The document discusses strategies for the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra to attract new and younger audiences through innovation. It proposes conducting market segmentation analysis to develop new product offerings targeted at different age groups. Examples include family concert series, classical music club nights for 20-30 year olds, and film music performances. Goals are to increase sales, lower the average audience age, and expand to new "first time" audiences while maintaining high artistic quality. Key strategies involve rebranding, new marketing approaches, and exploring alternative venues and locations.

1. Data, knowledge and
innovation
The case of the
Rotterdam Philharmonic
Orchestra

2. The classical music institution
• Our music by itself has true value
– it is self-sufficient and true;
– it is a functionally autonomous discipline.
• But relative….
• Some classical music has a certain
degree of universality in a time-space
area.

3. Bzzzzz - WAAW
• Classical music concerts are social
constructions of individuals and groups
that have specific meaning, connotations
and value(s).
• Classical music is composed for and
recieved by a different audience over time
and space.

4. FIRST
• From a supply to a demand logic.
• Your artists are the first to be convinced.
• Culture and communication.

5. Analysis
• Macro trends.
• Meso analysis of local environment.
• Micro analysis of company, products and
audiences.

6. Trends
• Flexibility
• Technology
• Looking EAST ; EAST looking WEST
tradition
• Commercialisation of the life world
• Multi-alternative society
• Cultural relativisation
• Today and future

7. • Cultural and artistic education
• Fast forward and visual society
• Experiences
• Lifeworld commercialisation
• Communication and information society
• Events and Festivals
• Vacation timing +55 year olds
• Old feels Young

8. The evidence
• Older elderly
• Higher education
• Higher middle income
• Cultural capital parents
• Percieved distance of classical music
• Cultural change: education, peers, media,
generation, …

9. Goals: short & middle
• A circle of mutually reinforcing goals
• General brand innovation
– Logo, look and feel
– Sub-brand strategy
• “More” audience
• Younger audience
• First level audience is important
• Quality product & symphonic level

10. Means
• Branding: old brand and new sub-brands
• Marketing:
• Product development
• (Long term education)

11. INNOVATION PHASE 1
• Classic Product – Contemporary Design
– Flexible subscription series
• Communication on
– Feeling
– Experience (Try and Listen)
– Image (Russian campaign)
• Content
– Film music concerts

12. • Complexity reduction
• Leading people
• More sales
• Flexibility, time and individualisation
• Repertoire (and feelings)

14. • Feelings (and repertoire)
• Image
• Stylish
• Contemporary

16. • Arty, trendy (retro).
• New communication techniques:
Guerilla campaign
• But, ART and the COMPOSER as central
heroes.

17. Rotterdams Philarmonisch, 17 november 2011

18. Results
• Sales up, Age down
• Website
• Facebook
• Press & nomination campaign
Rotterdams Philarmonisch, 17 november 2011

19. PHASE 2
• New products for different audiences:
– Market segmentation
• age / education
• taste / generation
– Evergreens: firework series
– Family
– Classic Club Nights (XL)
– Existing markets for the symphony orchestra
• Film music: highbrow Lord of the Rings

20. THE TROJAN HORSE:
Classic Club Night
• Target AUDIENCE: 20+, higher education.
• Need: Evening out in an exclusive environment.
• Format: classical music, world music, etc.. In an exclusive club
setting (build the setting with visuals and DJ).
• Observation: connecting to the unfamiliar through the familiar ->
people appreciate classical music.
• EARNINGS?: very cost inefficient for a symphony orchestra which
makes sponsoring etc. necesarry,
– The way to your core business is long
– Leaning about communicating with the new audience
– First level audience

21. Lord of the Rings - live
• Audience: Film music lovers, all ages
• The message: feeling the power of the symphony
orchestra
• Format: live soundtrack Lord of the Rings
• Result: big success + new audience.
• EARNINGS? : Expensive for audience and organisers.

22. The stretch of the Rotterdam
Philharmonic
• Highbrow classical concerts at highest
international level
• Classical concerts (+90,000 in R’dam/+70%
seats sold)
• New products for new audiences
– B to B issues
• Education
• Social projects

23. Some Tools: creating the
condition
•Typologies ?
• Trends ?
• Scientific surveys ?
• Audience research ?
• Panels ?
• Innovation in organisation !
• Organisation as culture !
• Organisation as structure !

24. Audience research ?
• Short term improvements
• Check hypothesis
• Follow-up goals strategy
• Conservative instrument
• Expensive

25. Focus on
• Database construction and client data
– cheaper in the long run.
– facts, behaviour analysis.
– ecological problem.
– data enrichement by questionnaires is
possible, but legal restrictions.

26. Organisation
• Culture
• Innovation function
• Innovation manager ?
• “Added value” is more and more created
in the office, not only on stage anymore.

27. Unresolved innovation issues
• Measurement costs, monitoring and
learning
• Venues
• Alternative locations? A solution ?
• Investment vs immediate return
• Identity – innovation
• Media: the future ?

28. Phase 3: Repertoire and next
generation Stars ?
• Composers
– Of our time
– Understand the ear of younger people and
society
– Produce content that communicates with the
audience of today
• Financially solid systems for commisions
– Inspired by music/movie industry
• The concert evening and venue

29. • FOLLOW US ON
• https://www.rpho.nl/
• http://twitter.com/#!/rdamsphil