‘Word-fencing' with an all-star team
The brief
Deliver a communications campaign for Shortlist - a fast paced Edinburgh Fringe play about two enemy novelists competing for the ultimate literary prize.
This was an international project with an all-star team. The producing company was from Wales, with playwright Brian Parks and director Margarett Perry both based in New York.
My role
To get the reviewers in (securing a review in The Scotsman was essential). I was to make the most of Parks' name - raising awareness that he had a show on. The team were also keen that I secured some Welsh coverage, and managed advertising and print.
To get things started, I invited theatre/book bloggers and Edinburgh booksellers to the show to build word of mouth. I negotiated with The List, Edinburgh Festival Guide and The Scotsman to plan online and print ads to raise industry awareness.
I hired street team staff who marketed the show, and a filmmaker who created a vox pop video.
The result
Before the play reached Edinburgh, Welsh preview coverage was published on entertainmentsouthwales.com and theatre-wales.co.uk. Blogs were written by book bloggers. Nine reviews were printed, including that all important one in The Scotsman, with others including Broadway Baby and Fringe Review.
All the wordplay in Shortlist didn't seem to puzzle the critics - the show has recently been nominated for an OffFest award.
“I have significant experience bringing shows to the Edinburgh Fringe.
One of the two performances I worked with James on was Shortlist.
We wanted to get reviews and build on the existing profile of Brian Parks (this was the 13th show we’ve done together).
I’ve worked with many PR firms over the years, but watching James ceaselessly build the number of reviewers who covered Shortlist, and deliver unexpected benefits such as the vox pop video was truly a star performance in my book!”
