r/marketing • u/MobilityTweezer • 3d ago

Question Growing an established event

Anyone have experience with companies like McCabe Group, Frame House, or AC Entertainment? These types of marketing companies would promote music events, festivals, etc. I work for a mid sized music festival that I feel is ready for whatever the next step is. We’re unsure what the next step is. Presently, marketing is Facebook heavy, insta, X, magazine ads(seems like a dead end), YouTube, visitors bureaus, some direct mail, partnerships with other venues (giveaways),billboards, some radio etc. and lots of free tickets to fund raiser events(local). It’s all done in house. Everything we do feels like guesses with not enough trackable data and decisions based on that. Word of mouth is our strong suit. The festival has been around for decades. Our marketing budget is small compared to big festivals, but for contemplations sake, let’s say it’s $50,000, which might not be enough for much I do realize. Any general advice about which way to steer this very established ship? If we never promoted it again it would probably be fine, just no real growth. I’m traveling right now, so I might not reply to any responses I may get, but I promise I’ll try. Thank you in advance.

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u/elijha 3d ago

Rapid growth will likely require outside investment or another similar deal. You’ll be selling out pretty literally.

I’m guessing that success to you does not look like doubling attendance Y/Y but totally losing the soul of the festival in the process. So what does it look like to you? Impossible to say what your next move should be without knowing the game you want to play.

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u/MobilityTweezer 1d ago

Interesting perspective. We’re not there yet, but I feel that a crossroads will come where selling out or holding onto that special something will be the two choices. And honestly, I don’t know what we’ll take.