A Tough Nut to Crack

Case Study

After 14 years in the suburbs, Von Heidecke’s Chicago Festival Ballet (CFB) decided to bring their rendition of “The Nutcracker” to Chicago in 2005. With only three months left until the first performance date, they hired Ginny Richardson Public Realtions to launch the Chicago performance and promote the continuing suburban performances, at which ticket sales had begun to decline.

GR-PR swiftly introduced CFB to the city with 25 million media impressions, and helped increase ticket sales in the suburbs by 16.5 percent through strong media relations, careful image-building and creative positioning.

Objectives:

• Introduce CFB’s rendition of “The Nutcracker” to Chicago.
• Garner media attention for CFB’s performances in Chicago and suburbs.
• Increase ticket sales for the suburban performances by 10 percent over 2004’s figure.
• Increase awareness of CFB as a world-class ballet institution.

Strategies/Tactics:

• Publicized auditions for “The Nutcracker.”
• Implemented an outreach campaign targeting schools.
• Partnered with the Harris Theater on image-building efforts.
• Partnered with SeeChicagoDance.com, a new resource for Chicago dance enthusiasts.
• Developed a comprehensive media plan.
• Created and distributed a full press kit, both hard copy and electronic.
• Crafted and pitched creative news angles.
• Localized a media blitz to DuPage County suburbs.
• Publicized Maria Tallchief’s celebrity endorsement.

Results:

• Garnered 25 million impressions in Chicagoland
• Secured hits in nearly every targeted publication, including more than 30 combined mentions in Chicago’s top three daily newspapers
• Secured four broadcast segments, including a spot on WGN’s coveted morning news program
• Increased ticket sales for the suburban performances by 16.5 percent
• Sold 84 of 100 promotional tickets through SeeChicagoDance.com
• CFB was asked back to the Harris for not one, but two productions in 2006-07, “The Nutcracker” and a spring performance.