Kent’s Largest Theatre Boosts Customer Experience with Signagelive and Screenfeed Connect
The Marlowe Theatre – Kent’s largest theatre – has given Signagelive and Screenfeed a leading role in its digital signage operations. Signagelive, a top digital signage software, and Screenfeed, a world-class tool to create data-driven html content have been selected to power the theatre’s network of 35 displays.
Since the digital signage rollout, the installation has enhanced the theatre’s marketing communications, boosting the visitor and brand experience, while also streamlining marketing operations through the use of automated content delivery.
The Challenge: Staying at the Forefront of Customer Experience
An impressive 1200-seat theatre with the largest audience capacity in the region and a separate studio, Marlowe Theatre has grown from strength to strength. Since it first opened its doors in 2011, the company has leveraged technology to stay at the cutting-edge of the theatregoer experience.
According to the theatre’s Chief Operating Officer, Paul Turner, technology like Signagelive has proven integral to this strategy. First deployed by the theatre in 2017, Signagelive has helped boost marketing and day-to-day operations, delivering more impactful, real-time communications to keep visitors safe and informed.
For example, to ensure customers can properly plan their time at the theatre, Signagelive has been used to signpost every show’s start and end times as well as interval times. Staff can remotely update show times, scheduling them to appear on the relevant screens that have been conveniently installed above each of the auditorium and studio doors.
The digital signage solution has also helped further strengthen health and safety practices, enabling warnings regarding content and strobe lighting to be highlighted on-screen, as customers walk through the auditorium and studio doors.
Time and Resource Management
According to the theatre’s Graphic Designer, Jasmine Marceau, the integration of Screenfeed Connect has resolved a challenge staff didn’t even realise they had. The team discovered that through Screenfeed Connect, they could save time on marketing by automating content delivery.
Prior to the launch of Screenfeed Connect, theatre enthusiasts would have to enter the building and enquire about ticket availability and performance details at the box office desk. This was inconvenient for customers, and exceptionally time-consuming for box-office front desk staff, who would have to field these additional queries.
The Solution: Automated Content Delivery
Now, customers only need to approach the box office to check what’s on for the day. Thanks to Screenfeed Connect, live theatre updates – like ticketing and performance information – can be automated for display on the building’s external-facing screens. A user-friendly, no-code solution, Screenfeed Connect pulls live data from any connected source, like Google Docs, and features it in pre-designed templates that display on-screen in real time.
Winning New and Repeat Customers
The solution has not only made it easier for theatre regulars to stay informed about the latest productions, but also helped further promote shows to more people, as they pass the theatre windows.
Customers waiting for their shows to start in the theatre entrance seating area can also check out what else is on. Simply by glancing up at the nearby displays, they can see other show times, as well as what’s coming soon, giving staff more opportunity to turn one-off visitors into theatre regulars.
Building the Brand Experience
Through the Signagelive-powered solution, the theatre has also been able to build on and strengthen its brand experience. Brand loyalty is crucial to the success of any theatre company, so being able to immerse customers in Marlowe Theatre’s unique brand experience has been key.
From the Signagelive platform, staff are able to remotely create, edit, manage and schedule content in minutes. Jpegs and video assets can be created, branded and shared across relevant screens. Videos can also be edited via the one centralised platform to ensure that all content reflects Marlowe Theatre’s brand identity.
Bold and Dynamic Marketing
The Marlowe Theatre has also used Signagelive to deliver bigger, bolder and more dynamic marketing campaigns via the installation of five side-by-side displays. Through Signagelive, staff can, for example, highlight specific advertising by supersizing it, so that it displays as one big, eye-catching campaign across all five screens.
The platform can also support alternative screen configurations to suit different advertising and messaging. During busy periods, each screen can promote different shows. Alternatively, it can showcase two productions,enabling content to appear larger-than-life – spread across three-screen and two-screen configurations.
Revenue-boosting Digital Signage
The solution has also driven an additional revenue stream by enabling show sponsors to be more prominently promoted across the venue. Through the Signagelive platform, comedy show sponsors can, for instance, be given immediate visibility via a series of selected screens throughout the theatre.
Real-time Digital Signage Menu Boards
Marlowe Theatre has also used the solution to enhance another revenue stream – its theatre restaurant. From a single platform, staff have been able to digitise their restaurant menu boards, so that the information on display is always fresh, accurate and relevant. Menu items, pricing and promotions can be updated remotely and in real-time, to reflect changes, based on the time of day, as well as seasonal and promotional events.
Flexibility and Control with Digital Signage
With Signagelive, the theatre’s team has more flexibility and control over all its informational and marketing communications.
The platform can be used to remotely make:
- Real-time edits on the fly, including last-minute cast changes
- Scheduled updates to one, some or all the screens
- Campaigns that automatically stop featuring on-screen at the end of their designated run times
Future-proof Digital Signage
According to Jasmine, the solution continues to stand the test of time, because the Signagelive platform keeps evolving. The on-going addition of features and integrations, like Screenfeed Connect ensure that Marlowe Theatre can future-proof its marketing and stay one step ahead of the competition.
Are you ready for your marketing to take centre stage? Reach out to us today to find out how we can help you deliver a standout digital signage performance.
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