Isaacs, M., Week 3

Welcome back for week 3!

To start off my week of more experiences, we went to Community Broadcasters which is a local radio station. With the always changing technology, along with aux cords and music apps, many would think that radio is failing, but that is not the case. Radio has learned to adjust to such challenges. They have even gone to the platform of social media to help their companies. When we visited Community broadcasters, they were live on Facebook that morning. The reason they have been able to make such changes is because they have studied their target markets. For each of their stations they pick can individual that represents the demographics of that radio station to learn what it is they want and need, and what attracts them. By studying such an individual they can target their specific market as a whole, keeping viewers interested. Each station is also specifically geared to that target market in different areas such as contests or the prizes they give away. The must know how to meet and connect to their market to continue to thrive.

Next, we went to visit the Clemens Center where we met with their marketing director. Here we learned a lot as to how they promote shows and get individuals to come out to the center. To begin with, the have been in the process of learning to attract a younger crowd since they have a primarily older crowd. One way the draw people out is through the series of Broadway shows. For these shows they promote being a member which will allow them first pick on seating in the bundle package, as well as other benefits. By being a member they hope this will help individuals to continue to come out in the future. They also must realize what ticket prices are appropriate for the audience they are attempting to draw in and attract when targeting each market. The center also promotes different areas of the art to continue to bring in a different crowd. They offered a class for dance students to come in a learn a "master dance" and then show it off to the other class. They are also looking to start a program for families and individuals who have special needs which I find extremely interesting. They have learned how to target the market and what shows to promote to which individuals through research which has kept this business going.

Thank you! Stay tuned!

Hill, S,. Week 3

Welcome back,

This week we traveled to Community Broadcasters in Horseheads, NY. Many believe that the Radio is on a decline in todays generation. However, here we soon learned, this is not the case. Radio has now reached out to using other forms of media such as social media. They also study a demographic of a 32 year old woman, who would typically be one of their audiences. They study what she does on a regular basis, what are her likes and what may appeal to her.

We also traveled to the Clemens Center in Elmira, NY where we met with their marketing director, Karen Kromer. She explained to us that they typically market to the people of Elmira, maybe Horseheads or Corning because people want a close drive home and thats easy for those individuals to do. Their strategies include bringing in broadway shows to attract that audience of people. They also push to attain members. They constantly try to renew the memberships but also recruit more people. However, the people they market to depends on the show that is performing. While visiting and learning about the history, you can tell this facility means a lot to the people of Elmira.

Until next week!

Cunningham, L., Week 3

A successful week is one that leaves you itching for the weekend to be over so you can start the next... Week 3 was exactly that. Our class visited a non-profit and were literally wined and dined; we learnt about the triumphs of working in modern-day radio; finally, we visited a local venue and huge asset to the City of Elmira.

Our first trip was upstate to the New York Wine & Culinary Center, a beautiful venue set right on the waters of Canandaigua Lake. The cloudy day did not deter the lovely aesthetic of the Center, and we enjoyed a tour of the facilities as we looked out upon the views. We then went into their Wine Spectator Education Classroom and watched as our lunch was made right in front of us; a very special sight to behold. The resulting pasta was delicious and light, proving you don't always have to travel to the big city or another country for a good meal. For those of us that were of the legal age, they poured a light Riesling; it smelled dry and fruity, a perfect compliment to the meal.



Next we went to Community Broadcasters LLC in their building just a short way from the Elmira College. There we spoke with Smitty as he described his years of work in the radio business. As we toured the station we saw a very minimalist set up, within which a lot of work goes out and revenue comes in. We learnt that the radio industry is not just getting by but actually thriving in the current market. Smitty told us about a very specific method, that has been used for years, that helps them combat the growing age of digital use. Listeners keep evolving and Community Broadcaster keeps doing so right along side them.

After the tour we accompanied the station to Dune Field for a live press conference that was being covered by several local stations. It was a true joy to watch play out, despite the windy conditions.

Finally, we did not have to stray far, as we visited the Clemens Center. This local legend has such a rich history, having been originally built in the 1920s as a vaudeville theatre and then saved and restored by the community on three separate occasions. The community's dedication to the Center has been shown time and time again, with each passing season of shows. This upcoming year will mark the 40th anniversary since it's latest renovation and re-opening. After an informative talk and charming tour, we walked away with a better understanding of: how a touring theatre operates; how it differentiates itself from competition; and how it is evolving and adapting to changing tastes of its consumers.

Colegrove, A., Week 3

Welcome back everyone,

Week 2 was filled with trips to places such as the New York Wine & Culinary Center in Canandaigua,  Community Broadcasters in Elmira, and the Clemens Center in Elmira. We also had in-class visits from Mr. Keith Cummings, an EC Alum, and Professor Philip M. Hurdle, former marketing professor at EC.

The New York Wine & Culinary Center is an awesome place to visit. It is perfectly located next to Canandaigua Lake where during the summer months is a perfect place to visit. We were given a tour and we told all about the center. It was interesting to hear that they were a not-for-prfofit organization along with learning about the agriculture, wine, and food industries they showcase. 

Going behind the scenes at the Clemens Center was something I was looking forward to doing. I have been to the Clemens Center once for a show. It was for Jersey Boys during my Freshman year here at EC. We were able to go on stage to see the Clemens Center from a performers point of view as well as going behind the scenes to see the dressing rooms and everything else. 

My favorite time of the week by far was seeing Professor Philip Hurdle. During his time at EC, I was able to take three courses with Professor Hurdle. I took Intro to Marketing, Consumer Behavior, and Sports Marketing with him. His great attitude and easy-going personality made his classes fun and engaging. It was great to be able to see him again and give him his personal retirement party. 

This week was very exciting and I can’t wait to see what next week holds

Huntley, M., Week 3

     Hello Everyone, Welcome Back!      
               

              Though many say that radio is a dying medium, our class trip to Community Broadcasters this week proved that it is not. Radio in many forms is actually thriving, for consumers will always want to listen to music, whether they are using a traditional form of radio or not.

             As Smitty at Community Broadcaster shared with us, radio is transforming into new forms such as online and satellite. Smitty shared with us the method that Community Broadcasters uses to reach their desired demographic of listeners. They imagine their desired customer, for example The Wolf 100.9 focuses on marketing their station to a woman that is 32 years old, and lives in the Horseheads area. They focus on what she likes, what she does, and what she would possibly be interested in. Through this strategy they keep their listeners interested, and please their desired demographic.

             Another form of entertainment that is huge throughout the world is theater. In order to learn about theater and how it is marketed, we took a class trip to the Clemens Center. At the Clemens Center we met with their Executive Director, Karen Kromer.

             Mrs. Kromer explained to us the Clemens Center's strategy of marketing to people throughout the Elmira area.  This strategy is one of reaching out to a broad audience, done mainly by bringing in an assortment of shows that will appeal to a broad base of consumers. Their biggest draw to the theater is the Broadway shows that they bring in, therefore they heavily push marketing for those shows. They market by attempting to retain members from previous years, while also attempting to draw in new members. They do this by using mail, flyers, and emails. They target the wealthier markets around the Elmira area, such as Corning workers to become members of the theater.  The Clemens Center focuses their marketing on the segment of the area that will be interested in the show that they are bringing in at the time. This is an extremely smart strategy for such a small area as Elmira, for not everyone will be interested in the same show.

Photo Credits: Professor Alison Wolfe

Chivers, K., Week 3

Welcome Back!

In this week of experiential learning, we took trips to both Community Broadcasters and the Clemens Center, both located conveniently in Elmira, New York. Both of these locations exemplified the efforts of entertainment marketing, and to the entertainment industry, the consumer experience is everything. Therefore, reaching their target consumer and providing them the entertainment that interests them is the biggest success strategy and challenge to these industries.



Community Broadcasters




Spending time in a radio station network was very interesting because it was a new experience for me personally. At Community Broadcasters, we learned about the different demographics and target markets of each individual radio station that the company runs. The class learned that a majority of current radio listeners are doing so from a mobile device or computer. For example, one may listen to a radio station from their computer at work or at home. Contrary to the believe that most radio is listened to in cars, computers and mobile devices are gaining a majority of the listeners. As a class, we also attended a brief press conference for the Elmira Pioneers. Although it was short, it was interesting to witness the radio stations at work in the setting of the sports industry. This industry stays connected to their viewers by constantly studying their target consumer and demographic, and using those trends to their advantage to keep their listeners entertained and focused.



Clemens Center




The Clemens Center was extremely beautiful and displayed the modern view of entertainment, as well as the history inside of the hall. The class learned about how the Clemens Center has to market their entertainment and shows to their different demographics for each show. For example, they market to schools and children to attend their children's performances, whereas for broadway shows, the center will gear its marketing efforts towards young adults and the older age demographic. Overall, they want to get foot traffic through the doors and people to enjoy their entire experience at the Clemens Center. The Center uses market research to properly know and understand the habits of the demographic that they believe they already have, as well as the demographic that they are seeking to obtain. All in all, our experience at the Clemens Center was one to remember, and it made me interested in returning and seeing a show in my next two years in Elmira.

Catch my blog post next week for more information on our experiential learning trips!

Sponable, M., Week 3

Radio has been broadcasting for generations. As an industry, they understand the necessity in being able to evolve with changing markets, technology, and listener expectations, as well as competing with the other forms of media entertainment. Since radio is strictly auditory, it is key for listeners to feel a dialog between themselves and their station's DJ. Community Broadcasters very own, Mr. Smitty O'Loughlin described to us how their stations manage to connect with their target market listeners. He described creating an individual the represents their targeted demographics in all aspects, from marital status, family occupations, age, hobbies, habits, and many more. Each of their stations creates this individual and speaks to them on their interests. This keeps consistency in content for listeners of each station. Additionally, radio must continuously engage listeners to stay connection, this is done through call-ins, creating a visual for listeners, and contests.


The arts have also survived the changing landscape of entertainment. For a first hand look into the theater industry we visited the Clemens Center in Elmira New York. We were able to hear how the center build relationships for promotion, invested in themselves to bring in Broadway shows, and how they are expanding what they offer to appeal to new audiences. By segmenting their target market, the Clemens Center is able to appeal to more individuals and have a better turn out for shows. For instance, individuals over the age of 80 years old are not as likely to enjoy Kinky Boots as an individual in their 20's. For this reason, the Center brings a variety of performances to the area so everyone can get a taste of what they have to offer.




The entertainment industry also includes sports, so naturally we visited Key Bank Center in Buffalo New York. We had the incredible opportunity to tour their facility; stands, press box, locker room, and media areas. We also met with representative of the Buffalo Sabers who showed us their latest promo, Sharpen Your Swords. We learned about how they appeal to different demographics and the importance of targeting to each sub group of fans individually.

In addition, we also toured the Watkins Glen International facility. We were fortunate enough to meet their representatives, including their VP! We had the amazing opportunity to take our bus onto the track for a couple laps!


Lastly, we visited Tipping Point in Rochester New York. We heard about how they assist businesses and will soon be promoting Chinese Lantern Festivals! All three of the women we spoke with, including Tipping Point's founder, were captivating speakers that we could ask a variety of questions to.

McKlevis., J., Week 3

May 10th, 2017

Our trip to the Community Broadcaster station gave us insight on what really goes into producing radio stations. Smitty taught us how the audio medium of radio broadcasting has been growing and re-shaping over the years. He uses a tactic that he learned from Jeep, where he has picked one woman between the age of 18 and 32 and has been following her for approx. nine years. He uses her likes, interests, and demographics to predict what will be played on each of his different radio stations. The Community Broadcasters of Elmira-Corning covers the genres of classic country, classic rock, contemporary hits of WINK 106, and also talk radio. They cater to a particular audience in the area and work rigorously to produce quality content. Even as the different global channels change, the tastes of this one person have been incredibly accurate predictors of what to broadcast on these networks. We were able to witness a live press conference hosted at Dunn Field for the upcoming season of the Pioneers, which the Community Broadcasters were live broadcasting.


It was very interesting for me to go on this trip because I am from the area. I listen to Wink 106 and 100.9 The Wolf all the time. I never realized they were under the same umbrella of Community Broadcasters and I never knew the building we visited was even a radio station. I have driven past it a hundred times and did not even know what was inside.

 

              The industry of radio stays connected with their fans/listeners by learning to adapt to the newer technology. Radio is starting to make a shift into becoming an entirely digital platform, in which listeners can tune into online and take with them in their cars. Also, the form of larger radio stations is starting the decline and smaller radio stations are taking priority. The smaller stations are able to cater more to their listeners on a more personalized setting, offering more local news and action.

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May 12th, 2017
Our next trip of the week took us to the Clemens Center. Again, this is a venue I have grown up with my entire life since I grew up in Horseheads and Elmira. I have performed many times on the big stage at the Clemens Center for my dance recitals and I have also attended many shows and performances in that theater. However, it was most interesting for me to learn more about what goes in to bringing those shows to the Clemens Center and what kind of operations occur for larger shows.

 

The entertainment arts have been progressively increasing their target markets and segmentation. The shows used to be marketed to everyone even though the show might not appeal to everyone's likes/dislikes. Now, shows are more segmented for the particular audience that is coming in for that evening. Specifically for the Clemens Center, the demographic for most shows is a much older audience. They are working to target the younger millennial generation to get them more interested in theater.

Photo Credits: CommBroadcasters.com; ClemensCenter.org

 

 

Gardner, W., Week 2

These first two weeks of class have been filled with enjoyable experiences. Watching the 2012 documentary Side by Side was a fun way to start the course because it gave us a look at how changes in technology have impacted trends in the film industry over time. This is important because as mentioned in the book The Definitive Guide to Entertainment Marketing, movies are still the most profitable form of entertainment. Seeing the various opinions about the future of the industry from famous cinematographers and directors in this documentary was very interesting.


Mr. Matt Hufnagel was a great speaker last weak and I enjoyed the information he provided us with regarding the entertainment industry. His take on what it is like to book performances and events was great to hear because we usually only see this from an outside perspective. I also enjoyed how he stressed the importance of networking and building lasting business relations.

The PRXNE 2017 Conference in Corning was a great experience filled with informative speakers and a chance to network with business professionals. This was the first conference I have ever attended, but now I am looking forward to potentially attending more in the future. My favorite speaker was the keynote speaker that talked about the I Love NY campaign, but my favorite experience was the VR session because it gave me a look at technology that has been slowly increasing in popularity recently, and we may see it become a larger part of the entertainment industry as we move forward.

Traveling to Canandaigua on Tuesday was an enjoyable experience for me as I had not known that the New York Wine & Culinary Center was located there despite having traveled to this city many times for concerts. It was great to see a not-for-profit business like this and what is is able to do to promote the wineries, breweries, and other food-related organizations across the state of New York.


Wednesday's trip to Community Broadcasters, LLC was very informative and interesting to me as I have always liked the radio. In high school, I had the chance to have a show at the St. Bonaventure radio station and have been interested in a potential career in radio ever since. Experiencing the press release at Dunn Field was great because we got to see the interactions between a variety of media sources that were present. I was also able to speak with Smitty O'Loughlin, who talked with my about potentially getting an internship with Community Broadcasters in Olean. Also, getting to see Professor Hurdle again was great because he was one of my first professors here at Elmira and I had him for all of my Marketing courses before he retired. He was always a fun teacher and his presentation was also very informative and enjoyable.

These two weeks have been busy, but have been flying by as well. I am looking forward to our trips next week and for everything else to come the rest of this term.

Sampogna, N., Week 2

This week was very eventful we went to New York Wine & Culinary Center it was my first time being there and it was a very cool experience because growing up I loved cooking with my father growing up. my father was a chef he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and he has taught me a lot and it was cool to experience what my dad used to do. I really liked how they used local products when they cook it shows the support they have for their local community. 












On Thursday we had a very special guest and former teacher of mine come to our class and talk to us about marketing. i had him my Freshman year and had him one more time before he had retired. He was one of my favorite teachers and it was great to be able to talk and see him and listen to another lecture of his. 

We also took a trip to Dunn Field to take part of the Press release for the Elmira Pioneer baseball team. It was different to go there for something other then playing baseball. It was my first time being at a press conference and found it to be a good new experience that may be useful down the road. 

Kogan, Y, Week 2

Hello guys, today i am continuing my blog after a really excited week with my classmates for Entertainment, Media, and Sports Marketing guided by Professor Alison M. Wolfe.

                                                                 

One of the biggest events of the week was in Clemens Center in the City of Elmira, NY. The way they market themselves, using the advantages of their place,and dealing with the challenges experienced by the theater today ( millennium generation).







                     

Another experiential learning experience for that week was: the visit in the WINE CULINARY CENTER int Canandaigua, NY which show us how a non-profit business working together with the businesses surrounding them and how to get donation in an efficient way.

Week 2: Community Broadcasters