This blog has been endorsed by Cameron Mackintosh.

I woke up yesterday morning to Senator McCain endorsing Mitt Romney for President (and I’m sure looking for a VP nod as well).  Since this is an election year, there will be more endorsements coming down the pike . . . for both parties.  Unions, celebrities and more.

But endorsements don’t only work well in politics.  Famous figures “endorse” all sorts of products all the time.  We’ve seen athletes act as pitch men and women for all sorts of products, from underwear to deodorant to jock itch cream.  We’ve seen TV stars in ads for watches, perfume and even Proactiv.

But we rarely see endorsements/spokespeople for Broadway shows.

Why?

Is it because it’s an “artistic” enterprise, and we don’t want to seem like we need that kind of hard sell, or is it because it’s hard to get people to stand up for something like a show (and we don’t have the kind of money to hire someone that could move the needle).

You tell me . . . what would sell a Broadway show to you  . . . seeing a simple moving headshot TV spot for a straight play, or listening to a celebrity or major NY figure talk about how they saw that show and they feel every New Yorker should see it too.

I’m not sure that I know the answer to this . . . but I certainly would love to see it tested.  And one thing I guarantee, it would be different.

And in a community where there are only three advertising agencies designing all the campaigns, it’s important that the media doesn’t become homogeneous.  And I got news for you . . . it’s not the agencys’ job to prevent that from happening.

It’s the Producer’s.

(BTW, Cameron Mackintosh didn’t really endorse this blog – but seeing that headline got your attention, didn’t it?)

 

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Ken created one of the first Broadway podcasts, recording over 250 episodes over 7 years. It features interviews with A-listers in the theater about how they “made it”, including 2 Pulitzer Prize Winners, 7 Academy Award Winners and 76 Tony Award winners. Notable guests include Pasek & Paul, Kenny Leon, Lynn Ahrens and more.

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