creativeconners.com: So your stomach’s grumbling and its hours before you get to go home. All you can look forward to is your stage manager giving you a break from this never ending tech rehearsal. And what then? You’ll have to find something to eat at that vending machine by the call board. You know the one… Are you going to have a sticky bun or a bag of chips? The choices are less-than-stellar.
12 comments:
Random acts of kindness are always things that should be appreciated no matter how big or how small! I know the feeling gratitude that comes with something as simple as delicious, hot pizza after a long crew call. There's nothing quite short of magical from that. I also think it's wonderful how they really appreciate technicians enough to surprise them with something like pizza! I remember being back in high school and how during some of the curtain calls of musicals and plays, sometimes the management would forget to thank the crew and the technicians who works doubly as hard to make sure the show went smoothly. Because many people don't see the hard work that goes behind the scenes, it's something that goes unappreciated. I didn't even understand that there were people behind the lights, scenic design, costumes, music scores-- all of it-- until I began to get involved in theatre. I know that if I was surprised with a pie of pizza from a company that I rented equipment from, I'd be ecstatic. Not to mention, what a brilliant marketing technique.
I have to start off by talking about this picture. Number one, that is more pizza than I have ever seen in one place in my entire life. Is everyone who has ever stepped foot in that theater invited. And where is this picture taken? That doesn’t look like a theater. I do not think it’s the lobby because it does not look like a super well finished area and who has a conference room in the lobby, and if this is not the lobby why is there a bar with quite a few taps behind it. And that conference just doesn’t look like a conference setting you would see in a theater let alone during tech week. Ok, now that that is out of the way, I once called creative conners to see get a price for an automation system for a revolve. It was not in our budget (mostly because of the shipping) but everyone I talked to was very friendly. I follow them on facebook, twitter and instagram and am always impressed of the work they do. They are a really cool small company which is clearly growing. I am not surprised at all that they are doing this random act of pizza thing, it is exactly what I would expect of them. Maybe we should by something from them with the hope that they buy us pizza, hopefully it vocellis. But really, I am very confused by this picture.
This is an incredible idea. Pizza, a seemingly universally appreciated food, is a great way to express one's appreciation of an individual or collective action. As an easily customizable, yet famously shareable foodstuff, pizza may be the next step in gratitude, a step that mere paper, as an inedible commodity, could never make. Transcending illiteracy, fighting hunger, and oozing with practicality, pizza seems to be the next step in creative thanks. However, not everything is all rainbows and sunshine, and this idea, while perfect for many theatrical production settings, has a few kinks. what happens if the supplier of this of-greasy comestible adds a bit too much olio to the fromaggio? Hungry, yet pressed-for-time technicians may resume work without properly washing their hands, with potentially disastrous consequences as greasy hands come into contact with worn ladder rungs or hot lighting fixtures. Not that I'm one to turn down a pizza, but I do feel that such a tool must be kept in the right hands, so as to be used for anything but the rather noble intended purpose.
This sounds incredible. Nothing is better after a long day of tech than a free pizza party. Everyone is tired and stressed out and pizza is always the answer. That is so awesome of that company to deliver pizza randomly to people in tech who use their products. Though there is a chance that you will not get a pizza party if you tell them about your tech. There is a chance that you will get a surprise pizza party. That will definitely boost people’s spirits and put them in better moods for the rest of the night. If more companies did this it would be awesome. It is probably really good for advertising their company because more people would get their gear in order to possibly get a pizza party. It shows that they care about their customers and really appreciate their loyalty. This is really making me want to have pizza now.
I think this is a great idea. Its always nice to be surprised with an unexpected gift of something you like (or for that matter to surprise someone else with the same) and pizza seems to be nearly universally liked so it should go over well. Especially since the people at Creative Conners really do have a point about the food that’s available during rehearsal. Its normally nothing to get excited about and really not all that filling. Getting out of a theater during a break and seeing pizza waiting there would be great. Not to mention this is amazing marketing for them. Its hard to have a bad impression of a company that gives you free pizza and it’ll probably get more people to buy/rent their products out of the hope of getting pizza. Its almost the perfect win win situation, one side gets pizza (maybe) and the other gets more business.
I’m sold. I don’t care what they’re selling, if it involves free pizza they have my vote. But actually though, this is a really smart and funny way to gain and keep customers. Something like this makes customers feel appreciated and keeps them coming back. But also, it’s the kind of oddball scheme that people will talk about just for laughs, spreading the name of the company and gaining new customers. And they also bring up a valid point about the general health and nutrition of technicians during a production. Often, we have little to no time to find, get, prep, or even eat a meal. Which is really terrible if you think about it. And although required breaks are a thing, sometimes they are in too short of intervals to actually leave and get food, let alone eat it. Delivery foods like pizza and Chinese often become the only option for starving technicians. And while I hope this changes, I’m glad a company can poke fun and gain off of the trend a bit.
This. This is an amazing idea, one I am sure that technicians everywhere will appreciate. I didn't realize how universal it is to have a vending machine to go to during break. I think that that is a great fact, that it connects us to the theatre professionals. Another thing that connects us is the love of pizza. It seems that people will do most anything for the chance of free pizza, making this a great marketing ploy for the company’s customers. It helps to solve a problem that often gets ignored in the rehearsal process, the need for long enough breaks to either go out and buy, or make adequate food to get a person through the often grueling process that is theatre. I love the randomness of it; it helps bring an excitement to the rehearsals of those who are customers of this company. Just the sheer thrill of going on break, wondering if there is free pizza in the green room waiting for you… it would help pretty much anyone through the worst of tech rehearsals.
This is cute, and it seems like a really good way to keep costumers coming back to you. We have all been in the exact situation that this article brings up, and I know with Much Ado the production team got us doughnuts on our long tech day, and cake on the closing performance. It’s not quite 50 pizzas like this company is bringing to the table, but honestly that little snack really did make me feel appreciated, and lightened the load. I think this company is going for the same effect, lightening the load of maybe the cost of the automation equipment as well as making the overall tech/load in easier to bear. And I mean if you are one of the lucky production teams randomly selected to win all this pizza you will definitely have a warm place in your heart for this company, so much so that I bet they will have made a long term relationship with you.
This is so great, and super sweet, but its also probably one of the simplest ways I can think of to keep a customer. People want to feel like they are appreciated, and that their bosses care about them, and recognize the work that they do. This is a perfect way to do that without having to be too extravagant. I am sure we all know the mid tech exhaustion that the author talks about in the article, and I actually laughed out loud when I read the thing about the vending machine, because thats pretty spot on how I have come to feel about the one in the mail room. When I am on crew, and it's 8:30, and all I want is something to get me through the next few hours, pizza would just make everything better. When an entire group of people feel appreciated for something it improves their level of work incredibly. When I was on Run Crew last semester during our 10/12 the stage manager bought us all dinner and snacks. While it was great to have food, it gave us life, when we were otherwise pretty exhausted, and made the rest of the long day bearable. I love this idea, I think it's genius, and I can only hope to one day get some pizza delivered to me.
What a good business idea! I know that whenever I get even the smallest amount of free things from a store, or a discount for the seller just being nice or something, I am way more likely to come back. I keep a mental list of companies that give great samples (Sephora!!) and companies where I can get the best discounts (Macy's!!) and they are my go to stores. With a tech company doing that same, even in such an adorable, little way, I would be way more willing to give them business.
A tech store in my town, called Applied Audio (even though they sold all things theater - gels, fixtures, tools, etc) had an annual Grilled Cheese Day, where the employees would make grilled cheese sandwiches in the store and give them to customers for free, as well as stickers, hats, and other trinkets. It was a tradition for my tech crew and I to go down on grilled cheese day (one day it was for our final tech and we still went - sandwiches over tech for the first time in my life). Subsequently, we did almost all of our business with Applied, because that small act of customer appreciation was really well received.
Well this is far from the expected. An interesting take to repaying your fellow co-workers. I’m not saying that I would be opposed to get a pizza delivered, I am constantly in rehearsal and could use something besides what the vending machine is going to spit out at me. I don’t know one theatre professional that would shy away from a nice piece of pizza. I must also say that I’m not surprised to here that it was the media department that were handing out these favors. It’s good to have a little trick up your sleeve to keep everyone else that is involved with the production on your good side, especially with media being such a new additive to the scope of theatre and the problems that can sometimes arise. Next time I see my co-workers handing out pizzas I will be sure to try that much harder with hopes that the next one comes my way.
Honestly, there’s nothing quite like discovering a mound of pizza boxes after a hard day’s work. What a great customer appreciation technique. This gets me thinking. We should have a pizza fund somewhere in Purnell. I’m not sure who would manage it or how it would be managed, but it would be neat if everyone on an 8 hour call put in $5 dollars and pizza showed up for dinner. However, I digress (somewhat). Businesses that truly care about their customers are something of a rarity in today’s world. That, in my opinion, makes them all the more special. I think one of the side effects of being in an industry where reputation is key is that businesses really do try hard to keep customers satisfied. This is a huge benefit for us. It’s important for a client to fully trust a company they purchase or rent from. When the clock is running down and you need that one replacement winch (or whatever), you want to order it from a company you can count on. Maybe that company will give you some pizza, too.
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