Live entertainment experts and executives discuss Taylor Swift’s Ellas Tour and Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour, both of which have dominated the zeitgeist and are likely to do the same at the box office soon, at TheGrill 2023. Unraveling the cultural success of
The panel titled “Redefining Live Entertainment: Presented by Gerber Kawasaki” featured Mr. Forgindam, Ross Gerber, president and CEO of Gerber Kawasaki, and WME Levi Jackson. ‘s head of music, president and chief distribution officer of Kevin Hart’s production company, Heartbeat, was facilitated. By Adam Chitwood, Co-Editor-in-Chief of TheWrap. Forjindom delved into his live performances and transitioned into his documentary of Swift and Beyoncé concerts. The documentaries will be distributed by AMC in October and December respectively.
She said her motivation for coming to concerts and standing out is “ It’s about working with brands and artists who share emotional experiences and reflect who they are, whether it’s their ideology, consumer spending or sexuality. ”
Forgindam also pointed out that the obsession with pastel, glitter and silver costume trends and the investment in concerts by veteran female performers stem from more than just the desire to see the performances themselves.
“You can’t just look at an artist, it needs to be something deeper, it needs to be a shared experience that feels authentic and gives you agency. A lot of what we’re seeing right now is “What these big studios are saying is, ‘It’s not just about engaging with the audience, it’s about engaging with them repeatedly,'” she said. “It’s about converting consumer spending that leverages our IP and our world into something like an ecosystem that has a loyalty base. So how do we turn that into a physical destination? Is it a concert, or a museum or theme park? How can you take all of these principles and turn it into a revenue-based experience or entertainment destination? Beyoncé and Taylor Swift say it’s possible.? We emphasized that women can take the reins.”
Ross Garber praised Forgindam’s work as visionary and a great prediction of where live entertainment is headed. At one point, after either Levi or Clanagan brought up the possibility of an impending recession earlier in the year, I mentioned that some people were blaming Swift for inflation and the Fed’s price increases. be.
“You can’t quantify impact, you can’t quantify emotional connection that resonates, and you can’t quantify the emotional connection that resonates with you because people are choosing to give you the values and the kind of support that you offer. If there is, it means a promise has been made. You’re saying you’re going to have all of me, you’re going to have my complete catalog, you’re saying you’re going to have the showmanship of a performance. , technology, we’re going to have all the VIP stuff, there’s a kind of experiential overlay that’s delivering on that promise. People are changing their behavior. They’re very insightful. They’re They don’t want bullshit. They come here looking for a compelling, deep experience that has agency and authenticity and allows them to see it in the things they’re involved with. ”
I asked whether a concert documentary would affect the initial sales of the concert or, in the case of comedians like Kevin Hart, the first stand-up show before the special is distributed to streamers such as Netflix. When asked, Mr. Clanagan emphasized the importance of repeating the experience, which would not hurt sales either way. .
“This is the next piece where people were sitting at home and watching live streams on their computers. We were talking about this and now they want to share that experience. Maybe they can’t go to Taylor Swift, they can’t physically go there. They can’t afford to be there. But it’s cheaper in theaters,” Clanagan said. said. “Why not spend $30 or $40 and go see it at the theater with your friends? You won’t have to worry about missing out on tickets, but you’ll still get access to the event and have a chance to relive it if you were able to go. “Again.” ”
“[There’s] There is zero chance that it will affect ticket sales. That’s one of the things we started doing with him, we released a lot of Kevin Hart specials in theaters. What happens is, [people go to] At the end of the tour, we go to the theater,” Clanagan added. “As much as we’re talking about the live experience, it’s about what happens. There’s still a lot of audience members who might not have gone to the stadium to see Taylor or Beyoncé because of ticket prices or whatever. But the people who went to the show also really want to have that experience at the theater. Sharing the theater experience is just another touchpoint for consumers, but the point is that ticket sales will be negative. It had no effect at all.”
Jackson chalked up repeat viewings and participation in both concerts and subsequent documentaries, depending on supply and demand.
“I think you’re right about the demand, we’re talking and talking about artists who are in such high demand, but the reality is that the supply isn’t keeping up with the number of tickets for performances. ,” Jackson concluded. “Look at Billie Eilish, Coldplay, Beyoncé Taylor Swift. There are millions of people who are missing out on these shows and tickets, so when this comes along, let alone those who want to go again. I think it would be a good thing if we could fill the void left by those who missed out.”
This consensus also explains why the Ticketmaster problem is so difficult to solve, especially with just one musician. They also discussed live entertainment in conjunction with The Sphere, a new venue where U2 just performed in Las Vegas.
See the full panel below.
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