Goh Ballet

Reminding the city why Vancouver-based is best.

The Client

In its 14th season, Goh Ballet’s The Nutcracker delights Vancouver audiences for 5 annual shows comprised of international ballet superstars and BC’s own top local talent.

The Challenge

How can Vancouver’s homegrown Nutcracker compete with visiting ballets and other touring seasonal spectaculars?

Vancouver is an artistic hub, and touring professional ballet companies know it. Every holiday season, visiting Nutcracker ballets chassé through town vying for Vancouverites’ attention… but it’s our very own production of the Tchaikovsky classic that truly holds the city’s heart. Homegrown Goh Ballet’s The Nutcracker needed to dominate the conversation in the face of this fierce competition. Through a robust multichannel & multilingual strategy, this local tradition was once again given the attendance and affection it deserves.

a homecoming danced to life 2024
leaping back into live shows 2023

2024

Once again up against tough competition in 2024, Goh Ballet’s The Nutcracker proves its place in the hearts of Vancouverites. This year, we broadcast the heart-warming homecoming of Benjamin Freemantle — a former Goh Ballet dancer who’d once performed a minor children’s role in the Academy’s very first Nutcracker fourteen years ago. Today, the show is a local tradition and enduring success, and Freemantle, now grown-up and an acclaimed professional, returns back to the city in the coveted role of the Cavalier Prince. Kipling Media’s energetic and nimble multichannel campaign took this story, and ticket sales, sky high.

2023

Our 2023 campaign marked a stunning post-pandemic comeback, telling a story of boundary-breaking and diversity in a new age of ballet. Our comprehensive public relations strategy included nine unique story angles – each with its own press release, in-email pitch, and tailored media list. After pitching hundreds of contacts in the journalism community, Kipling’s PR team secured upwards of 20 interviews and garnered dozens of found stories by local and national media including Global News, CBC News National, CBC News Vancouver, Shaw TV, CTV News, CityNews, and Fairchild TV, to name a few. The collaborative effort between Kipling Media and Goh Ballet’s core team led to the event’s first-ever 100% sellout. Together, we set the foundation for a successful partnership for years to come.

The Objectives

1

Sell more tickets — even earlier in the season.

Dreaming up enticing ticket promotions through the summer and fall, so we could go into show week nearly sold out.

2

Champion cherished Goh differentiators.

Vancouverites were deciding which show of many to see that season. We needed them to know what makes Goh’s truly unique.

3

Tell a season-defining story that warms hearts.

Spinning a full-circle tale of local dancer turned globe-trotting pro, now returning to dance in Goh’s production 14 years later.

OUR APPROACH

Creative Branding |

Goh Ballet’s The Nutcracker branding is iconic and must be adapted with care. Over stunning show photography, creatives promoted special features like the “Live Orchestra,” and “International Guest Stars” while pressing on the message of carrying on a beloved local “tradition” of attending Vancouver’s own ballet.

OOH & Traditional Media |

Our wide-reaching media strategy spoke to folks across the greater Vancouver area, with TV ads on Global BC and a VIP Contest package promoted on Global News. We hit the radio waves, partnering with Stingray and Bell Media, scheduling ads & contest promos on Breeze 104.3, Move 103.5 and Z95.3, as well as Chinese-language station Fairchild Radio. We once again leveraged highly effective transit ads with Lamar. Magazine ads ran on a whole range of local online and traditional publications, including Vancouver’s Best Places, Vancouver Sun, 604 Now, Curiocity, and Chinese publications Sing Tao and Ming Pao.

Social Media |

The online ballet community is anything but stuffy, and we knew what performed best. Even amongst polished content using professional footage (like Goh’s award-winning Fallen Prince film), more casual “in the studio” and “behind-the-scenes” content came out on top. Through both solo and collaborative giveaways with large local pages, we saw organic reach nearly triple year-over-year.

Lamar Super King Buses in 2023

PR |

Our PR campaign ran from October to December, with media liaising happening right up to the Dress Rehearsal for maximum coverage. We received 72 media mentions, including from prominent outlets such has Montecristo, Vancouver Sun/The Province, The Daily Hive, Global TV, The National Post, Georgia Straight, and several mentions in multicultural media like Sing Tao, Fairchild Radio, Xinhua. Our Media Event opened up access to the magical world of the Nutcracker, translating to interviews and more rounded news coverage. The result? 25.4 million media hits.

Newsletters |

Between July and the end of December, 15 enchanting newsletters leaped into the inboxes of over 11,000 subscribers. They promoted limited-time sales, ticket options, magical features and lobby activations, with a season high open rate of 74.7%.

The Results

96.4%

sold-out over 5 shows

34+ million

media buy impressions

164.2%

INCREASE IN INSTAGRAM ORGANIC REACH

“…the magical Christmas experience you’ve been looking for in Vancouver.”

~ Vancouver is Awesome

READ OUR NEXT CASE STUDY >

Let's start your project. Go Ahead. just click the button. We made it really big so you can't miss it.

Get In Touch