SMS 2018: "Hamilton" CMO Says Play Will Market To Sports Fans

Despite its historic runaway success, Broadway play “Hamilton” will be using sports in the coming months to attract new theater goers, particularly males, said show CMO Laura Matalon at the Octagon Sports Marketing Symposium. The show remains sold out amid five separate current productions, having attracted 7.5 million people to more than 3,500 total performances thus far. However, the white-hot ticket frenzy surrounding the show three years ago has slowed somewhat, lessening the advance time in which fans need to plan to attend. As a result, Matalon said sports will be a key part of her marketing plan this fall and winter, particularly to drive holiday gift purchasing.

One specific planned activation will be an ad in the Chicago Tribune sports section and on local TV during the week of Packers-Bears Dec. 16 at Soldier Field. “We very much look to sports as a place to find an audience for our shows,” Matalon said. “While we are still selling out, it’s not as far in advance as it was.”