Promoting the Peter Pan Panto at Northampton's Deco Theatre.

Client:		Stage Right Productions
PR Team:		Red Alert Media
Campaign:		Promoting the Peter Pan Panto at Northampton's Deco Theatre.
Timescale:		September to December, 2009

During the summer months of 2009, Northampton based Stage Right Productions decided to revive Pantomime at The Deco Theatre, the smaller of three theatres in the town (The Derngate and The Royal are 'the big two'). In August they were ready to take the plunge, and set about promoting their show, 'Peter Pan' from September onwards.

In other words, they had three months to sell tickets for 42 shows, between December 7 and 31st! They needed to get out and seriously sell it!

It was a big challenge, and they turned to Red Alert Media to look after the PR activity. The launch date was set for September 12, but after hiring the Red Alert Media team from September 1, they kicked into gear from the word 'go'!

Objectives

To raise awareness of the Panto, and make people want to come to this show, rather than (or as well as) the shows at The Derngate and The Royal.

Strategy and plan

The Red Alert Media team of Peter Jones and Lindsay Ephgrave left no stone unturned. Every conceivable angle was exploited in terms of looking for good Press Releases and photo opportunities. All the stars of the show were put up for interview, while Tony O'Callaghan's fame as a former actor in The Bill was used to good effect not just for the Panto, but also for the community, as he headed up the launch at the local Police's pre-Christmas anti-crime drive.

The Red Alert Media team also organised hospital visits, and arranged for stars from the Peter Pan show to turn on, or be involved with, the Christmas Lights at seven out of nine towns in and around (and including) Northampton. That Stage Right Productions was a local company, using local companies to provide services, was also used as a means of obtaining PR, and to that extent, the team worked closely with Beach Marketing to compliment each others areas of expertise.

Red Alert Media also offered advice on potential damage limitation (happily, not needed)

Measurement and evaluation

24 Press Releases / Photo Opportunities organised and distributed over 16 weeks. All used!

Organising interviews with cast members and production team.

All cast interviewed on local radio

Switching on Christmas Lights in Daventry, Rugby, Kettering, Rushden, Market Harborough, and Brackley, and part of the fun in Northampton

Cast members Hazel Pude and Louisa Lytton featured in photo shoot for local magazine, Image

Feature interviews in local papers.

Self generated interviews with cast members published in various newspapers and local radio: Danny McCall in Harborough (where he often stays), Tony O'Callaghan in Peterborough (where he lived for eight years), Hazel Pude in South Sheilds (where she comes from), Louisa Lytton in Milton Keynes (where she played Peter Pan in 2008), Marianna Neofitou in Ilford (where she comes from).

A visit to the Panto of Northampton's Mayor, and the local MP Brian Binley and his family

High profile competitions in Chronicle & Echo, and Herald & Post, both featured on the front pages

Copy written to accompany advertising in various local magazines.

Hits hits on various websites about the show.

Regular users of our Press Releases:-

Chronicle & Echo
Kettering ET
Herald & Post
Daventry Weekly Express
Rugby Advertiser
Rugby Observer
Brackley & Towcester Advertiser
Milton Keynes Citizen
Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Liverpool Echo
South Shields Gazette
Ilford Recorder
Harborough Mail
Lutterworth Mail
Radio Northampton
Business Times
The Stage
Image Magazine
Heart FM
Connect FM
Rugby FM
Harborough FM
BBC Three Counties
 
Results

'Peter Pan' had great reviews, great audiences, and was a big hit around the town and beyond. Buoyed by this success, Stage Right Productions are putting on Aladdin at The Deco in 2010.

"Thanks to you guys, everybody knew about Peter Pan - they were always talking about it on the radio, and it seems that every time you picked up a local newspaper there was editorial coverage of some kind!," said Kevin Roach, of Stage Right productions. "How did you do it? A truly fantastic effort, really remarkable, and the other shows in town barely got a look in!

"What also struck me was the way you became part of the team, part of the family. It was also so helpful that we could call you with any query, any worry or any issue that did, or might have, cropped up before and during the run.

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