In an early morning session next Wednesday, October 5th, we are going to engage in a creative exercise together as part of the GSCA Marketing Session “The Road to Success: Creativity, Strategy, and Execution: Marketing Workshop” at the GSCA International Conference and Trade Show. Rather than simply learning about four successful marketing campaigns launched by four of our institutional theaters this year, we are going to see how the experienced marketing professionals from these theaters approach the creative challenges when promoting a film. The session panelists include Chris Hurtubise of COSI, Dave Duszynski of the Cincinnati Museum, Anna Relyea of Ontario Science Centre, and Cindy Todd of Tennessee Aquarium.

First, some background. We are going to learn about the campaigns two theaters, Tennessee Aquarium and Ontario Science Center, developed to promote A Beautiful Planet, and the campaigns that two other theaters, COSI and the Cincinnati Museum, created to launch National Parks Adventure in their communities. Then we will review some common themes that have surfaced in these four campaigns that we can use to inspire marketing in our theaters. These themes bubbled up from survey questions that the panelists answered prior to the session, and as anticipated there were many key practices employed individually by all four marketing teams to help point them toward success.

With this context, we will spend the next 30 minutes in a “live” brainstorming exercise, where the four panelists will work together as a single marketing team to generate ideas to promote a slate of films that I have made up (and they won't learn about until they are on stage). We will get a front-row seat to their creative process and the steps they take together to form an effective plan. Of course, since this is a brainstorming exercise, there will be some surprises, twists and turns that you won't want to miss. There may even be a role for the audience to play in this process of discovery.

There will be time for Q&A at the end the session, and hopefully some memorable and helpful ideas to inspire future marketing campaigns in theaters throughout the GSCA community. Looking forward to seeing you bright and early next Wednesday. You'll be glad you set your alarm to wake up for this entertaining and engaging session.

 
GSCA Marketing Session “The Road to Success: Creativity, Strategy, and Execution: Marketing Workshop

Wednesday, October 5, 2016
7:30 am – 8:45 am
Fairmont Royal York Concert Hall
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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Michael Daut is Creative Director and Marketing Director at Evans & Sutherland and has organized the GSCA Marketing Session “The Road to Success: Creativity, Strategy, and Execution: Marketing Workshop.” He is also a GSCA board member and co-chair of the GSCA Member Services Committee.