SpotCo Weighs in on Advertising During Troubling Times

Despite the high anxiety levels caused by the $700 billion bailout and a heated Presidential election, the entertainment business has an edge over many other industries -- it has historically prospered during tough times.

"You will see some changes in a soft economy, including less dire and dark themes in advertising campaigns," said Drew Hodges, founder of SpotCo.  "The messages have to be simple, 'get happy' and hopeful."

SpotCo, which represents nearly half of the shows running on Broadway, continually breaks convention with inventive, often irreverent campaigns which help catapult productions such as Rent, The Phantom of the Opera, Chicago, Avenue Q, In the Heights and Xanadu into some of the most successful musicals of all time.

Hodges believes that the best advertising reduces any risk factor for consumers: "My job is to showcase the personality of a Broadway show, so the ticket buyer is assured that the dollar investment is going to guarantee the return of a fantastic time for themselves, their friends and family, and their colleagues."

SpotCo maintains that the consumer need for risk reduction increases when the economy is soft and the proliferation of advertising platforms provides more opportunities to share the many elements of a production's personality.

Whereas the live theater business can use multi-platform vehicles to attract theater-goers through positive wit and charm, this year's heated Presidential election shows the more sinister side of narrowcasting and geo-targeting abilities, which have made it easier to amplify the character assassination attacks on both sides.

SpotCo has recently entered and formed a cross-Atlantic strategic collaboration with the venerable Dewynters agency in London to create a global super shop that can reach rapidly expanding audiences for live entertainment through high-impact, high-concept, highly clever marketing, design, digital media, advertising, merchandising and promotions.

2008 has already proved SpotCo's best year ever. The white-hot agency, which only celebrated its 10th anniversary last year yet represents nearly half the shows running on Broadway, continually breaks with convention, taking marketing and advertising to the edge with campaigns that capture the magic and awe of live events. The company has represented 62 Tony nominations this year alone, which resulted in 14 Tony wins, including Best Play and Best Musical.  Over the past decade SpotCo's shows have won six Pulitzer Prizes, including one this year.

Logo courtesy Spotco