Marketing Case Study - Nuclear Cowboyz

2|The Nuclear Cowboyz Case Study Step One: Situation Summary When it comes to motorcycle racing in North America Motocross and Supercross are by far the two most popular hands down. This case study focused primarily on the hybrid combination of motocross and supercross and Fled Entertainment’s opportunity to create a brand-new entity by presenting a hybrid of those two motorcycle racing series as Vegas entertainment style and attract a massive and diversified audience, with the selling points centered around the adrenaline rush, excitement and interest in motor sports. To understand the relevance and utter important of this case study it is important to identify and explicate what Feld Entertainment is and how significant their entertainment productions and are and just how intricate their inception of “The Nuclear Cowboyz” really was in the grand scheme of the sport entertainment world. Irvine Feld started as a record and music promoter and in 1956 found himself getting involved with the circus. From humble beginnings, the Feld brothers used their familiarity with the entertainment business to bring Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey’s “The Greatest Show on Earth” back to relevancy in 1957. Later in 1971, the brother sold the company to Mattel for $50 million in stock and then bought it back in 1982. Feld Entertainment was later able to penetrate the sports market through its acquiring of Live Nation’s motor sports division at the tune of $175 million. In an effort to increase success and expand the business, Feld Entertainment went on to purchase a complex in Ellenton, Florida known as the Palmetto Corporate Center and set up its headquarters there. As a result of those business transactions the general public is able to enjoy productions such as the following: Ringling Brothers and 3|The Nuclear Cowboyz Case Study Barnum & Bailey, Monster Energy Supercross, Monster Jam, Disney on Ice, Disney Live, Marvel University Live and of course, Nuclear Cowboyz. We will be focusing on the latter. Nuclear Cowboyz has been described as “an action-packed show set in a postapocalyptic future” (Pitts, Lu-Anderson, 2011). The show’s backdrop is in Los Angeles amidst war and turmoil set in the year 2150. The show’s main protagonists, if you will, are nuclear cowboy tribes that are known as the Metal Mulisha and the Soldiers of Havoc (Pitts, Lu-Anderson, 2011). The two tribes battle it out despite the adversity that manifests itself in the form of an iniquitous goddess referred to as the Tempest whose main agenda entails destroying the Nuclear Cowboyz. The show is highlighted with an adrenaline-laced, action-packed cast including freestyle riders and medalists from the X Games and Winter X Games alike. The Nuclear Cowboyz is a twohour compilation of raw athleticism, gravity defying tricks and stunts with martial arts undertones in a never-before seen ingenious hybrid with Las Vegas style choreography and theatrical production elements. The Nuclear Cowboyz came to Atlanta, Georgia at the Georgia Dome and a research team conducting a survey to gain a better understanding of the demographics, factors affecting attendance, economic factors and visitor information. Step Two: Current 4P’s Product: Las Vegas entertainment style utilizing the nature of the motocrossadrenaline as a means to excite the crowd and attract audience bases. This style manifested into the show known as The Nuclear Cowboyz, which is what this case study focuses on. 4|The Nuclear Cowboyz Case Study Place: Nuclear Cowboyz debuted in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and FUEL TV aired activation shows like “The Making of Nuclear Cowboyz” which got airtime a total of ten times that same February and then in its first year visited 15 cities in North America. However, this case study focused on the show when it came to Atlanta's Georgia Dome. Price: For the show that came to Atlanta, the data found that patrons spent, on average, $76.37 per ticket combined with an average of $26.44 in concession per person. Promotion: Based on survey results (Pitts, Lu-Anderson, 2011) it was revealed that media promotion and advertising was a strong influential factor in determining attendance, based on the 5-point Likert scale. Please refer to the below table for the findings of the data collection: Factors Media promotion/advertising of event Mean 4.27 A chance to see the sport itself 4.25 Entertain family 3.86 A chance to see star riders 3.81 Something to do 3.69 *5-point Likert Scale (1 = no influence to 5 = strong influence) Additional promotional and marketing efforts were concentrated on the Feld Motor Sports website with a direct link to the Nuclear Cowboyz Facebook fan page. Additionally, promotion was implemented on Feld Entertainment operated social media sites including Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube and Instagram. Last but certainly not least, host sites used local promoters to further the promotional efforts utilizing methods such as press releases, social media, and 5|The Nuclear Cowboyz Case Study other traditional marketing methodologies including posters, handouts, bulletin boards and things of the like. Step Three: Current 4C’s Consumer: According to data collected the consumer base was 60% male and 40% female' with age demographics ranging from 18-51. But in general, this product would be for fans of motocross, those looking to enjoy a means of entertainment. Additionally, half of participants were from Metro Atlanta area, which is a more specific subset of consumer base for this particular show. Other consumer demographics included information highlighting that the average income was around $55,000 and a high number of respondents identified themselves as motocross fans and motorcycle riders at 83.6% and 62.9% respectively (Pitts, Lu-Anderson, 2011). Company: Feld Entertainment bought live nation's motor sports division and they actively grew the business. As a result of this came inception of the Nuclear Cowboyz Competition: Live Nation would have been a major competitor for a show of this nature, however, Feld Entertainment combated that strategically by buying their motor sports division. Additional competitors would be any other entertainment events taking place at the same time as the performance. Another additional threat would be leisure activities, especially since nearly half of the attendees were local, they have plenty of other options to consider because they are familiar with the area and its offerings. 6|The Nuclear Cowboyz Case Study Climate: The Nuclear Cowboyz show creates in and of itself a unique climate catering to those who seek entertainment, action, thrills and of course naturalistic fans of motor sports. Phase Two: Problems and Causes Step One: The Problems Throughout this case study there were a few things that really jumped out at me as being problematic with the show Nuclear Cowboyz. As a graduate assistant in the athletic and marketing department, I found their marketing and social media efforts to be somewhat outdated and left too many potential consumer markets unpenetrated. While the show “The Nuclear Cowboyz” might not appeal to an astonishingly large population of people, there are certain methods not discussed in this case study that are certainly worth a try. Marketing requires patience and meticulousness. For such an intricate art form/specialization those leading the marketing endeavors might find that money is best spent simply with advertisements and social media presence. However, from my perspective that is a grave mistake. Additionally, more data needs to be collected. That lack of data is detrimental to figuring out exactly where efforts are failing. If the Nuclear Cowboyz began using social media analysis metrics such as HootSuite, TweetDeck or other programs with similar functionality, they could better understand where they are hitting it spot on and where they are not. However, doing so could be a waste of time and resources if social media is not the main source of traffic. However, I highly doubt that is the case seeing that there was an entire section dedicated solely to that. Data collection and retrieval from 7|The Nuclear Cowboyz Case Study social media sites can be tedious and at times often monotonous and redundant but the benefits surpass the downsides tenfold. Moving on, the brand footprint of the Nuclear Cowboyz is sub-par at best and could use some tweaks and enhancements to increase awareness and consumer connectedness. While the traditional sources of social media and advertisement are great, it is time to continue penetrating the social media world. Not utilizing Snapchat, Vine, Tumblr, Flickr and Periscope would be a mistake. Looking at the reverse side, those things aren’t as widely popular amongst the consumer base The Nuclear Cowboyz might be concentrating its efforts towards. Step Two: The Causes Given that the major problem I identified revolved singularly around marketing efforts, it is my conclusion that the cause of some hit-and-miss marketing efforts for The Nuclear Cowboyz is lack of supported data. Quantifiable data is a tremendous asset and a crucial component in evaluating any event. Marketing and promotions can make or break an event and since that was the greatest influential factor regarding attendance and so with that, the marketing efforts cannot be so one-dimensional, there needs to be some diversification to allow for greater brand imprint. If the Nuclear Cowboyz can get a better handle on the aforementioned sectors and effectively manage the implantation of those strategies they will be headed toward an upward trend of growth in generating better attendance numbers, stronger connection and penetration of consumer bases and brand imprint and loyalty. Step Three: Identify the Area(s) of Management 8|The Nuclear Cowboyz Case Study I have identified the following areas as ones that Feld Entertainment and the Nuclear Cowboyz show could focus on to market the show to the Atlanta fan base and increase attendance and viewership. Four areas: program management, consumer behavior, advertising, product distribution, and licensing are all areas of management this case study prompts us to focus on. Program management is a key component because there are certainly some aspects that could benefit from some restructuring and modifications in an effort to work smarter, not harder and yield more appealing results. Secondarily, consumer behavior is vital because understanding the purchasing behaviors and power of potential consumers allows marketing efforts and branding to be better concentrated and more successful. Advertising, product distribution and licensing are all intertwined because utilizing those three sectors will positively contribute to an increased brand footprint, but it is important to bear in mind that quality trumps quantity. Phase Three: Objectives, Solutions, Plans Step One: Identify objectives and solutions The key objectives for Feld Entertainment should include analysis and discussion of consumer behavior, marketing and promotions, brand visibility and sponsorship opportunities. Those four components are potential difference makers in increasing The Nuclear Cowboyz revenue stream and attendance numbers. Plainly articulated, ignorance is not bliss. People cannot attend an event they do not know is taking place. Therefore, studying consumer behavior is on the immediate to-do list. Studying consumer behavior opens up an abundance of doors in regards to how to spend marketing dollars, where to concentrate efforts and even what cities to perform in. 9|The Nuclear Cowboyz Case Study If an opportunity exists for The Nuclear Cowboyz to perform in front of 150,000 people or 12,000 people, it’s a no-brainer. However, those numbers aren’t going to magically appear. In regards to marketing and promotions, it’s time to up the ante. Yes, traditional marketing is great and Facebook is a great starter platform and YouTube, and the other outlets compliment that very well, however, The Nuclear Cowboyz needs as much graphics and visual aids as it can get because a picture is worth a thousand words and on that same sentiment, a video is worth 10 million. Utilizing Snapchat, Vine, Flickr, Tumblr, and Periscope could go a long way in increasing brand reach and awareness. Brand visibility and sponsorship opportunities go hand-in-hand; securing corporate sponsorship deals allow for more brand recognition and the Nuclear Cowboyz desperately yearns for more visibility. Due to the fact that marketing and promotions for this show can range from free to outrageous it’s important to put a more deliberate focus on the free and inexpensive methods to reserve budgeting dollars for potential sponsors and securing bigger scale deals that allows opportunities for The Nuclear Cowboyz to be seen, heard, interacted with in a major way. Step Two: Develop a strategic plan In an effort to assist Feld Entertainment execute a more successful promotion, marketing and revenue generating campaign for their show, Nuclear Cowboyz, I have devised a strategic plan to help revamp their marketing and promotions and potentially revitalize their brand footprint and lead to greater revenue generation and visibility. Even though Feld Entertainment is no novice at this and The Nuclear Cowboyz certainly isn’t in its rookie year campaign, for rebranding purposes I am going to approach the 10 | T h e N u c l e a r C o w b o y z C a s e S t u d y strategic plan as if it were. First things first, I would suggest a “back-to-basics” approach centered around personal marketing; employees, cast members, anyone involved with The Nuclear Cowboyz and Feld Entertainment should be networking constantly and essentially be a walking billboard/word-of-mouth campaign for The Nuclear Cowboyz. All it takes is one dose of being in the right place and the right time amongst the right people to gain some much-needed exposure. Next, a website is vital. The Nuclear Cowboyz need their own website to call their own, with everything Nuclear Cowboyz including an online apparel and souvenir shop for the avid fan. Doing so increase brand awareness and the online marketplace is an extra revenue generator and of course the more people sporting their Nuclear Cowboyz gear, the more foot traffic that the website could benefit from. Moving on, social media is key and while social media outlets have been used it’s a matter of making it count. Having a social media dashboard for business is an invaluable weapon for any organization to have in their arsenal so long as its benefits are truly being optimized. How do you utilize social media? You use metrics to track traffic, unique viewership and track all sorts of demographics such as geographical location. Marketing! Marketing! Marketing! While Feld Entertainment’s marketing department might currently put more time, money and manpower into its other, more noteworthy events, it’s important to not neglect the Nuclear Cowboyz. Social media presence and sub-par online visibility isn’t going to suffice if making The Nuclear Cowboyz a raving success is the ultimate end goal. This requires the optimization of online presence including, but not limited to, the following strategies: social media marketing, advertisements on google, yahoo and other search engines because that 11 | T h e N u c l e a r C o w b o y z C a s e S t u d y optimization converts into real viewership and real revenue stream, email marketing, pop up marketing, such as the Nuclear Cowboyz car that drives around and hands out merchandise combined with some free edible giveaways, after all people love free items. Furthermore, it is essential that the Nuclear Cowboyz work directly with local promotion teams in tour city stops to more efficiently get the word out. Also, if extra marketing dollars are available put those to good use with radio advertising spots on stations that best identify with the consumer base you are looking to reel in. Lastly un regards to marketing, surveys and data collection are great so offer incentives for fans and event attendees to participate such as free event tickets, gift cards, etc. Moving on, sponsorships are an incredible tool. Get more sponsorship capital and collateral through sponsorship activation because in doing so that goes a long way with brand awareness and visibility. If all-of-the-sudden a Nascar driver is riding around with The Nuclear Cowboyz on their car, imagine the tremendous brand impact that could have. While that type of branding may not be immediately available, it is a goal to shoot for. Lastly, use other Feld Entertainment events to promote The Nuclear Cowboyz with inserts in programming, announcements and “hype” videos on jumbotrons. If the Nuclear Cowboyz implemented all or even a fraction of these suggested methods, I am certain it would go a long way to improve the attendance at performances (not just in Atlanta) but nationwide, increase annual revenue generation, and help them to develop a clearer understanding of what marketing methods work versus those that don’t quite measure up. All-in-all, these recommendations will allow 12 | T h e N u c l e a r C o w b o y z C a s e S t u d y the Nuclear Cowboyz to becoming a more widely recognized brand and acquire a greater, more diversified following.