First UK & Ireland Tour of global musical phenomenon Hamilton
The Project
Working with Cameron Mackintosh Limited, ELM takes the lead on strategy, media planning, and marketing.The highly-anticipated UK & Ireland tour of the Olivier, Tony, Grammy, and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical ‘Hamilton’, featuring Shaq Tayler in the titular role of Alexander Hamilton.
Setting The Scene
Hamilton is a resounding masterpiece that takes audiences on an exhilarating journey through the life of Alexander Hamilton, a founding father of the United States. The show not only educates and entertains, but also challenges the perceptions of theatre, making it an unforgettable and revolutionary theatrical experience. This groundbreaking musical brilliantly combines hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B and Broadway – the story of America then, as told by America now.
The Approach
Our goal was to generate widespread excitement for Hamilton by creating a synchronised, attention-grabbing campaign that would captivate theater lovers across the UK & Ireland. Inspired by the show’s core themes of ambition, rebellion, and revolution, our campaign aimed to foster a sense of local pride and connection with the production, while dominating social media feeds.
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“Emma and her team manage every marketing campaign and the needs of the producer exquisitely. ELM are passionate about their work, are a major asset and I cannot recommend them highly enough.”
What We Did
- Released a clever teaser campaign whereby theatres posted a cryptic black ‘Wait for It’ image – setting the stage for a major announcement the following day.
- Collaborating with the producers, we reimagined the iconic gold and black artwork, utilising a variety of silhouettes for an engaging ‘tease’ campaign.
- This was amplified by the ‘guerrilla style’ approach for the campaign across cities, omitting the title and integrating a QR code that led to a ‘sign-up’ page.
- When the box offices opened for general ticket sales, the artwork transitioned back to its classic gold on black, revealing full title details and dates, and featuring the iconic ‘Don’t Throw Away Your Shot’ call to action.
The Outcome
We crafted a powerful media strategy that incorporated radio, digital, TV, and print to captivate audiences and create a sensation around ‘Hamilton.’ By showcasing the production’s dominance in each city, our bold choices led to incredible success, evident from the very beginning of ticket sales.
Proving its phenomenal appeal in theatres, ‘Hamilton’ is set to enchant audiences across the UK & Ireland until 2026.
Photo Credit: Danny Kaan
Services
Pre Green Light
ELMs involvement on Hamilton started in the pre-green light phase including programming ticketing and box office consultancy.
Pre Opening
Creating an integrated marketing budget servicing the entire tour. In collaboration with the producers, devising a launch campaign and the development and execution of a suite of marketing assets including key-art, radio ads, digital assets and TV.
Running
Delivery of integrated campaigns across the UK & Ireland including media planning, figures reporting and revenue management.