Thinking Outside of the Jazz Square

Experiential marketing has become a popular marketing tool that allows fans to become part of the marketing experience on a level that traditional advertising does not. It also allows for companies to capitalize on the experiential events for years to come by creating content for platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Many large brands have embraced the concept of experiential marketing as it often provides a duplicate opportunity for promotion, as the day of the event can be shared repeatedly on social media. However, one area has been hesitant to embrace experiential marketing - Broadway shows. Despite being one of America's oldest art forms and a popular form of entertainment, many Broadway shows have not joined the experiential marketing trend. There are many reasons why this might be the case, the largest being the fact events are often cost prohibitive and Broadway shows have smaller budgets in comparison to larger consumer-based products. Through quantitative research from studies that are currently available on the subject as well as considering the concept of social exchange theory and through five in-depth interviews, this thesis presents a look at the Broadway marketing sphere today and how experiential marketing can help navigate its future.