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JOE'S CORNER
1997 was a record year for many of us in the theatrical lighting business.
I like to tell everybody we did so well because we are so smart, but in truth I suspect that we have also been so very lucky. Which reminds me of an old Yiddish proverb-"all you need to succeed is a little luck and a little smarts". On the side of smarts, we've written a great deal about the things we need to do to improve our business, learn more about our products, sharpen our marketing and selling techniques, improve our service and so on. On the luck side, well that seems to be in somebody else's hands, but the amulet that has given us all this good luck, I believe, is the trend towards 'theme everything'.
Forty years ago Disney successfully recreated the theme park. Theme parks spend a lot of money, use a lot of theatrical equipment and they are a lot of fun to work with. The growth of the theme park created vibrant economies in areas like Orlando Florida, generating new theatrical, film and video markets as well. As the theme parks grew, they added profitable business to our traditional theatrical base. Theme restaurants have become very popular using very theatrical concepts. Color filters, patterns, lights, dimmers, color changers and more are being used in this expanded new market.
As the theme parks grew, they added profitable business to our traditional theatrical base.
In order to compete with the discount stores and their keen price competition, retailers have gone out of their way to make their stores more interesting. Walk into FAO Schwartz where moving lights, GAM TwinSpins, patterns, color filters, and a control system are being used to create 'theme retail'. The elaborate show is meant to amuse the children, and the parents that bring them in.
The objective is to encourage store traffic, so that you will pay top price for the merchandise. Prices may be better at the discount store but the shopping 'ain't no fun'. Prices at the 'theme retailer' may be a little high-so we will just go look at this fun place and leave, you may think. Try telling your five year old he can't have that teddy bear now.
Hard Rock Cafe is a living example of 'theme marketing'. Not only do you have a theme restaurant, (music, rock'n'roll, and a good place to have a $5.00 hamburger for only $10.00), but I love the way they line customers up to buy tee shirts with their advertising screened all over them.
It is 'theme everything' and thank goodness 'theme everything' requires a lot of theatrical products. So that is how we got to be so lucky but, how smart are we? Major players like Nike and Disney Stores hire professional designers to plan their theme projects. Smart consultants and designers are seeking out this business.
As a local dealer, you have a captive market in need of your services...
But how about the smaller retailer? The 'local' shop, night club or hotel that would like to emulate their bigger retail competitors' 'theme everything' program. As a local dealer, you have a captive market in need of your services and product. Show them tricks that are second nature to you, but are absolute marvels to them: patterns projected on walls, a little kinetic energy with a TwinSpin, some GamColor splashed around, a SPE-6 Flickermaster to create fire/candle light/strobe effects. Start simple and build your relationships with local store owners, restaurants, and clubs. They will like what you can do for them and will soon want more of it, bigger and better. This will open new markets for the products and services that you already supply.
I like this 'theme everything'. I do hope it has a long run!
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