That’s one of the questions producers of Tony-winning musical “Kinky Boots” will try to answer with a new ad campaign that launches tomorrow. Freshening up the image two years into the show’s run, the new look eschews plot specifics in favor of playing up the good vibes that audiences say they feel when they walk out of the show.
6 comments:
I think that Kinky Boots is making an excellent decision here in nearly all aspects, particularly how they are advertising and what they will be advertising. Before I dive into how much I love this marketing approach, I think it’s interesting that producers of the show want to change how people think of the word kinky and the show. I still quite haven’t figured out how I feel about this. Anyway, I love this campaign because it is smart and strategically placed. The costumes the cast is in and the amount of time after its premiere just makes so much sense as the article explained it. I watched the advertisement for Matilda that the article mentioned and I definitely understand for both shows why the “relaunch” was necessary. I also was delighted to hear that Kinky Boots was doing so finically successful after two years; time that I feel like is when most shows either keep going or start to falter.
When Kinky Boots first came out, my mother and I were going to see it. Then my annoying Aunt wanted to come along so I pretended to be sick so that I could avoid her at all costs. I now regret my anti-social, immature decision to avoid family members because Kinky Boots tickets are probably 5 times more expensive now than they were two years ago.
I find it interesting how the producers think that redoing the advertising from “sex-sells” to what the plot is. When I saw the posters, I thought the show had to do with sex and “kinky” things which was incredibly incorrect. Now that the show is established, the idea of changing the advertisement to get a larger audience is an interesting idea. It’s also extremely smart. I wish that I knew more about producing and how that business works. It seems very calculated and interesting to learn about.
First off, every single article that ever talks about kinky boots always makes a shoe or stepping joke and its getting really old. On the article though, refreshing a show can be dangerous territory as many of the committed audience don’t want to see any difference in the work. It can also be a big payoff though because a fresher look will bring a fresher audience, and a new audience is a new group of kids willing to keep coming. Bringing in a new generation pretty much ensures that they have a family following later on. And if it has good reviews the older audience is more willing to come for it. It seems like they are completely redoing the plot and construct of the show, which drives me to wonder why not rename it? They are still staying true to form but to the extent that they are changing it I feel like it would be appropriate.
I am not a fan of feel-good musicals. It may be pretentious, but glittery and fabulous has never been a draw for me. I have avoided seeing Kinky Boots for this very reason. I have had untold number of people try to sell me on its charms, but the peppy, shiny, dance number-heavy aura around the show has been a heavy deterrent. Nonetheless, I know that most people do not feel the same way, which is why Kinky Boots is being marketed as my Broadway nightmare.
However, snark aside, I imagine this can only do good. It is hard to draw people into gritty, beautiful challenging plays if they don't already have a faith in the nature of theatre. That faith is started and nurtured by camp and lights. Theatre can easily become a lifelong obsession, but that requires having attended your first show. I applaud Kinky Boots for trying to seem more approachable and safe, if only for the sake of fostering a new generation of theatrical devotees.
I think it is a good idea to change how Kinky Boots is marketing itself. Many people who are not familiar with the show may think that it is inappropriate or is themed around sex and kinkiness. I saw the show and I had no idea what it was about when I went in. I was very surprised how inspirational and uplifting the entire show was. It was a lot of fun and you felt good watching the cast have a good time on stage. The story does not have to do with sexiness or anything related to the typical definition of kinky. Marketing the show as a fun and family-friendly show is a very good idea to broaden the audiences. It is a great show for everyone to see and relate to in some way. A strong message is that you should always follow your dreams and not let other people’s opinions affect the choices you make about your own life.
I definitely think this is a great move for Kinky Boots. When the musical first opened, I was a junior in high school, and I'm a little embarrassed to say that it was hard for me to state the title of this musical in front of my grandmother. Quite old fashioned and wary of sexual themes, I had a very hard time having conversation with any of my family about this show I wanted to see. So I'd say, yes, this is definitely a HUGE move on their part that will do a lot of good for the show. The new poster is definitely much more family friendly than the turned in knee-highs were, and I think the message of "this is a fun, happy, not sexually charged musical!" is both important AND coming through. I think this will do wonders for the continuation of the show's success.
Post a Comment