Rocky Horror is coming back to Broadway this spring! As the show gets reimagined, how could its marketing and communications follow suit?
A few weeks ago, I wrote a journal entry about the recent production of Pirates! The Penzance Musical for my Lead Generation and Management course at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. I wanted to go deeper with theatrical marketing, and then an email from Roundabout Theatre Company caught my attention.
It was impossible not to be inspired by The Rocky Horror Show. After all, it’s one of the most well-known musicals of all time, with a massive cult following that spans continents and generations. Such an iconic show deserves such an iconic location, especially following a 20+ year Broadway hiatus, so it was not surprising to see it slated for the historic Studio 54 next spring.
The Rocky Horror fandom is massive, so I asked myself: how could Roundabout reach this diverse and highly invested audience? I then knew I had found the perfect project to build upon my coursework.
I brainstormed a hypothetical marketing and communications campaign, including:
- Strategies to embrace fandom and the community that cemented the show’s icon status
- Social media collaborations featuring the other Frankenstein place at Universal Orlando Resort, peer Broadway shows, and actors from one of the most famous Rocky Horror presentations
- Partnerships with local businesses, including a well-themed dirty chai latte at The Drama Book Shop
- Tactics designed for widespread, yet targeted, reach on digital and OOH platforms
Building on my current coursework, this campaign aims to acquire audiences first and foremost for the 2026 revival, then retain the guests as patrons of Roundabout Theatre Company, and ultimately develop them into more loyal customers and potentially members and donors.
SEO, email, and advertising efforts support initial customer acquisition. Tactics like subscriber discounts serve as a lead magnet to establish the foundation for post-production communications for retention and development efforts. The social media content and partnerships help to build awareness amongst new audiences, while simultaneously creating new value and touchpoints to keep audiences engaged and further develop their relationships and loyalty.
As a communications student, practicing marketer, and theatre lover, I firmly believe that the audience’s experience with the show starts well before they enter the theatre. With this in mind, I strived to create a funnel that aligned with the production, generating excitement to engage audiences even within a digital space.
Ultimately, I aimed to imagine methods to garner interest from every segment of the revival’s fan base. The audience in Studio 54 will include everyone from long-time fans to young theatre lovers seeing the show for the first time. Whether it’s a group of friends from college who participated in their campus Rocky Horror Picture Show every year, or a young adult bringing their parents, who introduced them to the show initially, or even a fan of a cast member who’s only ever heard Time Warp around Halloween, this campaign needed to make everyone feel included. Rocky Horror was how many found their community and people, so the pre- and post-show experience must match this level of culture and impact.
Don’t sit and shiver with antici… pation. Check out my conceptual campaign deck below!
I cannot wait to see what Roundabout shares in its next season; their team always does such an incredible job of creating memorable and accessible theatre! If you’re waiting as (not so) patiently as I am for this revival, what are you most excited to see?
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