Why this advert makes me despair (part 1)

I picked up the Metro on Monday morning, had my usual browse through and came across this advert. And despaired.

Why, you might ask? Surely it’s good to see classical music in a mainstream paper like the Metro?

The answer is yes, it is good to see it there, but not so good to see such a wasted opportunity, and another example of how classical music refuses to change, refuses to understand its’ audience and how unprofessional and uninspired most of its marketing is.

We’re told time and time again, and research continues to show, that audiences are almost totally motivated by repertoire. Most of the time they couldn’t give a flying fig who is conducting or solo-ing. There are VERY few names that have an impact on sales. Those that do would include Gergiev, Rattle, Anne Sophie-Mutter and the like. Sorry to say, that list does not include Jurowski or Nezet-Seguin. Ok, your subscribers might know the names, but this advert isn’t aimed at them. So given this, then why is the biggest thing on the advert the conductors names? Even the discount is smaller!

This advert will reach a very broad cross section of people, most of whom wont know much about classical music or artists.  If they make a decision to attend they’re going to be led by the programme (perhaps), picking out composers they recognise. Putting names and pictures of conductors they’ve never heard of is a complete waste of space.

To be honest for at least two of these concerts the names of the composers isn’t goig to be much use either. Even regular classical goers are highly unlikely to be able to hum you Zemlinsky’s Lyric Symphony. So why not use the space to give people a flavour of what these concerts are about – give them a name, title? A little copy?

And what’s with the quotes? I think most people aren’t doubting that the LPO is a pretty good orchestra, and that conductors they work with will be competent. This level of detail is completely lost on the target audience. Why not use this space to flag up that you can listen to samples of the music on the LPO website? Or why not use audience quotes? People trust people like them a lot more than they trust critics.

Ok, now here I am going to make an assumption, that readers of this blog are not committed club goers. So here’s a club flyer.

Recognise any of the DJ names? Have any idea what the music or night will be like? Any idea what the difference between the DJ’s is? No, neither have I, and this is what 95% of people who read the LPO’s advert will be feeling too, it’s just a list of names to them. Difference is, clubbing is really popular, classical music isn’t, and is funded by the public. For that reason it has a duty to understand its public.

The Evening Standard today carried an article that passionately argued that London should retain it’s five Symphony Orchesras. I’d argue that no body has a right to exist. I’d question whether we need 5 orchestras that all do the same thing. That’s an future article, but incidents like this, which serve to underline how marooned orchestras and their marketers are in their little bubble, don’t make me any more inclined to defend the capital’s 5 funded Symphony Orchestras.

Advertisement