start of a new year means saying goodbye and saying hello! It’s the lyrics to a Beatles song and also the perfect time to reflect on all the wonderful memories that have formed the beautifully intricate mosaic of this past year. theatreMAMA has had an exciting, adventure-filled year full of wonderful experiences and so much joy! So, on the final day of 2019, we are saying goodbye, hello, and THANK YOU! Our hearts are overflowing with gratitude for every amazing opportunity we’ve encountered during this epic year!

Throughout 2019, theatreMAMA was lucky enough to be BUSY! And I’m not just talking everyday, “hustle and bustle” kind of busy, I’m talking events in 10 different states and all across Canada kind of busy! During this year, we reached thousands of patrons through our creative, experiential marketing campaigns, handed out over a million pieces of various promotional collateral , staged numerous activations, launched multiple new promotions, and used our theatrical marketing skills to bring the incredible shows, brands, and companies we’ve partnered with to LIFE!! 

So what exactly did we do in 2019? Presenting (Insert celebratory drum roll here!!!)

A Year In The Life Of theatreMAMA: 2019 Edition

This year we…

 Brought our Killer Fosse moves to Times Square promoting Chicago the Musical

Looked sweet as pie serving up discounts for Waitress the Musical!

Felt ALL THAT JAZZ and more when we did a  special NYC activation for the premiere of the Emmy Award-Winning show Fosse/Verdon on FX!

Explored NYC as Pip’s Island Adventurers! We were delighted to tap into our playful side when we started promoting Pip’s Island this year!  Pip’s Island is a live experiential theatre show for kids-what better way to promote experiential theatre than with experiential marketing?

Brought a little Havana to Times Square when we promoted the delicious restaurant Havana Central!

Got in touch with our sporty side and cheered on the NY KNICKS by shooting patrons great discounts for the games!

Traveled on down to Ranger town, rockin’ those rad Rangers threads and giving patrons 20% off discounts to see their favorite hockey team!

Then, spring arrived and we decided to get out of Times Square and run away to the Circus...Cirque du Soleil that is! While our fabulous NYC teams were killing it in TSQ, we provided special activations for many of Cirque du Soleil’s shows all across North America!

theatreMAMA created a team of Fish Dancers and Fiesta Ambassadors for Cirque du Soleil LUZIA ! We began this year’s LUZIA adventures in Orlando, FL and eventually made our way up the coast to NYC! The NY LUZIA events took place all over the NY Metro Area and our Fiesta Fishies even got to play house at an IKEA in Brooklyn! After that, our LUZIA team swam over to Connecticut to promote the show during its run there!

Then, our Fishie Dancers swam across the continent for events in Canada! We started at the Calgary Stampede and then made our way over to Vancouver where we got to take part in Pride Week-one of the biggest LGBTQ+ events worldwide!

But our circus fun didn’t stop with LUZIA...we produced special activations for Cirque du Soleil VOLTA in Washington D.C., for OVO in Fort Worth, TX and for Amaluna in Los Angeles and Costa Mesa, California.

theatreMAMA has been honored to partner with Cirque du Soleil for many years now! We have so much fun bringing the essence of each unique show to life and this year, we took that one step further! We brought the VIP Experiences to life! Ever wonder what the human embodiment of the smooth, elegant cognac that is Hennessy Black looks like? Well look no further! theatreMAMA created the Hennessy Black Ravens! The Ravens were a part of the Hennessy Black VIP experience tent for many Cirque du Soleil shows throughout 2019, with campaigns in NYC, Washington D.C., Atlanta, GA, Chicago,  and Miami, FL. Our Hennessy Black Ravens elevated the VIP experience at Cirque du Soleil through offering a one-of-a-kind sampling program of craft cocktails while educating guests about the cognac.

But why stop at cognac? Cirque du Soleil’s other corporate sponsors include Villa Maria Winery and Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte. How do you bring New Zealand Wine and French bubbly to life? We figured that one out too!

We’ve had the best time working with all three of these enticing beverage companies in partnership with Cirque du Soleil and can’t wait to create more intriguing ways to combine the enchantment of Cirque with the elegance of these libations.

While  all of these campaigns were happening simultaneously with our regular NYC Street Teams, we also got the opportunity to put on one-day only events! We were thrilled to promote the glorious opening day of the Metropolitan Opera House 2019-2020 season and had a blast introducing Cleo, a widely popular (and sassy) financial app in the UK, to NYC with a scavenger hunt!

You’d think everything we’ve talked about so far would be plenty to fill a year, but not at theatreMAMA! As fall brought crisp air and pumpkin spice lattes  to NYC, we got ready to spread holiday cheer! We brought our SPECTACULAR Toy Soldier Street Team (back for its fifth year!) to promote the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes AND partnered with Radio City to launch a brand new initiative-the Candy Cane Greeters!  The Candy Cane Greeters look like they’ve just stepped off the Polar Express and were a source of information( and holiday magic!) for guests attending the Christmas Spectacular!

And since our Cirque fun is never done, we created a festive new  gift wrapping activation in San Francisco to promote Cirque du Soleil Amaluna! What happens when Santa’s elves run away to join the circus? This awesome activation!!

It wouldn’t be theatreMAMA if we didn’t end the year with a bang! We are producing four New Year’s Eve events in three different states! In partnership with Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, we will be ringing in the New Year with this fabulous bubbly, Champagne dresses, contortionists, and jugglers galore! What a way to ring in the New Year!

We’ve enjoyed every second of this wonderful, busy, creative, AWESOME year! Cheers to a new decade, new adventures, and to 2020! We are truly grateful for every person we’ve worked with, every experience we’ve had, and all the memories we’ve made! So now all that’s left to say is-THANK YOU!!!

Related Links:

Chicago The Musical Dance Mob NYC Best Street Team

Follow us on Instagram!

Follow us on Facebook!