Tom McCann, Senior Director of Marketing, stood in the lobby of The Public Theater in the spring of 2014. Over a year had passed since the completion of The Public’s first capital campaign and the resulting construction project. The historic New York performing arts institution had renovated and refurbished its lobby space. The organization was happy with what the lobby represented: the embodiment of The Public’s mission of accessible culture for all. McCann was meeting with his staff that afternoon to plan for a budget meeting with Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Patrick Willingham. McCann thought The Public should start an institutional marketing campaign, to further emphasize the Public’s renewed focus on its mission and increase contributed revenue. With the unforeseen costs of the new lobby drawing resources away from artistic programming, McCann was aware that in order to convince Eustis and Willingham to reallocate more programming money towards a new marketing campaign, the marketing department would need strong justification. McCann hoped that he and his team could create a plan with supporting evidence to convince leadership that allocating resources for an organizational marketing campaign would be a solid investment.
Publication Date: 2015-05-15
Suggested Citation: Steven C. Koernig, "The Public Theater (2014)," Yale Theater Management Knowledge Base Case Study #14-66, May 15, 2015
Keywords: New York City, Audience, Branding, Facilities, Marketing
Teaching Notes: Yes (contact yaletmknowledgebase@yale.edu)
About the Theater Management Knowledge Base
This case is from the Theater Management Knowledge Base, a body of arts management material created by Yale School of Drama Theater Management students and faculty, overseen by an editorial board of leading practitioners. For more information or for help in selecting cases suitable for your educational or organizational purposes, please email yaletmknowledgebase@yale.edu.