CURSED CHILD BILLBOARD DEBUTS IN TIMES SQUARE

october 2017

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was officially welcomed to Broadway with the appearance of our new billboard in Times Square on September 1, 2017, as we celebrated 19 Years Later, the day that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ends and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child begins. AKA secured the industry first triple billboard placement, and the Digital and Content Teams captured a time lapse of the installation to share with fans worldwide on social media. Watch here.

THE BAND’S VISIT CREATES A MIRAGE

october 2017

AKA NYC’s Content Team rolled out two new spots to promote The Band’s Visit. They feature impressive 3D visual effects and an evocative soundscape—conveying the seductive spirit and intermingling of cultures that is central to the new musical’s plot.

When considering the commercial for the Broadway production, a unique approach was needed to convey the unexpected way the characters’ lives are entwined under the spell of the desert sky. Concepted and directed by AKA’s in-house creative team, Jams + Bash, and written by Senior Copywriter Sam McMenamin, the ad transports audiences to the Middle East. We see lead protagonist Dina (Katrina Lenk), owner of the town’s lone café, happen upon the marooned musicians and their leader (Tony Shalhoub). The band appears like a mirage in the desert and Dina yearns to connect and make sense of the curious, dreamlike scenario.

To further encapsulate the intrigue the show presents, the ad sees Dina reach out to touch them, only to have the entire group evaporate into a cloud of swirling sand. When they vanish into the night, the viewer is left questioning: Were they real? Or perhaps it was a dream?

Using a combination of real and virtual environmental effects, the set was built in a Brooklyn warehouse using over 10,000 pounds of sand to achieve an authentic desert look—with 3D sand particle effects added during post production to create an effect that felt tangible but was still based in magical realism.

Content Director Jamaal Parham explains “THE BAND’S VISIT is unlike any musical before, so we wanted to create a commercial unlike any for a musical. This sense of connection is something you feel as you watch it all come together and it was important for us to have the audience experience that same feeling that Dina does.”

The ad features new music by composer David Yazbek, based on music from the show, that helps tell the story and transports audiences to the Middle East.

Watch the spots here:

EMPIRE OUTLETS IS WHERE NY IS GOING

october 2017

The world’s largest gathering of retail outlet executives came to New York on September 18^th for the ICSC conference and AKA’s work for New York City’s first outlet mall—Empire Outlets—was on full display for the industry’s leaders.

AKA’s work on Empire Outlet’s brand rolled out this September with a retailer-focused brochure and a series of ads running in industry publications. Synthesizing up-to-date construction photography with the consumer fantasy of illustrator Holly Nichols and fashion photography, the creative positions Empire Outlets (and Staten Island’s north shore district St. George) as the dynamic retail and lifestyle center that New Yorkers and tourists are destined to flock to when the centerpiece of New York’s newest entertainment district opens in March 2018.

Empire Outlet, NYC’s first and only outlet destination, has been developed by BFC Partners and will offer 100 shops offering the city’s best values, 40,000 square feet of waterfront dining, and some of the best views of New York Harbor and the Manhattan skyline.

WONKA WEDNESDAYS

october 2017

How could seeing CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY on Broadway get any more delicious? Indulging in a post-show milkshake might do the trick. AKA partnered with Black Tap to bring their Shake by Black Tap milkshake truck to the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre following Wednesday matinees to serve up an exclusive shake inspired by the production.

The Imagination Shake is a chocolate shake with a vanilla frosted purple sixlet rim topped with a “golden ticket” inspired decoration, purple and gold rock candies, whipped cream and chocolate drizzle. This delicious promotion has launched at the top of  August and ran through September!

BIG APPLE CIRCUS’ BIG TOP LIFE

october 2017

To illustrate the humanity that’s at the core of the Big Apple Circus, AKA NYCs Content team has been working closely with its performers and creatives alike, highlighting the stories of those that bring the Circus to life through an episodic series of portraits, guiding us to the opening of the show.

We’ve just released Episodes 2 and 3, which continue to paint a picture of the effort, uncertainty, and dedication that goes into circus life. They capture the naturalism of their environments, and swell with the rhythm of their subjects, through a combination of intimate footage, still photography and evocative textures. Check out the series and stay tuned for more.

SPOTLIGHT ON AKA

october 2017

Kristen Butler, Digital Account Supervisor
Here at AKA, Kristen manages the day-to-day digital space for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, New York Botanical Gardens, and more. In her free time, she volunteers at one of GrowNYC’s Greenmarkets—most Saturdays at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn. You can find her stationed at the info booth talking about what’s in season, and spreading the gospel of composting to all who will listen. She also manages the weekly cooking demo, which sources ingredients found right at the market. Yum!

HARRY POTTER LAUNCHES BROADWAY WEBSITE

august 2017

Timed with the announcement of the first on-sale, and the exciting news that seven members of the award-winning Original West End Company will reunite for the Broadway premiere, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child launched its full Broadway website—an extension of the global site.

Tickets for the Broadway production will go on sale October 12, 2017 via Ticketmaster Verified Fan® following a required registration period between October 1 – October 5, 2017.

AKA is honored to be a part of the incredible team bringing this record-breaking new play to Broadway. Check out the site for yourself at HarryPotterThePlay.com

JOHN LEGUIZAMO RETURNS TO BROADWAY

august 2017

Uproarious, uncensored, and undeniably entertaining, John Leguizamo is coming back to Broadway this fall—and all of us at AKA are thrilled to be a part of this exciting new project.

A sold-out run at The Public Theater. A record-breaking engagement at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Endless critical and audience acclaim. Chalk it all up to the mad genius of Emmy Award winner John Leguizamo, standing at the head of the class in his one-man tour de force, LATIN HISTORY FOR MORONS.

When his son gets a school assignment on heroes, John seizes the chance to teach him all about the great figures of the Latino world. But once he sets out on his irreverent crash course across three continents and 3000 years of history—from conquistadores to cumbia, Montezuma to Menudo, and taking on the characters in all of it—he uncovers provocative truths that shock even him.

ANASTASIA IS HOME AT AMERICAN AIRLINES

august 2017

Anastasia has begun an exciting partnership with American Airlines, including a 2-month terminal takeover at JFK International Airport and signage at LGA and EWR. AKA secured over $750k in media value at no cost to the show. Our takeover will be live over peak tourist season in the city, capturing inbound tourists and New Yorkers taking summer vacations. It layers in with other tourist-targeted media including taxi tops, tourism publications, and our Times Square billboard in partnership with Ancestry.com. In addition, cast members from Anastasia will get to perform live at JFK twice this summer, giving travelers a taste of the dazzling Ahrens and Flaherty score.

A SCOOP OF SAIGON

august 2017

This summer, you can cool down from the blazing New York heat with the sweet new Miss Saigon/Ample Hills partnership—a flavor of ice cream inspired by the show, aptly named “The Heat is On.” This tasty dessert captures the heat of summer, Vietnam and true love with its unique combo of sweet cream ice cream, Vietnamese Cinnamon and hot chili flakes. Thanks to AKA’s Marketing and Partnerships Team, it is currently being sold in all permanent Ample Hills locations around New York City, reaching thousands of locals and tourists. Be sure to get a scoop of your own—but be quick! This flavor is available this summer only.

MEDIA WORKING LIKE CLOCKWORK

august 2017

Direct from its sold-out smash run in London, A Clockwork Orange is arriving this fall at New World Stages. To amplify the audience awareness, we’re currently ramping up a very targeted media campaign. It utilizes not one, but two pieces of creative that have been designed to appeal to specific audience segments. Already in the market place are  Youtube, Facebook and programmatic campaigns, phone kiosks and ads in the Village Voice.

And now we’ve just begun a 5-week LinkNYC campaign with over 200 screens across the Theater District, Chelsea and Hells Kitchen. The two different creative designs appear in hyper-targeted locations that match the desired audience demographics—an approach also being used for the street team flyers and promotional merchandise.

GRAND CENTRAL SUMMER SEND OFF

august 2017

As a last hurrah for the summer, our Marketing and Partnerships Team arranged for six of our shows to perform at Grand Central Terminal’s Summer Send Off event. Cast members from Stomp, Bandstand, Once on This Island (Hailey Kilgore’s first public appearance as TiMoune!), A Bronx Tale, Anastasia, and The Big Apple Circus wowed the jam-packed crowd. The event received promotion throughout Grand Central Terminal, and we provided live social coverage so fans around the world could experience the fun.

Check out some of our exclusive content featured on the social feeds below!

BIG APPLE CIRCUS: Twitter, Instagram

A BRONX TALE: Twitter, Instagram

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND: Twitter, Instagram

SPOTLIGHT ON AKA

august 2017

Billy Mitchell, our Director of Production Services, has some big news! After three years of benefit performances in New York, Los Angeles and regional theaters, his hilarious show, Villain: DeBlanks, is bringing its money-raising shenanigans to London in support of the Make A Difference Trust (MAD Trust) on September 3rd.

This one-night-only event will feature a cast of West End luminaries, including Glynis Barber (Beautiful, Dempsey & Makepeace), two-time Oliver winner David Bedella (In The Heights, Jerry Springer the Opera), Harriet Thorpe (Absolutely Fabulous, Calendar Girls), Don Gallagher (Disney’s Aladdin, Priscilla Queen of the Desert), Cherrelle Skeete (originated Rose Granger-Weasley in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), and Leon Lopez (EastEnders, Tut). All proceeds from the event will benefit TheatreMAD, “the ongoing response by the UK theatre industry to HIV and AIDS.”

A Time Out NY Critics’ Pick, Villain: DeBlanks is the uproarious improvisational comedy where the cast says words you put in their mouths. The audience provides nouns, adjectives, verbs, etc. (the wilder, the better), and the actors provide the laughs-uncensored and unrehearsed-as they enact the story of Philip DeBlanks’ untimely demise. It’s “Clue” meets adult “Mad Libs,” and it’s never the same show twice.

Villain: DeBlanks will perform at Brasserie Zédel, 20 Sherwood Street, Soho, London W1F 7ED on Sunday 3 September at 9:15pm. Tickets £25. Call 020 7734 4888 or visit brasseriezedel.com. For more information, visit villaindeblanks.com.

A BRONX TALE DOMINATES A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD

july 2017

This week, thousands of commuters were greeted in Port Authority Bus Terminal by A Bronx Tale as they made their way into New York City. All seven floors of Port Authority are now covered from floor to ceiling with over 150 pieces of advertising celebrating the hit Broadway musical—and America’s busiest bus terminal will continue to be center stage for this campaign for the next 12 weeks. It’s the perfect way to welcome a new audience into the family over the hot summer months.

BIG APPLE CIRCUS PUTS UP ITS TENT ONLINE

july 2017

AKA is proud to announce the brand new website for Big Apple Circus—which launched on July 10^th along with the new ticket onsale. The website reflects the new branding, features the history of the circus, and allows users to review multiple ticket options with an extended tickets calendar and page. There has already been a 150% increase in the amount of sessions the website has received—visit it yourself here.

The website is also video-focused, allowing users to engage with video content being created for the circus—including the new mini-series launched on social media: #BigTopLife. This series contains four episodes and each one follows a different person involved in the making of the Big Apple Circus. The first episode—which follows Animal Trainer and Presenter Jenny Vindel—has already reached 88K people through social media. Watch that episode here.

BAY STREET THEATER—SUMMER FUN BY THE SHORE

july 2017

We continue to work with our friends at Bay Street Theater as they present their exciting summer season. Coming up August 8–September 3 is William Shakespeare’s As You Like It, with jazz-inspired music by Academy Award winner Stephen Schwartz, direction by Tony winner John Doyle and a first-rate cast including Oscar, Emmy and Tony-winning actress Ellen Burstyn as Jacques. Earlier highlights of the season included a musical collaboration between Jules Feiffer, Andrew Lippa and Jeffrey Seller called The Man in the Ceiling, and Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage’s Intimate Apparel, starring Kelly McCreary from “Grey’s Anatomy.” AKA created individual show key art for each of the three mainstage productions and we look forward to a continued collaboration with this wonderful theater in Sag Harbor.

COME FROM AWAY WELCOMES LONG ISLANDERS

july 2017

Come From Away is currently lighting up the Long Island Expressway with a triple billboard domination. This is the only multi-unit domination on the Long Island Expressway as well as the only illuminated wallscape. Because it is also visible from the elevated expressway in Queens—a major inbound approach to the Midtown Tunnel from Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, LaGuardia and JFK Airports, Long Island, as well as from the Northern Suburbs of Westchester County and Southern Connecticut—the billboard domination will deliver over 2.5 million impressions while it shines bright over the expressway.

SPOTLIGHT ON AKA

july 2017

Step right up and meet Danielle. She performs amazing feats daily as our Media Coordinator, but in her spare time, she’s been known to fly high on the trapeze! What started out as a lark with a one-off class last March has turned into a flourishing passion. She’s now attending class twice a month at Streb in Williamsburg, Brooklyn which offers adult classes in all sorts of activities that defy gravity. All of us at AKA think it’s pretty amazing, but we hope she doesn’t run off with the circus any time soon—we’re looking at you Big Apple Circus! If you’re interested in taking giant leaps of faith along with Danielle, check out all Streb has to offer here.

M BUTTERFLY SEDUCES BROADWAY AGAIN

june 2017

Visionary director Julie Taymor is helming the first Broadway revival of David Henry Hwang’s Tony® Award-winning play, M. BUTTERFLY. Starring Academy Award® nominee Clive Owen, this intoxicating and visually electrifying production begins performances on October 7^th at the Cort Theatre and tickets go on sale on July 6th. 

BIG APPLE CIRCUS RETURNS TO NYC

june 2017

AKA was proud to officially celebrate the return of the iconic BIG APPLE CIRCUS to NYC at a VIP Groups presentation at Lucille’s Bar and Grill in Times Square. The night featured a preview presentation from the new team and stars of the 40^th anniversary tour: King of the High Wire Nik Wallenda and Grandma the Clown. Guests were treated to circus fare and a chance to walk the high wire with Nik!

THE PARTY OF THE SUMMER

june 2017

Thank you to all of our friends who joined us at the 8^th Annual AKA Summer Party where we raised a glass to this remarkable season! It was perfect weather and perfect company out on the gorgeous Haven Rooftop at the Sanctuary Hotel. Check out this gallery and time lapse video highlighting all the fun! And in case you missed it at the party, watch our celebratory season recap video below, courtesy of the AKA Content Team.

SPOTLIGHT ON AKA

june 2017

Ryan Greer, Senior Media Supervisor

Outside of his work with AKA’s Media Team, Ryan’s lifelong passion for music is manifested in his acclaimed work as a vocalist, composer and bandleader. Variations of his collective, Ryan Greer Jazz, have amassed an accomplished billing of live gigs, including an acclaimed stint at The Metropolitan Room; but the main event was an assembly of premier members of the group for a debut studio album release. RISING SIGN was recorded and mixed at The Creamery Studio and mastered at Super Fine Audio in Brooklyn. It houses Ryan’s all-original, retro-fresh, jazz-groove compositions, and is available on all of the leading streaming platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music. We’ve been jamming to all of his sweet tunes here in the office and definitely recommend you check him out!

ONCE AGAIN ON THIS ISLAND

june 2017

We recently celebrated the Broadway return of ONCE ON THIS ISLAND with the launch of its brand new campaign. Inspired by director Michael Arden’s vision for the production, the art is influenced by the colors and textures of the show’s Caribbean setting. The look also pays homage to the original artwork—beloved by theater fans for a generation—while bringing the infectious joy to brand new audiences. Count us among the fans showing up at Circle in the Square this fall, waiting for life—and this brand new production—to begin.

THE BAND’S VISIT IS COMING TO BROADWAY

june 2017

Following a critically acclaimed, sold-out engagement at Atlantic Theater Company, and fresh off winning four Best Musical awards, The Band’s Visit announced it’s arrival on Broadway, set for this Fall at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. First preview is scheduled for October 7 and opening night is November 9.  Coinciding with the press announcement, AKA created a striking video teaser that was promoted on social. Check out the teaser!

KEVIN SPACEY IS CLARENCE DARROW

june 2017

Kevin Spacey – the Oscar®-, Tony®- and Olivier Award-winning star – is bringing his acclaimed one-man show, CLARENCE DARROW, to NYC for June 15 and 16 only! And there’s no better place to bring to life our nation’s most celebrated trial lawyer and crusader of justice than one of the world’s greatest courts—Arthur Ashe Stadium, transformed from the U.S. Open into a grand theatrical stage.

Led by Executive Creative Director Bashan Aquart and Content Director Jamaal Parham, AKA teamed up with the legendary actor to create a television commercial for this special two-night only event. They were able to capture Mr. Spacey’s unique charm as he hopped on the 7 train from midtown Manhattan to Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, Queens. Watch the spot for yourself! Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com

SUMMER OF SAIGON

june 2017

Broadway’s Summer Blockbuster has kicked off the season with an epic outdoor Penn Station domination and Double Decker bus buy worthy of this incredible stage spectacle. The Penn Domination is a ‘Broadway First’ negotiated by the mavens in our Media Department, and takes over all of the above ground real estate leading into the main entrance of MSG and Penn Station. With 18.2 million impressions over four weeks, it’s the perfect way to keep the heat on with tourists.

CHARLIE’S CANDY TAKEOVER

june 2017

Broadway’s golden ticket is spreading pure imagination all over New York! As part of CHARLIE’s post-opening campaign, we’ve taken wide-reaching placements in Manhattan as well as the surrounding suburbs with a significant showing of subway 2-sheets as well as 3-sheet placements on Long Island Railroad and Metro North platforms in the suburbs around the city.

And the sweet news doesn’t end there. Our AKA Content Team took to the sky—literally—to produce a Wonka-sized post-opening TV commercial. The aerial shoot was accomplished by flying above Manhattan in a helicopter with a specialized camera. And the spot comes complete with candy VFX to deliciously celebrate the show’s official opening. Watch here!

SPAMILTON IS MOVING TO MIDTOWN!

june 2017

The hit musical parody, SPAMILTON, is moving to midtown’s Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre starting June 2 (just a block away from its inspiration, Hamilton). With critical acclaim, including The New York Times, which called it “smart, silly and convulsively funny,” this must-see Off-Broadway show has been making audiences crack up since last August.

To keep the excitement in the air, AKA’s Content Team produced a playful new commercial that’s now being used for both the New York and Chicago productions. We can’t wait to see where SPAMILTON goes next! Watch the spot here.

SPOTLIGHT ON AKA

june 2017

Marc Jablonksi, Insights Analyst
Here at AKA, Marc plays a vital role on our Insights Team, but in his free time, he’s a writer, composer and sound designer—and he’s even a published author! When he noticed that his hometown of Paramus, New Jersey was not included in the Images of America book series, he and his friend set out to right—and write—that wrong.

With his background in anthropology and research, and his friend’s experience in literature and writing, they got down to telling the story of Paramus. Together, they spent countless hours gathering hundreds of photographs, exploring resources from the local historic museum, researching in libraries and archive rooms, and conducting qualitative interviews. Paramus was published in February 2015, and is now on sale at Barnes and Nobles and Amazon.com, as well as at local farmers markets and businesses. Congrats to Marc—we’ll definitely be adding it to our reading list!

International News

june 2017

AKA NORTH TAKES TOP PRIZE
We are utterly thrilled and beyond excited to share that AKA North has beaten tough (and impressive!) competition to win ‘Media Agency of the Year’ at the 2017 Prolific North Awards!

Now in its fifth year at EventCity, these Awards brought together over 800 professionals from the North’s creative industries sector to celebrate talent, innovation and commercial success.

The AKA team was up against rival media agencies MEC and R.O.EYE – find out why they won here and check out more on the night’s events and other winners here.

Congratulations to everyone at AKA North!

CONGRATULATIONS 2017 TONY^® NOMINEES

april 2017

AKA is proud to celebrate our clients’ Tony Award nominations—a combined 32—and all of this season’s talented nominees!

Anastasia 

Bandstand

Come From Away

Groundhog Day

Heisenberg

Jitney

Miss Saigon

The Little Foxes

GET IMMERSIVE WITH CHIHULY

april 2017

The AKA Digital team has been working with The New York Botanical Garden to create an innovative, immersive mobile experience for their major 2017 exhibition, CHIHULY. We utilized state of the art 360 and location based technology to create a smart Interactive Guide that heightens the exhibit experience. Visitors can access the NYBG CHIHULY Interactive Guide via the web on smartphones for a guided experience prompted by location-based technology to learn more about each individual installation. As visitors approach the sculpture, the Interactive Guide triggers additional rich, contextual information about the artist, artwork or the process of its creation, as well as immersive 360-degree photography for select works. The NYBG CHIHULY Interactive Guide also allows visitors to create their own artwork by using customized photo filters inspired by NYBG’s landscape and share them via social media.

You can visit nybg.org to see the website and to get more information about the CHIHULY interactive experience.

GROUNDHOG HAS ITS DAY

april 2017

Groundhog Day the musical opened Monday, April 17 at the August Wilson Theatre and the weather reports forecast a major hit is storming in!  The New York Post raves, “There’s a miracle on Broadway.” And The New York Times cheers for lead Andy Karl “a star is born and born and born.”

The AKA social team provided live coverage of the star studded night on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, sharing Boomerangs of celebrities and cast members playing with snowballs used in the production.

And the rest of the team did the usual miracle of turning around an entire campaign in 24 hours.  It was a day worth repeating!

View our live coverage here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GroundhogDayMusical/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Groundhogdaybwy

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/groundhogdaybwy

Opening Night Recap Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz_PZmlIDtQ&t=2s

A TSAR IS BORN

april 2017

There’s new Broadway royalty in town! Anastasia is home at last, opening on Monday, April 24 at the Broadhurst Theater to cheers from the star-studded audience and critics alike. And as the raves poured in (“A serious hit! Broadway’s got a bright new star. It’s name is Anastasia.”-NBC-TV) the Outer Critics Circle gave the show 13 award nominations—the most nominations of any show on Broadway!

BANDSTAND’S GOT BROADWAY DANCING

april 2017

The Broadway season is now in full swing, with the arrival of its newest hit: Bandstand, which opened on April 26. The choreographer of Hamilton has delivered a powerful and show-stopping show that’s making the hearts of critics and audiences jump (and jive) for joy. And it’s even been honored as a Drama League nominee for Best Musical and Distinguished Performance for Laura Osnes.

CHARLIE & DYLAN’S: A TASTY COMBO

april 2017

AKA has facilitated a partnership with Dylan Lauren who (via her candy empire Dylan’s Candy Bar) will be the official curator of all promotional things digestible, edible and wonderfully tasty for the new Broadway musical Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 

The announcement was made on 3.23.17 and has received some excellent press pick-up featured in The Wall Street Journal, NY Daily News, amNY, and Paste Magazine, to name just a few. Willy Wonka himself made the announcement in the press release: Famed chocolatier Willy Wonka, on behalf of producers Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures, Langley Park Productions and Neal Street Productions, announces that Dylan Lauren (via her candy empire Dylan’s Candy Bar) will be the official curator of all promotional things digestible, edible and wonderfully tasty for the new Broadway musical Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The Candy Man’s Oompa Loompas have been hard at work transforming the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre into a world of pure imagination, where Dylan’s Candy Bar products will be the premier confectionery treats sold at the newly renovated Chocolate Bar, Candy Bar and Wonka Empori-Yum inside the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46th Street).

The team designed concession stands that are good enough to eat—and full of delicious puns!

THE CANDY BAR, THE CHOCOLATE BAR

NYC’S NEXT BIG DESTINATION

april 2016

The North Shore of Staten Island is the place to be—and AKA was there to help launch Destination St. George, a new tourism marketing coalition, driving visitors to New York’s most exciting neighborhood.

AKA collaborated with the new coalition to rebrand the area as a destination for both locals and tourists. The multi-channel campaign, which starts in May, includes an outdoor campaign, a new online presence and digital information kiosks at the Staten Island Ferry terminals. Across the North Shore, more than $1 billion is being invested to transform the neighborhood over the next three years, including the New York Wheel—the world’s largest observation wheel—and nearly 100 retail stores at Empire Outlets.

AKA’s Studio conceived of the creative campaign, which was illustrated by London-based illustrator Jing Zhang. Using her colorful, playful style, it showcases the range of attractions and entertainments on the North Shore and conveys the spirit of St. George as a place where New Yorkers can escape the city and tourists can enjoy food, shopping and recreation in equal measure.

You can visit destinationstgeorge.com, see the campaign on bus shelters across New York City or visit St. George to see the campaign on Staten Island streets!

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND GOES TO HAITI

april 2017

Crystal Chase, AKA’s Senior Digital Account Supervisor, journeyed to Haiti with the producing team of ONCE ON THIS ISLAND to cover the auditions for Ti Moune. Here is Crystal’s incredible story.

Haiti, or as it written there, Ayiti, is a magical, resilient, vibrant, mountainous place—filled with people as prideful and wondrous as their long legacy of triumph and struggle. Seeing the people walking through the streets of Port-au-Prince, you don’t see distress and longing in their eyes, as they are often depicted in the American press. Instead, you see men as flamboyant as peacocks, strutting down the street in their masculinity, women swaying their hips, hypnotizing you with their waistlines, and children laughing and playing under the mountainous skyline.

When I was asked to embark on this journey, I was sitting in an ad meeting chatting about the announcement and launch of the Broadway revival of Once on This Island. I was saying how important it was, from an agency perspective, to document the casting trip to Haiti (the first stop on the search to find the new Ti Moune) and capture the authenticity for our marketing. Ken Davenport, the lead producer, immediately turned to me and said, “You should go. I want you to go.”

It was as if someone let all the air out of the room, and I only heard a hum in my ears. Did I hear him correctly? Was he asking me to go? I put my hand on my chest and said, “Really? Are you serious?” He said, “Yes!” I didn’t know what to say or do, but hug Ken. I am half Haitian and had never been to Haiti. But I’ve always had a deep connection to Haiti, and Once on This Island (I played Mama Eurulie in High School), and I was about to embark on a journey to find Ti Moune. I was grateful and humbled by his generosity.

When the day came, I met Michael Arden (Director), Craig Burns (Casting), Dane Laffrey (Set Designer) and Jordon D. Axelrod (Videographer) at the airport. I didn’t know them that well, some not at all, but we were all excited to set off to find “her.” We didn’t know what to expect, but something about it felt right. From the moment we arrived in Haiti, it was go, go, go. We met our wonderful tour guides, Betsy and Regine, who know the country like the back of their hands. We visited a wonderful school for the blind and the deaf, where Michael Arden had a heartfelt conversation in ASL with one of the Haitian teachers. I couldn’t help but think of the power of communication. Here was Michael, in a country that speaks Kreyol, and yet he was having a conversation that was filled with smiles, warmth and joy. I felt chills run down my spine.

Our next stop was the Bureau D’Ethnologie, where we met the amazing Erol Josué! Mr. Josué is a phenomenal director and expert on the Vodou religion, culture and history. He guided us around the museum, allowed us to stay and watch a rehearsal, and even graced the stage to give us a little taste of traditional Haitian song and chanting alongside some of his drummers and dancers. It was magical! After visiting many more locations—and eating some of the most delicious foods—we ended our night with dinner at Petionville. The restaurant in Petionville was as enchanting as I imagine walking into Rick’s café, from the film Casablana, would be. We sat in the open air as the moon peered through the clouds above us. Picture it; open air, moonlight, great food, and a live Haitian band. You can’t get any better than that. We danced. We laughed. And we soaked up the authentic Haitian air.

The next day, as we got closer to the audition space, we didn’t know if anyone would show up or if the performers would be prepared to audition. We arrived at a great space facing the beautiful mountains. Michael and the team were excited to meet the potential cast members. As auditioners arrived, I wanted to capture their story. Why were they auditioning? What would this mean for Haiti if they were cast? What would it mean for them? From everyone I asked, the answer was the same: “I love music. This will be a great opportunity to showcase Haitian talent, and who better to tell this story than Haitians?” One gentlemen told me that he was a music teacher living in a “red zone,” which is a dangerous area in Haiti riddled with gang violence. But he was an amazing guitar player, and it was clear his voice was guided by his wisdom and perseverance.

As we wrapped up auditions, we had one last stop on the trip—Artis Rezistans! This avant-garde outdoor gallery is surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the country, tinged with signs of devastation from the hurricane and earthquake. The founder, André Eugène, is all that you want in a founder of an art gallery in Haiti. He’s cool, he’s artistic, he’s worldly and well-travelled. His art is as progressive and mythically aggressive as Haitian Rara music. The sculptures and the woodwork will leave you feeling exposed and intrigued.

Oh, Haiti! Ayiti, the first black republic in the world, is truly a beauteous place filled with culture, mystery, stories and spiritual force. I am looking forward to this Broadway production of Once on This Island, and I can confidently say that it is in great hands. This creative team will respectfully bring out the authenticity while celebrating the legacy of this country and its people. Rather than cultural appropriation, cultural appreciation will be at the forefront, and as we know, the Gods will be watching.

Check out our social channels for the latest in our continued search for Ti Moune, which continues in Detroit, Chicago, New Orleans, L.A. and New York.

Website: http://www.onceonthisisland.com/

SWEENEY TODD NOM NOM NOMS

april 2017

The delicious hit revival of Sweeney Todd set in a pie shop has now been nominated for Best Revival of a Musical by the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel Awards!

7 Drama Desk Award Nominations including:

Outstanding Revival of a Musical

Outstanding Actor in a Musical – Jeremy Secomb

Outstanding Director of a Musical – Bill Buckhurst

Outstanding Orchestrations – Benjamin Cox,

Outstanding Set Design for a Musical – Simon Kenny

Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical – Amy Mae

Outstanding Sound Design in a Play – Matt Stine

7 Lucille Lortel Award Nominations including:

Outstanding Revival

Outstanding Choreographer

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical  – Jeremy Secomb

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical – Siobhan McCarthy

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical – Betsy Morgan

Outstanding Lighting Design

Outstanding Sound Design

2 Drama League Award Nominations including:

Outstanding Revival of a Musical

Distinguished Performance Award – Jeremy Secomb

2 Outer Critics Circle Award Nominations including:

Outstanding Revival of Musical

Outstanding Sound Design

Off-Broadway Alliance Award Nomination:
 Best Musical Revival

Spotlight on AKA

april 2017

Outside of her work on Broadway, Abby has an “Off-Broadway” activity. She is a Teaching Artist with CO/LAB Theater Group, a nonprofit organization based in NYC that provides individuals with developmental disabilities a creative and social outlet through theater arts. Abby spends Saturday mornings teaching musical theater, and the class culminates their year of work in just a few weeks with an original musical, MY WAY OR THE SUBWAY. You can catch her performing on stage with the class participants May 5–7 at the Actors Fund Arts Center in Brooklyn. Get more information about the show and tickets here. Stay tuned for more CO/LAB updates on their Facebook or Instagram.

International News

april 2017

AKA congratulates winners of the 2017 Olivier Awards!    

Best actress

Billie Piper for Yerma at the Young Vic

Best lighting design

Neil Austin for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre

Best sound design

Gareth Fry for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre

Best costume design

Katrina Lindsay for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre

Best set design

Christine Jones for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre

 Best actor in a supporting role

Anthony Boyle for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre

Best actress in a supporting role

Noma Dumezweni for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre

Best revival

Yerma at the Young Vic

Best actor

Jamie Parker for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre

Best new play

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre

Best director

John Tiffany for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre

Outstanding achievement in dance

English National Ballet for expanding the variety of its repertoire with Giselle and She Said at Sadler’s Wells

Best theatre choreographer

Matthew Bourne for The Red Shoes at Sadler’s Wells

Outstanding achievement in music

School of Rock the Musical at the New London Theatre (three children’s bands who play instruments live every night)

Best entertainment and family

The Red Shoes at Sadler’s Wells

Best actor in a supporting role in a musical

Adam J Bernard for Dreamgirls at the Savoy Theatre

Best actress in a supporting role in a musical

Rebecca Trehearn for Show Boat at the New London Theatre

Best actor in a musical

Andy Karl for Groundhog Day at the Old Vic

Best actress in a musical

Amber Riley for Dreamgirls at the Savoy Theatre

Best new musical

Groundhog Day at the Old Vic

Showing INFINITE WORLDS at San Francisco Ballet

march 2017

Spring into step at the San Francisco Ballet’s 2017 season. Coming into full bloom are three full-length ballets: Swan Lake, Cinderella, and the North American premiere of the darkly beautiful Frankenstein. AKA helped bring the new season to life with graphic illustrations that are a doorway into the richly fantastical settings for each ballet—an invitation into their Infinite Worlds.

The campaign launches with bus, street pole and transit placements, also on TV, and in both print and online ads throughout the Bay Area.

New Art for M. BUTTERFLY Spreads its Wings

march 2017

When the buds start to blossom, around them are butterflies. In this case, M. BUTTERFLY! David Henry Hwang’s classic returns to Broadway in Fall 2017, directed by Julie Taymor and starring Clive Own. AKA is proud to debut the revival’s striking new art—a painting of a beautiful crimson butterfly, startlingly pinned down by a giant “M.” Our team created the icon in close collaboration with Julie, inspired by vintage Peking Opera art, but with a contemporary twist.

Justin Trudeau, Tom Brokaw, The New York Times Rave Over COME FROM AWAY

march 2017

COME FROM AWAY officially opened on March 12^th and was welcomed to Broadway with open arms and major acclaim—including a rave from Ben Brantley of The New York Times. And if that wasn’t enough to cheer about, this new musical was all over the news thanks to a special visit from the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, who brought First Daughter, Ivanka Trump, as his guest, along with 125 UN Ambassadors from around the world and members of the Canadian Consulate. Tom Brokaw also did an amazing report for the Today Show, featuring the entire cast and members of the creative team, highlighting the need for this remarkable true story to be told right now. Watch the Today Show clip here, and check out some of the top reviews below:

The New York Times Critics’ Pick!

“THE CATHARSIS YOU NEED IN THIS AMERICAN MOMENT.
A gale of good will blows out of this smart, robust musical. Even the most stalwart cynics may have trouble staying dry-eyed during this portrait of heroic hospitality under extraordinary pressure.”
– Ben Brantley, The New York Times

“This funny, charming and uplifting celebration
does what all the best musicals do:
TAKES YOU TO A PLACE YOU NEVER WANT TO LEAVE.”
– Joe Westerfield, Newsweek

“AN EXUBERANT ANTIDOTE
FOR WHAT AILS THE AMERICAN SOUL!”
– Peter Marks, The Washington Post

“BROADWAY’S BIGGEST AND BEST SURPRISE OF THE SEASON!
EVERY NEW YORKER MUST SEE THIS SHOW.”
– Johnny Oleksinki, New York Post

 “EXTRAORDINARY AND MASTERFUL!
Transports us on a wave of hope.”
– Roma Torre, NY1

“A GROUNDBREAKING AND BRAVE NEW MUSICAL.”
– Steven Suskin, The Huffington Post

“A MUST-SEE MUSICAL!”
– David Richardson, NPR

“A STIRRING AND INSPIRING MUSICAL.”
– Richard Zoglin, Time Magazine

ONE PERFECT OPENING NIGHT FOR MISS SAIGON

march 2017

The heat was on at the Broadway Theatre and Tavern on the Green for MISS SAIGON’s opening night performance and post-show celebration. This new production of the epic love story is sweeping everyone off their feet—and you can read some the opening raves below. And be sure to check out photos from the curtain call and the rest of the festivities right here. All of us here at AKA are just over the (sun and) moon to be a part of this phenomenon.

 “A DYNAMITE BROADWAY REVIVAL!”
– Elisabeth Vincentelli, The New Yorker

“THE NEW MISS SAIGON SOARS TO THE RAFTERS!
RELIVE THE THRILL, THE LUSH MELODIES
AND SPRAWLING SPLENDOR.”
-Roma Torre, NY1

“A PASSIONATE PRODUCTION. BRILLIANTLY CAST.”
– Linda Winer, Newsday

“A PHENOMENON. SENSATIONAL IN EVERY WAY!”
– Jeremy Gerard, Deadline

“AN EPIC SPECTACULAR THAT FEELS OF THE MOMENT.
JON JON BRIONES AND EVA NOBLEZADA
ARE ASTONISHING POWERHOUSES!”
– Tim Teeman, The Daily Beast

“PHENOMENAL!”
– Robert Kahn, NBC NY

 “EVA NOBLEZADA IS A WOW!”
– Breanne L. Heldman, Entertainment Weekly

“JON JON BRIONES IS A MARVEL!”
– David Finkle, The Huffington Post

And check out this custom paper art opening night gift
created by our very own Kristen Sgalambro from the AKA Digital team.

Hit Brit SWEENEY TODD Revival Opens Pie Shop Off-Broadway

march 2017

“More hot pies!” demand cheering critics and audiences after seeing Tooting Arts Club’s acclaimed production of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s masterpiece, Sweeney Todd, which opened in New York on March 1st at the historic Barrow Street Theatre—exactly 38 years to the day from the original Broadway production.

In London, the environmental staging originally took place in a real, fully-operational historical pie shop called Harrington’s Pie & Mash, before moving to the West End in collaboration with Cameron Mackintosh. Now, the producing team of Rachel Edwards, Jenny Gersten, Greg Nobile, Jana Shea and Nate Koch have meticulously recreated the Harrington’s shop at the Barrow Street Theater in the Village, right down to the peeling paint on the walls.  You can even order a pre-show meat pie—if you’ve got the guts. We bet Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett would love it!

“THE MOST FRIGHTENING SWEENEY TODD I’VE SEEN. SONDHEIM HAS HEARTILY ENDORSED THIS PRODUCTION. SO DO I.”
-New York Magazine

“***** CRITICS’ PICK! A BLOODY WONDER. THIS THRILLING, OVERWHELMING SWEENEY IS A FULL-COURSE MEAL.”
-Time Out New York

“THRILLING! A BLOODY GOOD TIME.”
-Entertainment Weekly

“THE MOST FRIGHTENING SWEENEY TODD I’VE SEEN.”
-New York Magazine/Vulture

“A MUST SEE!”
-The New York Times

“SEE THIS ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME PRODUCTION AT ALL COSTS!”
-The Star-Ledger

“A TREAT FOR ALL OF THE SENSES, EVEN TASTE!”
-WNBC New York

The production has now officially extended through December 31st due to popular demand.

GROUNDHOG DAY’S First Preview Fan Performance: A Once-In-A-Lifetime Night!

march 2017

On March 16, GROUNDHOG DAY was quite a night! For the First Preview, AKA initiated a highly-anticipated Fan Performance. Hundreds of cheering fans, many fully decked out in costume, filled the August Wilson theatre.

But fifteen minutes into the performance, the show stopped due to a technical issue. During the wait, fans were treated to complimentary drinks at the bar. When the tech issue could not be resolved, Matthew Warchus and Andy Karl announced the show would not be continuing for the evening. (Oh, no!) Instead, the actors gave a spectacular concert version of the show! (Oh, yes!) The audience left the theater overjoyed by the unique twist of events, proving the show must always go on and there is nothing quite like the magic of live theater!

As part of the event, ticket holders had the opportunity to use a one-night only Gif-generating photo booth and attendees were given a custom 1^st preview tote bag and button upon leaving the theater.

The next day, the production had its second First Preview.  We are GROUNDHOG DAY after all!

Check out what happened at our first performance here.

SUNDAY IN THE PARK Opening Night: The “Social” Event of the Year

march 2017

A star-studded audience. Unanimous raves. The grand opening of the dazzlingly renovated Hudson Theatre. There was so much to cheer about at SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE’s gala Opening Night on February 23. The whole evening was itself a work of art, from red carpet arrivals to the after party at the New York Public Library. AKA’s Digital and Social team covered it all—live!—across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

A few highlights:
     • #SundayintheParkwithGeorge trended locally and nationally on Twitter.
     • Total mentions: 7,855
     • Total posts across social media: 7,198
     • Estimated impressions received: 63.7 million
     • Two widely successful GIFGIF machines mesmerized partygoers.
        Check out the galleries here:
       ◦http://gfgf.io/event/SundayInThePark1#galleryitems
       ◦http://gfgf.io/event/SundayInThePark2#galleryitems

BANDSTAND in Full Swing with Exclusive BroadwayWorld Partnership

march 2017

March was the month BANDSTAND took over BroadwayWorld! It’s the kind of news our media minds love sharing. It expanded the reach of the TV spot in exciting ways: homepage takeovers with video interstitial, four custom editorial video features and BWW Roku and Apple TV channel integration. Most thrilling for us was a Broadway First—a global footer featuring the television commercial that appeared below the main news content on every single article page for the entire month.

The Big Apple Circus is Back!

march 2017

Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of this beloved New York City cultural gem, the Big Top will again rise in time for the 2017 holiday season at Lincoln Center, promising a night of thrills and laughs—and a lifetime of memories.

For this year’s celebration, Big Apple Circus is proud to present 10-time World Record Holder, Nik Wallenda, hailed as “The King of The High Wire” and the “Greatest Daredevil of Our Generation.”

AKA is proud to launch the brand new season as Big Apple Circus’ full service agency, covering advertising, marketing, digital and insights—a balancing act we’re thrilled to perform!

Check out the brand new landing page here for more!

SPOTLIGHT ON AKA: Billy Mitchell – Villain: De Blanks

march 2017

Billy Mitchell, our Director of Production Services, returned to 54 Below on Wednesday, March 22 with his show VILLIAN: DeBLANKS in a benefit for the American Civil Liberties Union.

The audience-favorite’s all-star cast, including Oscar and two-time Tony nominee Kathleen Turner (War of the Roses, Serial Mom), Jan Maxwell (Follies), Lesli Margherita (Matilda), Michael Potts (Book of Mormon, True Detective), Maulik Pancholy (30 Rock, Star Trek: Discovery), and Tony nominee Micah Stock (It’s Only a Play, The Front Page).

Patrick Hinds (co-founder & host of Theater People Podcast), joined the shenanigans as our special media guest.

You’ll laugh your (BODY PART)______ off! A Time Out NY Critics’ Pick written by Billy Mitchell, VILLIAN: DeBLANKS is the uproarious improvisational comedy where the cast says words you put in their mouths. The audience provides nouns, adjectives, verbs, etc. (the wilder, the better), and the actors provide the laughs—uncensored and unrehearsed—as they enact the story of Philip DeBlanks’ untimely demise. It’s “Clue” meets adult “Mad Libs,” and it’s never the same show twice!

An Encore performance in support of American Civil Liberties Union will take place on  Wednesday, May 31st.

UP ON THE MARQUEE

january 2017

The Spring season has begun, and so many terrific shows have moved into their new Broadway digs. Audiences can journey to the past with the enchanting ANASTASIA at the Broadhurst. BANDSTAND is swinging into the Jacobs and bringing a new rhythm to Broadway. CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY is bursting with pure imagination at the Lunt-Fontanne, now known as the Wonka Chocolate Factory. COME FROM AWAY is bringing its signature charm and timely true story to the Schoenfeld. MISS SAIGON is turning the heat on once again at the Broadway Theatre. SIGNIFICANT OTHER has brought all its red-hot acclaim and photo booth inspired art to Broadway’s Booth. And SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE is opening Broadway’s newest theatre, the Hudson, with Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford. And there’s more to come! All of us at AKA are honored and thrilled to continue to help shepherd these beautiful shows to Broadway success.

BRONX PULLS INTO PENN STATION

january 2017

As far as Penn Station takeovers go, this was one of the great ones. 140 pieces covered every inch of advertisable space for the entirety of January. Lining walls in the NJ Transit hub, surrounding the massive Amtrak rotunda, and sprawling up the grandest of staircases, the remarkably high impact placements got the eyes of the 600,000 daily commuters in the busiest station in the Western Hemisphere! If Young Calogero saw it, he may sing, “I like it.” But we LOVE it.

Watch stars Bobby Conte Thornton and Ariana DeBose sing and stroll through Penn Station.

A BRONX TALE is now playing at the Longacre Theatre. Visit the official site at ABronxTaleMusical.com

BROADWAYCON

january 2017

Broadway’s biggest fans and stars converged in New York City last month to celebrate the razzle dazzle of—what else—Broadway. We were live on Facebook with a performance by BANDSTAND’s Laura Osnes and Corey Cott, plus we launched our SnapChat Spectacles, tweeted from a panel with director/choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler, and kicked off a special giveaway. We captured behind-the-scenes photos and videos of the A BRONX TALE panel with the cast for Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. We also caught up with Jeanine Tesori as she encouraged SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE fans to follow their social channels for more exclusive coverage. And our very own Senior Digital Account Supervisor, Crystal Chase, spoke on the “Beyond Power of Speech: Social Media and Broadway” panel. It was a great weekend for Broadway and we had a lot of fun seeing how excited the fans are for all of these shows.

GROUNDHOG DAY OWNS GROUNDHOG DAY

january 2017

On Groundhog Day last week, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter. But GROUNDHOG DAY The Musical was there to cheer up theatergoers with a nationwide sweepstakes celebrating six more weeks until our first performance on Broadway. GROUNDHOG DAY dominated the theater sites to celebrate the show’s namesake holiday with some first-ever placements, as well as promoting our first TV spot. Plus, GROUNDHOG DAY stars, Andy Karl and Barrett Doss, made a guest appearance with Staten Island Chuck at the official opening of our Box Office, and rehearsal clips featuring highlights of Tim Minchin’s witty and catchy score were released online. It was such a fun day, we could do it all over again.

GROUNDHOG DAY begins performances March 16. Visit GroundhogDayMusical.com for more information about this U.K. Critics’ Circle BEST MUSICAL WINNER.

BANDSTAND SWINGS ON TV

january 2017

Our Content Team has been hard at work and having a ball doing what they do best: BANDSTAND’s commercial is a blast of 1940s swingin’ energy, featuring the high-kicking results of a collaboration with Tony-winning choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler. To capture the era without making the piece feel dated, Jamaal+Bashan developed a color pallet that evoked the red, white and blue spirit while giving the show a fresh, modern sheen. They also worked closely with the cinematographer to test lenses and shooting formats, eventually landing on shooting in a very cinematic anamorphic format. The music track was recorded at Yellow Lab Studio and was a new instrumental version of the song, “Donny Novitski,” from the show. The video was released as an exclusive on Broadway.com, and we all couldn’t be happier with the end result. Watch it below!

BANDSTAND begins performances March 31. For more information, visit BandstandBroadway.com.

SPOTLIGHT ON AKA

january 2017

Brittany Greene, Digital Account Coordinator

Meet Brittany Greene, our Digital Account Coordinator, splitting her time between Digital and Social Media. Brittany started as an intern at AKA and was brought on full time this year. But when she’s not tweeting about Broadway, she’s an avid food blogger, and you can get her top recommendations from Britt’s Best Bites.  She’s always been a major foodie, taking pictures of her food long before digital cameras and social media. And now she’s building a website from scratch to serve as a restaurant search engine. We know who to get restaurant tips from now!

You can follow Brittany on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

january 2017

The Tate Modern won a Silence Media Creative of the Year 2016 award for the expandable online video ad AKA created with them for their Georgia O’Keeffe retrospective. You can take a look at the ad here, which expands to reveal a video montage of the landscapes that inspired O’Keeffe’s work.

A donation was made to Oxfam on behalf of all the winners, buying safe water for 1,000 people.

THE CHARLIE CAMPAIGN GETS GOLD

december 2016

We’re over the moon to announce that AKA’s pre-opening CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY campaign has been awarded three gold Davey Awards—the highest honor. The awards honor our teaser spots, the full :60 TVC and the entire integrated campaign including the New York Times print ad and MasterCard spot. It feels like we’ve won an entire chocolate factory! AKA is proud to be part of the CHALIE family and we’re excited to keep delivering sweet success for this fantastic new musical. Watch the winners below:

Gold for Online Advertising & Marketing in Campaign Categories-Promotional/Branding

“Something Delicious” – CHARLIE teaser campaign

1 – New York City Gets Wonka-fied

2 –A World of Pure Imagination is Coming to NYC

3 – Willy Wonka’s World of Pure Imagination Envelops the #BigCandyApple

Gold for Commercial in Commercial-Entertainment

“Anthem” – CHARLIE :60 TVC

Gold for Integrated Campaign in Integrated Campaign-Promotional/Branding

“Something Delicious” – CHARLIE TVC, teaser campaign, MasterCard spot and New York Times ad

A BROADWAY FIRST & A NEW MEDIA FRONTIER

december 2016

AKA was excited to launch a Broadway first as we piloted the launch of Clear Channel’s first programmatic digital billboard network, powered by Rubicon Project’s private marketplace. The ability to programmatically buy digital billboard advertising against specific audience goals is a true innovation. Utilizing relevant data from MATILDA The Musical’s past online campaigns, we reached audiences in the New York-area with an incredibly insightful, targeted out-of-home campaign.

Read more in The Wall Street Journal about this cutting-edge opportunity that AKA is already putting to great use.

IN TRANSIT

december 2016

Broadway’s musical love letter to life in New York City is now open at Circle in the Square—and critics and audiences are loving the ride:

“SHOWSTOPPING AND HEART-PUMPING. IF LOVE ACTUALLY WERE A MUSICAL SET IN NEW YORK CITY, IT WOULD BE IN TRANSIT.” – Entertainment Weekly

“A RAPTUROUSLY HARMONIOUS AND MOVING EXPERIENCE.“ – Variety

“AN HONEST AND BEAUTIFULLY SUNG TESTAMENT TO NEW YORK, AND THE SURGING, SEARCHING, AND IMPERFECT HUMANITY WITHIN IT.“ –The Daily Beast

Along with its aca-awesome performances, IN TRANSIT also has a new website to match, courtesy of the AKA Digital team. Featuring new pages showcasing video, social and cast photos, the website is sure to entice people ‘deep beneath the city’ and beyond to take a seat at the show.

For more information, visit InTransitBroadway.com.

COME FROM AWAY IN CONCERT

december 2016

This past month, AKA’s own Scott Moore, Janette Roush, Jacob Matsumiya and Sara Rosenzweig traveled to Gander, Newfoundland to support an incredibly special concert presentation of COME FROM AWAY. The concert was a benefit for the towns that opened their homes to the nearly 7,000 “come from aways” that were left stranded in Newfoundland when American airspace closed on 9/11.

AKA joined 100+ members of the COME FROM AWAY team, including producers, co-producers, cast, creative team, crew, and the other members of the marketing team to celebrate the spirit of generosity and kindness displayed by the townspeople. Learn more.

The show is currently performing and breaking sales records at the newly renovated Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto prior to its February Broadway bow. For more information, visit ComeFromAway.com.

GROUNDHOG GETS ITS DAY

december 2016

GROUNDHOG DAY is now on sale! This hilarious and smart new musical from the creators of the movie Groundhog Day and the award-winning musical Matilda comes direct from a hit London run. We think the critics had a pretty good time:

“So much fun it should be illegal.”
– Ann Treneman, The Times

“I grinned pretty much all the way through this bright whirligig of a show.”
– Ben Brantley, The New York Times

“Touching and hilarious. Groundhog Day is highly Intelligent entertainment.”
– Sam Marlowe, Chicago Tribune

“★ ★ ★ ★ ★
A triumphant theatrical rebirth.”
– Dominic Cavendish, The Daily Telegraph

GROUNDHOG DAY begins Broadway performances March 16. For more information, visit GroundhogDayMusical.com.

KILLER PIE AT SWEENEY TODD

december 2016

Let them eat pie! SWEENEY TODD is returning to NYC in an irresistible new production from London where it was originally staged in Harrington’s Pie & Mash shop by Tooting Arts Club. The transfer will be serving up pie and mash alongside the Sondheim hit at Barrow Street Theatre—transformed into a replica of Harrington’s with pies made by former White House pastry chef, Bill Yosses.

AKA worked closely with the SWEENEY team to bring the immersive experience of the show into the design of the show’s full website which launched at the time of the sale. Due to popular demand, an additional eight weeks of performances were put on sale the following day.

Additionally, the production announced that Broadway favorites, Norm Lewis and Carolee Carmello, will assume the roles of Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett starting on April 11 following an initial 8-week run with the original leads, Jeremy Secomb and Siobhan McCarthy.

Performances begin February 14. For more information, visit SweeneyToddNYC.com.

A FIDDLER TO CELEBRATE

december 2016

Broadway’s acclaimed new FIDDLER ON THE ROOF has enjoyed an incredible journey.
 Last fall, this iconic Broadway tradition returned in a triumphant new production and it won the hearts of critics and introduced FIDDLER to a whole new generation. Now this production is toasting another milestone as it finishes its extraordinary run this year. Until the final Broadway performance on December 31, all of New York will be raising a glass To Life!

For more information, visit FiddlerMusical.com.

OTHELLO GETS A REMIX AND A LOT OF RAVES

december 2016

Holla! OTHELLO: THE REMIX is now a New York Times Critics’ Pick. This inventive show, presented by John Leguizamo, opened at the Westside Theatre on November 16 to great acclaim. The New York Times hailed it as “a clever and exuberantly performed mash-up of hip-hop and Shakespeare,” and Time Out New York called it “a rip-roaring one-act rich with dizzying rhymes and slick beats.” AKA worked with partner agencies, Arthouse and Jeffrey Richards Associates, to spread the word about this contemporary spin on the Bard’s classic tale. To highlight the reviews and showcase the dope key art from AKA’s Studio, we paired an online flight with a New York Times package we put together to hype up theatergoing audiences. And for the December tourist season, we put together a 4-week flight on the newly mounted LinkNYC screens.

Congrats to the OTHELLO team on their opening success! For more information, visit OthelloTheRemix.com.

GO INTO THE WOODS

december 2016

Once upon a time, INTO THE WOODS skipped into our hearts. And now, Fiasco Theatre’s acclaimed production of James Lapine & Stephen Sondheim’s masterpiece has kicked off its national tour, presented by NETworks and the Dodgers. Since the brilliant minds of Fiasco have created a unique presentation of this classic show, AKA’s Content team worked its magic on a TV spot aimed to advertise the story in a fresh way too. We wanted to remind audiences what they love about the show while also showing them there’s something completely new to discover.

For more information, visit IntoTheWoodsOnTour.com.

SPOTLIGHT ON AKA

december 2016

Meet Joaquin Esteva

We’re thrilled that Joaquin has joined our Client Services team as Account Director with over 15 years of experience within the entertainment advertising industry. He has worked on several high profile accounts, including The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Wicked and Hairspray.  But outside of helping to turn shows into smash hits, he enjoys gardening, going to flea markets, and hiking with his adorable dog, a miniature schnauzer named Otto.  But most of all, he loves to travel. Recent highlights include Spain (Madrid and Barcelona), Japan (Tokyo and Kyoto), and England (Bath). We know who to get the best travel tips from now!

A VIRTUAL WORLD OF PURE IMAGINATION

november 2016

AKA hosted group agents and partners at Samsung’s 837 NYC on October 14 for an interactive Broadway first: a CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY Virtual Reality experience. The satisfying event also included a performance by Willy Wonka—two-time Tony winner Christian Borle—and a conversation with the creative team.

Throughout the week leading up to the group sales event, CHARLIE took over 837’s selfie station and 360° photo booth, and had themed content on TVs, phones and tablets throughout the space, in addition to the VR experience. Fans were invited to LITERALLY step inside a world of pure imagination, and over 8.1K Wonka themed interactions took place.

The delicious CHARLIE teaser trailers showing the candy-fication of NYC were taken to a whole new level for this full-sensory event—it was so good you could almost taste it. Thanks to the teamwork of our Marketing and Promotions team and our Content team, this partnership between CHARLIE and Samsung was a sweet success.

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY The New Musical begins Broadway previews March 28, 2017. Visit CharlieOnBroadway.com for more.

SPEND A LITTLE TIME WITH SWEET CHARITY

november 2016

This month, The New Group launches their latest season with a revival of the acclaimed musical SWEET CHARITY, starring the one, the only, Sutton Foster. The production, which has already been extended twice due to incredible demand, begins its limited run on November 2. The fun and bold creative designed by AKA is now being showcased on subways around the city as part of an outdoor media campaign.

SWEET CHARITY begins previews on November 2. Visit TheNewGroup.org for more.

IN TRANSIT IN MOTION

november 2016

Broadway’s first a cappella musical, IN TRANSIT, launched their new television commercial this month. The energetic spot features the opening number, “Deep Beneath the City,” with a special arrangement by Deke Sharon who did vocal arrangements for Pitch Perfect and “The Sing-Off.” Kudos to our Content Team for capturing the spirit and beauty of New York’s hustle and bustle. Watch it for yourself!

IN TRANSIT begins Broadway previews November 10, 2016. Visit InTransitBroadway.com for more.

STOMP IS THE RHYTHM OF TIMES SQUARE

november 2016

In partnership with Silvercast, the AKA Media team delivered a Times Square mobile/outdoor integration for STOMP in September. The digital billboard creative featured a mobile discount offer to drive same-day activity. Not only did the campaign provide over 15,000,000 impressions, it resulted in increased last-minute ticket sales for the show.

STOMP performs at the Orpheum Theatre in NYC. Visit StompOnline.com for more.

BE AMAZED BY VERSO

november 2016

World-renowned close-up magician, Helder Guimarães, has been wowing audiences with his incredible sleight of hand in VERSO. To promote these impressive feats, AKA created three content pieces featuring the show’s star. In the first two, the charismatic Helder teases some of the tricks up his sleeve. In the third, Broadway personality Susan Blackwell interviews him. You can watch all of these great videos for yourself, which were all filmed at the historic Lamb’s Club, one of VERSO’s partners.

VERSO is now in performances at New World Stages through November 27. See it before it disappears. Visit VersoShow.com for more.

SPOTLIGHT ON AKA

november 2016

Meet Jana Burgeson, Digital Account Manager

Jana is a Digital rock star here at AKA, managing the accounts for MTC, Fiddler on the Roof, In Transit, White Rabbit Red Rabbit and more. But in her spare time, she’s a published writer, working on a novel. Jana recently completed a 10-week writing course in fiction with Gotham Writers Workshop, a creative home in New York City for published authors, accomplished writers, and up and coming writers. She has also organized a workshop group with other writers from the Gotham community to work on their manuscripts together. And Jana is also partaking in the National Novel Writing Month 2016 program this November. Watch out New York Times Bestseller List, here comes Jana!

AKA INTERNATIONAL

november 2016

X FACTOR MOTOWN WEEK

 Motown The Musical had the UK dancing in their sofas as the cast took part in Motown week on the X Factor. A performance from the cast of the West End hit opened the Saturday night live show where all the contestants performed classic Motown hits. In the week leading up, the finalists came to see Motown The Musical and the girls’ experience at the Shaftesbury Theatre was filmed to feature as a short VT on Sunday night’s Xtra Factor on ITV2.

 Motown week on the X Factor coincided with the show’s wider media campaign with TV advertising, outdoor, print media and digital running across this period. The X Factor performance was followed by AKA’s Motown The Musical TV spot in the first ad break at 8.15pm, broadcast to all London & South East audiences. Motown was trending on Twitter and the activity resulted in a 350% increase in web traffic compared to the preceding weekend.

WONKA TAKES MANHATTAN BY STORM

august 2016

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY is coming to Broadway–and AKA has created a TV/Content campaign as delightfully delicious as the Candy Man’s greatest treats. It all starts with the first digital teaser video released today! Treat yourself with a taste of NYC getting Wonka-fied. And stay tuned for even more Wonka-sized wonders coming your way. #BigCandyApple

THE ACA-MAZING IN TRANSIT LAUNCHES ON SALE

august 2016

IN TRANSIT is Broadway’s first-ever a cappella musical, arriving this fall at Circle in the Square Theatre. Featuring an original score from the talents behind Frozen and Pitch Perfect, this new musical brings to life a vivid tapestry of characters and music in the city that never sleeps…or stands still. Keeping in the bustling spirit of this show, AKA developed fun, colorful key art inspired by the subway, and launched the first phase of the show’s website featuring video and animation.

With a book, music and lyrics by Academy Award® winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez (Frozen), James-Allen Ford, Russ Kaplan and Sara Wordsworth and vocal arrangements by Deke Sharon (Pitch Perfect, “The Sing-Off”), IN TRANSIT will be directed and choreographed by three-time Tony Award® winner Kathleen Marshall (Anything Goes, Nice Work If You Can Get It). That’s some talent everyone can get on board with!

IN TRANSIT begins performances November 10. For more information, visit InTransitBroadway.com.

THE GANG’S ALL HERE FOR A BRONX TALE

august 2016

We’re so thrilled that Chazz Palminteri’s A BRONX TALE The Musical is coming to Broadway. Robert De Niro and Jerry Zaks are co-directing, there’s an original doo-wop inspired score by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater, choreography by Sergio Trujillo, and Tommy Mottola, the Dodgers and Tribeca Productions are producing. Based on the one-man show that inspired the now classic film, this streetwise musical about a young man caught between the father he loves and the mob boss he’d love to be, arrives on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre on November 4. And we can’t wait!

Our Studio and Digital Team worked fast and seamlessly to produce key art with just the right Bronx vibe for the front of house, website—complete with compelling animation—and all social platforms. Check it all out for yourself, then make sure you get your tickets to this show critics are calling Jersey Boys meets West Side Story.

For more information about A BRONX TALE The Musical, visit ABronxTaleTheMusical.com.

BACK TO FIDDLER’S ROOTS

august 2016

AKA’s Marketing Team secured a partnership between FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and the Liberty Ellis Foundation, coordinating a free trip for three cast members (George Psomas, Alexandra Silber and Michael Bernardi) to visit Ellis Island, the Peopling Center, and the Immigration Museum. They were able to explore their own family heritage and the roots of the characters they play on stage.

FIDDLER was also included in a full database newsletter (one million contacts) to Liberty Ellis’ donors promoting full price tickets with 10% donated right back to the foundation. AKA was also able to secure FIDDLER collateral on site through Labor Day to promote this offer.

As an extension of this promotion, FIDDLER released a special video documenting the Ellis Island trip. Watch here!

FIDDLER plays its final Broadway performance on December 31. Visit FiddlerMusical.com for more.

MATILDA’S CHOCOLATE EXPLOSION

august 2016

In honor of MATILDA’s 3rd Anniversary on Broadway—and the title character’s love of learning—the AKA team created a video series showcasing the Matildas learning an extraordinary activity inspired by the show.

On Monday, April 25, our Matildas headed to Schmackary’s to bake chocolate explosion cookies that Bruce would definitely love, and to film the final video in the four-part series.

The video went live on Tuesday, May 10 across all of MATILDA’s social channels. Schmackary’s also pushed it out to on their 11,500 followers on Twitter. Through our partnership with Broadway World, the video is also live on their website and their Apple TV channel. Steal a taste for yourself by watching the video here. 

For more information about MATILDA, visit MatildaTheMusical.com.

STOMP’S MOVING TO A NEW BEAT

august 2016

We are launching a new campaign for STOMP this summer: “The Rhythm of New York.” To debut the new creative, we began an exciting outdoor campaign with a fleet of double decker buses around Manhattan on July 30. Keep an eye out for the bold campaign driving towards the fall and holiday season.
 
For more information about STOMP, visit StompOnline.com.

SPOTLIGHT ON AKA

august 2016

Jean-Michel plays a major role on our Digital Team developing incredible websites, but he also plays in 2Frail, a band he started in California. Now in Brooklyn, the trio plays a mix of new-wave and indie rock, with a bit of an edge. After releasing an EP last year, they’re currently working on a full album while performing monthly in places all over NYC. Talk about well-rounded! You can check out music from Jean-Michel’s band here on their Facebook page.

PARTY THE AKA WAY

july 2016

On Saturday, June 11^th, we hosted our Annual Summer Party on the gorgeous rooftop at the Sanctuary Hotel—what a view, and what great company! Special thanks to all our friends who joined us for lush cocktails, yummy bites, dreamy massages and lots of posing for photos! Check out this gallery and video highlighting all the fun, and see if you can spot yourself! Photo and video credit – Renee Bevan

BIG WINS AT THE TELLY AWARDS 

july 2016

It was an exhilarating night for AKA NYC at the 37th Telly Awards! We are so honored to have won a total of seven awards for our Fiddler on the Roof and American Psycho TV campaigns.

The Fiddler spot, “Tradition,” earned a Silver Award—the competition’s highest honor—in the Entertainment category. It also picked up Bronze Awards for Directing and Cinematography. Our American Psycho spot, “Selling Out,” won Bronze Awards for Entertainment, Directing, Editing and Graphics. Both spots were directed by AKA NYC’s in-house directing team, Jamaal+Bashan.

Watch both of these award-winning TV commercials for yourself!

WONKA’S GATES HAVE OPENED FOR GROUPS

july 2016

In May, CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY went on sale to Groups! To accompany that big announcement, AKA sent a Wonka-fied gift basket of sweet treats—and a special branded toothbrush—to the group agencies. We have to give a special shout out to Stacy Gollinger from our Marketing Team for her efforts on this yummy project. We’ve already received great feedback from the agencies, and we know that when CHARLIE debuts next Spring, our audiences will be choc-full of groups.

CHARLIE will begin performances at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in March 2017 with two-time Tony Award winner Christian Borle as Willy Wonka. Visit CharlieOnBroadway.com for the latest.

THE NEW FIDDLER’S NEW WEBSITE

july 2016

On Thursday, June 23, we launched a brand new website for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. The new design and build was inspired by Insights about the consumer experience, and timed with the rollout of FIDDLER’s refreshed creative: the “TO LIFE” campaign. To set up FIDDLER for continued success, our AKA Digital Team focused on functionality alongside aesthetics.

We strategically reviewed the user journey on the previous FIDDLER site to target ways to maximize the experience and deliver greater ticket sales. It was important to ensure this new site continued to serve as a strong brand hub, delivering consumer needs simply and easily. The new site provides a seamless transaction process, showcases all of our compelling content, and delivers a top-notch mobile experience.

Now that peak tourist season has arrived—bringing an increase of impressions in the market—the timing couldn’t be more perfect for this website refresh. Click around and check it out for yourself!

Visit FiddlerMusical.com for more about FIDDLER ON THE ROOF.

MATILDA LEARNS HOW TO…

july 2016

In honor of MATILDA’s third anniversary on Broadway, the AKA team has been busy creating fun videos that showcase the talented Matildas learning activities pulled right from the plot of the show. On April 25, we filmed the three new Matildas learning the flying trapeze—just as the Acrobat in Matilda’s amazing story gets to do. Boy, do they make it look easy!

Always thinking about the bottom line, the AKA team was able to secure the space, instructors & two trapeze school students for the girls at no cost to the show.

This third video in the four-part series went live on Monday, May 2 across all of MATILDA’s social channels. Trapeze School New York also pushed it out to their combined social fan base of 6,700+. Through our partnership with BroadwayWorld, the video is also live on their website and their Apple TV channel. Be sure to watch…unless you have a fear of heights.

Visit MatildaTheMusical.com for more information about MATILDA THE MUSICAL.

The Royal Opera House Autumn Season Campaign

july 2016

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

AKA London is delighted to reveal the first iteration of the forthcoming autumn season campaign for the Royal Opera House. Because the venue is world renowned as an artistic home where opera and ballet meet, AKA proposed to photograph pairings of opera and ballet stars, as a meeting of extraordinary talents from different artistic worlds.

Acclaimed photographer Mariano Vivanco was able to capture the artists in a compelling and contemporary way. This first image for the autumn 2016 launch features Sonya Yoncheva, who makes her debut as Norma, and Ryoichi Hirano, First Soloist with The Royal Ballet.

Look out for the forthcoming campaigns for winter, spring and summer!

SPOTLIGHT ON AKA

july 2016

Mateo Moreno, Broadway Ambassador Manager

Here at AKA, Mateo works on Broadway’s front line, guiding our Broadway Ambassador team. In his free time, he’s quite the prolific playwright, singer and actor! His first play, written in 2012, was the highly choreographed fight show, Happily After Tonight, at The Barrow Group where it was nominated for a New York Innovative Theatre Award. His second play, Bohemian Valentine, was selected as part of the acclaimed New York International Fringe Festival in 2014. Paper Airplanes, his latest play about a father reconnecting with his daughter, was just performed in front of a sold-out audience at Symphony Space.

Mateo is currently part of a yearlong playwriting residency with Athena Theatre where he is workshopping his full-length play Fairground Attraction. And if he wasn’t busy enough writing, Mateo also acted Off Broadway this past spring in City of Glass, and is now in rehearsals for Hamlet or I Shall Mourn the Rivers. In August, he will be singing in Lincoln Center’s “Mostly Mozart” festival.

Mateo jokes, “Sometimes I sleep. But not often.” We can see why, but we thank him for bringing his amazing energy and creative talents to all his work at AKA. Find out more about Mateo by visiting his websites Mateo-Moreno.com and www.BohemianValentine.com.

WE’RE READY TO SHOW & TELL THE WORLD

june 2016

AKA NYC Launches Market Research Firm Show & Tell Broadway

NEW YORK—May 31, 2016— Entertainment advertising agency AKA NYC today confirms the launch of Show & Tell Broadway, a progressive audience research tool that provides Broadway shows and art organizations with deep insight into the minds of patrons.

Based on AKA’s leadership in analytics and data analysis, Show & Tell Broadway uses online surveys, in-person focus groups and other tools to help shows improve branding, advertising and marketing. It employs cutting edge techniques to collect and analyze data, and applies expertise in quantitative and qualitative analysis to distill raw data into actionable insights.

“We believe that data is knowledge and leads to stronger campaigns and better results,” says AKA NYC Managing Partner Elizabeth Furze. “Research is only valuable if it leads to meaningful action. We do not simply deliver statistics. We answer the question ‘So what?’ and we work with clients to integrate the insights we’ve gained into their campaigns.”

Furze adds that Show & Tell Broadway has tailored its programs to theatrical budgets so that shows can better afford to conduct advertising research on a consistent basis, previously challenging within a typical a show budget.

Show & Tell Broadway is led by certified Media Research Analysts Janette Roush and Sam Gates. It analyses such things as brand perception, pricing and competition. It tests consumer affinity for key art, copy and advertising. It also offers post-show sentiment analysis.

The agency’s online surveys uniquely draw on a proprietary, in-house panel of 12,000+ theater, arts and culture lovers. The database has been developed over a period of more than five years and rigorously tested as a representative sampling of arts-conscious consumers. This results in statistically-valid survey samples covering a broad demographic spectrum of both regular and casual theater goers and arts patrons. “We talk to the right people, and we’ve developed a methodology that makes conducting surveys faster and more streamlined,” says Gates. “We quickly generate feedback and identify actions so that they can make an immediate difference in the campaign.”

Show & Tell Broadway recently conducted intensive research in behalf of MCC Theater, one of New York’s leading Off-Broadway companies, as part of a rebranding effort. Surveys with AKA’s in-house panel and company staff, combined with previous research, provided a deep and nuanced portrait of how the company was perceived. Researchers were able to identify the company’s unique strengths and niche in the theater market as a showcase for “overlooked and unheard voices.” The results are informing both the company’s new branding, currently being developed by AKA, and its marketing as it seeks to broaden its reach among theatergoers.

“MCC needed real answers to begin our re-branding process,” notes MCC Executive Director Blake West.  “Show & Tell gave us a clearer understanding of how actual theatergoers interact with our brand and – more importantly – actionable takeaways to bring MCC to the next level. Show & Tell fully delivered on its promise and more than justified our decision to work with AKA on this important project.”

While Show & Tell Broadway is initially targeting Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, and national and regional theater companies, Gates says that its formula could be applied to many other arts and entertainment entities. “Our goal is to broaden our panel to address audiences for museums, galleries and even sports nationwide,” he says. “We believe we can help any entertainment organization better understand and communicate with its audience.”

About AKA

AKA is a global, full-service advertising agency with offices in the US, UK and Australia. The AKA Group, including Digital Media Services and the film advertising agency The Creative Partnership, delivers creative, strategic and insightful campaigns to the entertainment and culture industries worldwide.

The New York office, led by Elizabeth Furze and Scott Moore, delivers innovative solutions across media, marketing, partnerships, interactive, creative, broadcast content, insights, and campaign management, with a proven record for producing sales-driven campaigns for premium, must-see productions, venues, exhibitions and events.

TONY! TONY! TONY!

june 2016

AKA would like to congratulate our 2016 Tony Nominees…

SPRING AWAKENING
BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL
BEST DIRECTION – Michael Arden
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN – Ben Stanton

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL
BEST ACTOR – Danny Burstein
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY – Hofesh Shechter

AMERICAN PSYCHO
BEST SCENIC DESIGN – Es Devlin & Finn Ross
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN – Justin Townsend

HUGHIE
BEST SCENIC DESIGN – Christopher Oram

DAMES AT SEA
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY – Randy Skinner

FIDDLER ON THE STREETS

june 2016

It’s tradition—each summer brings a new wave of tourists, and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is the perfect match for them. To capitalize on this important audience group, AKA has secured a large-scale outdoor campaign that celebrates the energy of the show that includes over 300 taxi tops (and BONUS) and a multi double-decker bus package. Our “To Life” campaign is now in full swing, and the dazzling refresh photography will be filling the streets from Times Square to midtown, to the airports and beyond. Audiences will surely be falling in love with the new FIDDLER all summer long.

For more information about FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, visit FiddlerMusical.com.

FLIPPING FOR MATILDA

june 2016

In honor of MATILDA’s 3rd Anniversary on Broadway—and the title character’s love of learning—the AKA team is creating videos that showcase the Matildas learning an extraordinary activity featured in the show.

On Monday, April 11, we shot the three new Matildas showing how fearless and flexible they can be in a Gymnastics at Chelsea Piers. (Eat your heart out, Trunchbull!) The AKA team was able to secure the space, instructors and elite team members for the girls at no cost to the show.

The video went live on Monday, April 25 across all of MATILDA’s social channels. Chelsea Piers also pushed it out to their combined social fan base of 12,766. Through our partnership with Broadway World, the video is also live on their website and their Apple TV channel.

Before you split, watch the video HERE.

This is the first of four fantastical videos, so stay tuned for more! For more information about MATILDA, visit MatildaTheMusical.com.

FUERZA ON THE NET

june 2016

When the theatrical thrill ride FUERZA BRUTA tasked AKA NYC to create and design a website for their global brand, we leapt at the chance!  FUERZA wanted a site that fit their brand, was accessible for all their productions worldwide, was comprehensible in English and Spanish, and matched the stunning visuals of the show. We’re happy to say we accomplished all these goals and created a mobile first site to extend usability.  This marks the first partnership between AKA NYC and FUERZA BRUTA as a global brand and we look forward to many more to come!

The gorgeous new FuerzaBrutaGlobal.com went live on May 26.  CLICK HERE to join the celebration!

MIZ IN MOTION

june 2016

The revolutionaries are storming NYC this summer … on buses. It’s peak tourism season and AKA has secured a Double Decker bus package for LES MISÉRABLES through mid-July. Last summer’s bus buy for LES MIZ delivered at the box office, and with over 43 million impressions over 12 weeks this summer, we expect to stop traffic and convert tourists into buyers. The eye-catching design showcases the student art from our refreshed campaign alongside the iconic Cosette imagery, with bold final months messaging. We even secured an illuminated side so from day to night, LES MIZ stands out.

For more information about LES MISÉRABLES, visit LesMis.com/Broadway.

SPOTLIGHT ON AKA


june 2016

Meet Billy Mitchell,
 Director of Production Services

Billy is a man of many projects: writing, directing, designing mazes—he’s always working on something new!  His latest and greatest venture is Villain: DeBlanks, a comedy mystery that puts the (adjective) in (noun)!  Billy created the show as part of The Attic Junior Series—original plays for young audiences performed by an adult ensemble of three women and three men.  (The prolific Mr. Mitchell also created the Junior Series.) In short, DeBlanks is Clue meets MadLibs.  A cast of 6 are given a script full of missing nouns, adjectives and verbs and, before the show, they ask the audience to fill in the blanks. (Get it?)  The result is an absolutely knee-slappingly, drink-snortingly hilarious show that has drawn performances from Broadway stars like Annaleigh Ashford, Lena Hall, Christopher Sieber, Marc Kudisch and Hunter Foster, in addition to other notable names such as Justin Guarini from “American Idol,” Emmy winner Bruce Vilanch, legendary drag queen Hedda Lettuce and President of Jujamcyn Theaters, Jordan Roth. Tony nominee Brenda Braxton recently produced 6 monthly performances of Villain: DeBlanks at The Triad NYC, and the show is considering a weekly run later this year.  Don’t miss it!

To learn all the (noun) about Villain: DeBlanks, visit the website villaindeblanks.com, or follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

International News

june 2016

The British Museum’s blockbuster exhibition Sunken Cities opened to rave reviews, with The Telegraph calling it “a show to move you to tears of wonder,” and The Evening Standard labeling it “spectacular and absorbing.” This five star epic exhibition explores the Egyptian treasures recently discovered in the lost cities of Thonis-Heracleion and Canopus, which had lain submerged for over 1,000 years in the murky waters of the Mediterranean. AKA constructed a fully integrated media campaign for the Museum, advertising across a variety of print, outdoor, digital and specialist formats, as well as creating an atmospheric cinema trailer.

Definitely a must see this summer, Sunken Cities runs at the British Museum through November 27. 

PARTNER OFFER

june 2016

There are many ways to enjoy chocolate, have fun and unleash your creativity with Voila Chocolat. Mention AKA NYC or use code VoilaAKA at Voila Chocolat and save 20% on parties & in-store activities.  Save 10% on all custom orders of $100 or more.

http://voila-chocolat.com/

RAISE A GLASS TO LIFE!

april 2016

Bartlett Sher’s production of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is truly a celebration of life. It’s that joyful and exuberant spirit that inspired AKA’s latest campaign that we’re calling “To Life!” Showcasing the energetic and vibrant new photography from Micaela Rossato, this exciting campaign is already rolling out across all media platforms. Be sure to look out for the taxi tops and bus wraps!

Our Content Team also deserves a toast for creating an energetic, new TV spot as part of the refresh campaign. They utilized footage from the pre-opening shoot and set it to “To Life, L’Chaim!” from the recently released FIDDLER revival cast album. Audiences will definitely be feeling the love, laughter and life at the heart of this great classic.

For more information about FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, visit FiddlerMusical.com

THIS AMERICAN PSYCHO’S LIFE

april 2016

AKA worked with New York Magazine to create an AMERICAN PSYCHO two-page advertorial spread in the publication entitled “Patrick Bateman’s New York.” The print ad includes stylish locations and partners—secured  by Type A Marketing—that the pro/antagonist Patrick Bateman would likely frequent, should he live in today’s New York City. To encourage further engagement with the experience, AKA designed a specialized landing page showcasing our partners, as well as a sweepstakes for entrants to win a luxe prize package worthy of Mr. Bateman.  Click here to walk a mile in Patrick’s designer shoes.

For more information about AMERICAN PSYCHO, visit AmericanPsychoTheMusical.com

MTC GOES TESSITURA

april 2016

On April 4th, custom API Integration of the ticketing platform Tessitura went live for MTC’s Go Green renewal campaign. This project creates a user-friendly online space for subscribers to renew and manage their subscriptions, while also automating the process on the backend for MTC—something which was done completely manually in all previous seasons.

The development process was intricate and intensive—above and beyond the ordinary design and build of a website. To tackle this, the AKA team did extensive research on user experience and form design, mastered the extremely finicky Tessitura API, and held weekly collaborative meetings with the client to review MTC’s business structure and strategy for the new season.

We’re pleased to say that after within its first weeks, this year’s Go Green campaign was already ahead of the previous year’s campaign in number of subscriptions.  Kudos to the AKA teams who helped make this such a success!

For more information about MTC, visit ManhattanTheatreClub.com

MAMBO MATILDA

april 2016

In honor of MATILDA’s 3rd Anniversary on Broadway, the AKA team created a new video series called: “The Matildas Learn How To…” This fun series follows the four actresses currently sharing the role of Matilda as they learn new activities inspired by the plot of the show. On April 1, we filmed the first video at a Mambo Salsa Class (Mrs. Wormwood’s favorite!) at Broadway Dance Center. The girls had a blast, and you can catch all the fun—and maybe pick up a step or two—by watching here.

The video went live on April 14 across all of MATILDA’s social channels. Broadway Dance Center also promoted the video to their combined social fan base of 200,000+. But we didn’t stop there. Thanks to our partnership with Broadway World, the video is also featured on their website, social channels (a reach of 288,400+), and their Apple TV channel.

We can’t wait for everyone to see what the Matildas learn next (hint…we hope they’re not afraid of heights).

For more information about MATILDA, visit MatildaTheMusical.com

SPOTLIGHT ON AKA

april 2016

Meet Rob Schnabel, Art Director

Rob is definitely a contender for “Most Athletic” at AKA.  In high school, he was a competitive mountain biker, he recently raised money for cancer research by spinning for hours as a part of Cycle for Survival, and then there’s rugby.  Rob loves rugby.  He discovered the sport while watching a TV match in an NYC bar, and was instantly drawn to the raw, gladiatorial nature of the game. After he graduated from SVA, he moved to Johannesburg, South Africa and began playing at club level. Rob was hooked for life.  When he returned to New York, he realized how untapped the market for rugby-inspired fashion was in The States and how quickly the sport was growing here. Ever the entrepreneur, Rob combined his love of street wear and rugby and (with his brother Matt Vosburgh) he co-founded Bakline, a lifestyle street wear brand inspired by rugby’s influence on sport, pop culture and art. The brand was recently featured in the New Zealand Herald and on Super Sport in South Africa and has won many, many fans at AKA.

To buy a ruckload of Bakline’s shirts, visit Bakline.com, or follow them on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

april 2016

THE FINAL CURTAIN FALLS ON BILLY ELLIOT

On April 9, after eleven sensational years, BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL took its final bow at the Victoria Palace Theatre. The role of Billy, for this incredibly special performance, was played by all four of the boys that alternate the part. The roles of Michael and Debby were also shared by the three alternating cast members. For the final curtain call a total of 32 Billys, past and present, took to the stage along with the entire original creative team: Sir Elton John (Music), Lee Hall (Book & Lyrics) and Stephen Daldry (Director).

In addition, Lee Hall and members of the touring cast were thrilled to present a check to Malcolm Fallow, CEO of the East Durham Trust, in support of their work with disadvantaged mining communities. This comprised the proceeds of all tickets sold for the final performance of BILLY ELLIOT in London together with generous donations made by London patrons in the final week.

BILLY ELLIOT has been and will continue to be a key part of the fabric of AKA. We are very proud to have been a part of its success.

A KILLER COMMERCIAL

march 2016

Based on the best-selling book by Bret Easton Ellis, AMERICAN PSYCHO THE MUSICAL is about to hit Broadway! To announce the arrival of this stylish new musical, the AKA content team created a sleek and sophisticated TV commercial, featuring the song “Selling Out,” written by the show’s composer, Grammy® winner Duncan Sheik.

The spot draws inspiration from music videos of the 1980s, and introduces viewers to the show’s protagonist, the dangerously sexy Patrick Bateman (played by Benjamin Walker).

To compliment the new TVC, AKA secured a wide-spread subway campaign, Wall Street-targeted pole banners and wild postings to be scattered across NYC, in addition to print ads in New York Magazine, The New Yorker and Time Out New York.

CLICK HERE to watch the high fashion, high-impact commercial. For more information about the show, visit AmericanPsychoTheMusical.com.

IT’S EVERYWHERE, YOU CAN’T MIZ IT!

march 2016

LES MISÉRABLES is the Master of the House Station. The greatest musical in the world has taken over the gateway to the greatest city in the world, Penn Station, for all of March. It’s the largest and busiest Amtrak station, and with over six million tourists and daily commuters coming through each month, this complete station-wide domination is a huge—and smart—way to maximize audience reach.

The takeover includes over 250 pieces created by AKA from large rotunda banners to platforms and branded clocks. And as people walk up and down our branded stairways, they’ll know they need to step on getting tickets. Penn Station has never looked so good. Check out photos below and then head down to 34^th St to experience it for yourself. For more information about the show, visit LesMis.com/Broadway


MATILDA TAKES TIMES SQUARE

march 2016

The Times Square Subway Station is awash with MATILDA’s signature blue as Broadway’s Biggest little Hero makes her mark on one of NYC’s busiest and most iconic subway stations. For the month of April, MATILDA will dominate the station with more than 150 bespoke pieces, from backlit signs to towering columns, that feature our heroine and other characters from the show. Kudos to the creative team, who worked tirelessly to design this seriously impressive takeover!

For more information about the show, visit MatildaTheMusical.com

FIDDLER & PERISCOPE—A PERFECT MATCH

march 2016

Live from the FIDDLER ON THE ROOF dressing rooms… Singer on the Roof! It’s our new Periscope series featuring a different cast member live streaming for fans each week. You might hear a song, get a backstage tour, get a little insider show gossip, and even hear your questions answered. What a cool idea from the minds of our Social team. Ben Rappaport and Samantha Massell (Perchik and Hodel) kicked off the first stream beautifully on February 18. Then Jessica Vosk and Melanie Moore (Fruma Sarah and Chava) really made the fans go wild with their hysterical ukulele rendition of “Tradition.” And we’re still going strong, receiving thousands of views and hearts.

By continuing to feature our playful cast in this fun way, we’re amplifying the social experience and reaffirming our FIDDLER brand—a fresh, young take on a classic. You can catch the live periscope streams on FIDDLER’s Twitter every Thursday at 6:30pm. For more information about the show, visit FiddlerMusical.com

BAY STREET TURNS 25

march 2016

THE BAY STREET THEATER in Sag Harbor, NY is celebrating its 25th Anniversary Mainstage Season. Our Studio was thrilled to design the key art for all three productions, along with the 25^th anniversary season logo.

The season will begin with the world premiere of The Forgotten Woman (May 31 – June 19), a new play by Jonathan Tolins about a gifted soprano on the verge of a major operatic career. The second production will be the Tony Award®-winning The Last Night of Ballyhoo (June 28 – July 24), by Alfred Uhry. And Michael Arden, who helmed the critically acclaimed Broadway revival of Spring Awakening, will direct the Lerner & Loewe classic My Fair Lady (August 2-28). His intimate production will feature a two-piano arrangement of the score.

We can’t wait to see all three productions in the Hamptons this summer. See you there!

For more information, visit BayStreet.org

THE FATHER OF ALL WEBSITES

march 2016

MTC’s captivating new production of the award-winning play THE FATHER, starring 3-time Tony winner Frank Langella, needed an equally captivating website. Luckily, AKA’s digital team were up to the task!  To showcase the show’s striking TV commercial, our team designed the homepage so the user is served the spot in full screen upon entering the site. In addition, each internal page includes an animated video of a smoky haze in the background, which echoes the internal struggles of the play’s lead character. We also created a new functionality on our tickets page for users to view our calendar by month, improving their online path-to-purchase experience. THE FATHER is now in previews at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. Click here to visit the site and find out more!

CRITICS ARE FEELING THE EFFECT

march 2016

The National Theatre’s name has become synonymous with Tony Award®-winning hits. Their recent imports include The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, War Horse and The History Boys. So of course we’re excited to be working on THE EFFECT, their latest offering and first collaboration with Barrow Street Theatre and Jean Doumanian Productions. Now that’s a mighty triumvirate! Lucy Prebble’s love-drug drama opened on March 20 and it is definitely living up to its pedigree. It’s even been named Critics’ Pick by not one, but five major publications: The New York Times, New York Magazine, Time Out NY, New York Daily News and AP. 

Check out some of the raves below, and then head Downtown to see it for yourself: 

“A KNOCKOUT! An ingenious ravishment of the senses.”
– Ben Brantley, The New York Times

“A collision of raging libidos. Lucy Prebble’s smashing drama plays like a thriller, unwinding in fascinating directions. Superbly abetted by David Cromer’s powerful and passionate production and the top-notch cast.”
– Jesse Green, New York Magazine

“A CRACKLING GOOD PLAY about love, medicine and morals. The Effect asks provocative questions about the head and the heart. It also manages to appeal to both. Win, win.”
­– Joe Dziemianowicz, New York Daily News

“Love and science collide in this intense, affecting drama.”
– AP

For more information about the show, visit BarrowStreetTheatre.com

PARTNER OFFER

march 2016

Save 20% on All-Garden Pass tickets to the New York Botanical Garden!

Use code SPRING online at nybg.org

The Orchid Show: Orchidelirium

Through April 17, 2016

Discover What Sparked the Orchidelirium Craze!

More thrilling than ever, the 14th annual Orchid Show transports visitors on a journey through orchid collecting history, each moment playing out against a stunning backdrop of thousands of orchids. Discover the far-flung adventures of orchid hunters swept up in 19th-century “orchidelirium,” when explorers risked life and limb to secure these captivating flowers from jungles around the world. Then learn about NYBG’s efforts to rescue illegally collected orchids that have been seized at international borders. Dance performances, a poetry reading, orchid care demonstrations, and shopping fill the daylight hours, while the return of our popular Orchid Evenings ensures many memorable celebrations after the sun has set.

*Valid only for online All-Garden Pass ticket purchases for visits made by September 11, 2016. Limited to one use per transaction. Orders are limited to 6 tickets. Discount cannot be applied to Special Events tickets or Group Tours. This discount cannot be combined with any other offer or applied to previously purchased tickets.  Discounts may be modified or withdrawn at any time without notice. Tickets are not refundable or exchangeable.

SPOTLIGHT ON AKA

march 2016

Meet Ryan Cunningham, Creative Director

When Ryan is not working on campaigns to sell plays and musicals, he is writing his own. He’s been nominated for a Drama Desk Award and is a winner of the Jonathan Larson Award, which is administered by the American Theatre Wing in honor of the composer of Rent. With composer Joshua Salzman, Ryan wrote the Off-Broadway musical I Love You Because, which has been produced around the world and translated into five languages. His next musical Next Thing You Know was produced in New York, London, Paris and Amsterdam (in Dutch!) and across America. His newest musical The Legend of New York will be performed in concert at 54 Below on Monday, April 18th at 7:00pm and 9:30pm. The concert stars Tony nominee Santino Fontana (Frozen, Cinderella, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”), Angela Grovey (Newsies), J. Bernard Calloway (Memphis), and F. Michael Haynie (Wicked), all backed up by the 8-piece band The New York Funk-Harmonic. The concert is music directed by Kurt Crowley (Hamilton) and directed by John Simpkins. Tickets are still available at 54Below.com

Learn more about Ryan’s musicals at SalzmanAndCunningham.com or check out performances of his work on YouTube.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

march 2016

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL PRESS NIGHT, LONDON

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL had its highly anticipated UK Premiere at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London on March 8. The production, which charts the legendary career of renowned record producer Berry Gordy, showcases over 40 classic songs from the celebrated musical empire Motown Records. To mark the event, AKA live streamed from the red carpet, giving viewers the exclusive opportunity to catch all the action as it happened. The footage was available through both the MOTOWN THE MUSICAL website and the Daily Telegraph online. Highlights include an interview with Motown founder Berry Gordy and an appearance from Smokey Robinson. Live streaming peaked at close to 4,000 views via the Telegraph and 1,500 views across MotownTheMusical.co.uk. You can catch the highlights here.

AKA TOURISM DAY OUT

february 2016

With 70% of Broadway ticket buyers hailing from out of town, understanding tourism first-hand is more important than ever.

Our staff got to do a little acting, traveling all over NYC playing the role of “tourist.” Thanks to this research experience, we’ve developed new insights into how tourists make decisions, where they go to buy tickets, why certain shows are more often recommended by concierges, and how the evolving media landscape continues to change the ways visitors experience the Big Apple.

Check out a quick video recap of our day! WATCH HERE

We look forward to sharing all of the insights we learned, going more depth about the findings, and utilizing them to achieve the most impactful tourist outreach campaigns yet.

PRAISE THE ROOF!

february 2016

Raise a cup to life and to Bartlett Sher’s new production of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF that opened on Broadway just before the holidays. Rave reviews in hand, AKA rolled out a post-opening national refresh, creating new Television, Subway and Times Square-area posters, and an eye-catching series of New York Times ads. We want to continue to ensure audiences take part in this musical tradition.

Check out some of the wonder of wonderful reviews below, and watch our new TV spot.

WATCH HERE

“ELECTRIFYING. BARTLETT SHER DIRECTS A SUPERB NEW PRODUCTION OF A MUCH-LOVED MUSICAL THAT STRIKES HOME WITH UNUSUAL FORCE.” –Charles Isherwood, The New York Times

“***** A MAGNIFICENT, LIFE-AFFIRMING PRODUCTION DIRECTED BY BARTLETT SHER. DANNY BURSTEIN IS NOTHING SHORT OF A MIRACLE.” –David Cote, Time Out New York

Now playing at the Broadway Theatre. For more information, visit FiddlerMusical.com.

SURE-BET HUGHIE VIDEOS

february 2016

Academy Award® winner Forest Whitaker is making his highly anticipated Broadway debut in Pulitzer Prize winner Eugene O’Neill’s HUGHIE. Visionary Tony®-winning director Michael Grandage helms this rarely seen one-act masterpiece, set to start previews on February 8.

Our in-house Content team created an evocative pre-opening animated TVC for HUGHIE that hit the local TV air-waves in January and invited audiences into the world of this gem of a play.

WATCH HERE

To keep the drum rolling, we also created and distributed a HUGHIE EPK showcasing director Michael Grandage. Grandage expertly introduces the play and shares why Forest Whitaker is perfect for the role of Erie Smith. We couldn’t agree more.

WATCH HERE

Booth Theater, Previews begin Feb 8, Opening Night Feb 25. For more information, visit HughieBroadway.com.

GOTTA DANCE GOTTA LOTTA RAVES

february 2016

The new Broadway-bound musical GOTTA DANCE celebrated its opening on December 27 at Chicago’s Bank of America Theatre. And the critics. Went. Wild! Check out some of the great buzz below, and take a star-studded photo journey inside opening here.

“A LIVELY, LIFE-AFFIRMING AND FEEL-GOOD MUSICAL that audiences will be dying to embrace. GOTTA DANCE HAS LEGS TO SUCCEED ON BROADWAY!” – Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune

“JERRY MITCHELL KNOWS HOW TO MAKE AN AUDIENCE HAPPY! A winning, feel-good showcase for stars with a lifetime of skill.” – Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times

“Get ready Broadway for another BIG HIT! The cast is aces. You will be in awe. Truly not to be missed!” – Around the Town Chicago

DON’T DO SADNESS! SPRING AWAKENING ENDS RUN

february 2016

Broadway bid farewell to the much-loved limited revival of SPRING AWAKENING on January 24. To kick off their final week, the show hosted a couple bitchin’ events.

Co-hosting with The Broadway League, SPRING AWAKENING created a symposium, HOW TO MAKE BROADWAY MORE ACCESSIBLE, featuring the Chairman of the Special Olympics, Timothy Shriver, as the keynote speaker. And then we created a special TEEN NIGHT ON BROADWAY welcoming parents and teens to see the show and enjoy a talk back with the cast, led by Planned Parenthood’s Leslie Kantor.

We’re so proud of this incredible production that touched so many audiences, and made Broadway more inclusive. And we have to give a huge shout out to the show’s biggest fans, The Guilty Ones, for their love and support. All shall know the wonder!

NEW ART FOR THE NEW GROUP

february 2016

The New Group is launching the third production of its season, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Sam Shepard play, BURIED CHILD. And the stars have aligned! Taissa Farmiga, Ed Harris, Amy Madigan, Rich Sommer, Paul Sparks, Larry Pine and Nat Wolff have come together under the direction of Scott Elliott. The show has also already been extended by popular demand for two weeks through March 27.

AKA’s Creative Studio was excited to design for this resonant and fiery masterpiece. With visual references to Americana, dust and isolation, and a handmade font, the art evokes the dysfunctional family at the heart of this play, and their disillusionment with the American Dream.

Previews begin February 2. Opening Night February 17. For more information, visit TheNewGroup.org

SET YOUR SIGHTS ON MTC’S WEBSITES

february 2016

Heading into 2016, the AKA Digital team launched not one, but two websites back to back for Manhattan Theatre Club. Take a moment to click around!

“Roll around” in the leaves on the site for OUR MOTHER’S BRIEF AFFAIR, currently running on Broadway.

See the writing on the wall—or chalkboard—on the site for THE PRODIGAL SON, currently playing at Stage I at NY City Center.

But that’s not all! To help spread word of mouth and drive ticket sales for THE PRODIGAL SON, AKA has set forth creating a three-part content series about its Tony® and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and director, John Patrick Shanley. Through interviews, childhood photos and more, the series helps connect this new work to other autobiographical Shanley plays like Tony winner Doubt. And you can even watch the acclaimed playwright helping the young actor, Timothée Chalamet, understand and transform into the character of Jim Quinn, representing Shanley. Fans can discover this content series via MTC’s social media platforms.

For more information, visit ManhattanTheatreClub.com.

TAKE A LEAP WITH WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT

february 2016

We’re daring audiences to not Google WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT, but we’ll let you in on some of the crucial details. This ‘theater entertainment meets social experiment’ is a global sensation, now making its NYC debut on March 7 at the Westside Theatre.

Each performance will feature a different actor (including stars like Nathan Lane, Whoopi Goldberg and Christine Baranski) who will be handed the script as they walk onto the stage. You read correctly—no rehearsals, no director, no way you’ve seen anything like it. Speaking of which, wait until you see what AKA’s Creative Studio has come up with for the key art. View it in all its mysterious glory on the new website built by our Digital team.

Limited Engagement begins March 7.

BIG REVIEWS ON TAP FOR MAURICE HINES

february 2016

Monday, January 11 marked the opening night of MAURICE HINES TAPPIN’ THRU LIFE at New World Stages. The energy in the house was electric! Maurice, the Manzari Brothers and The DIVA Jazz Orchestra played to a star-studded house, including Savion Glover, Brooke Shields, Tommy Tune and more. And the reviews are definitely something to sing and dance about!

“CRITICS’ PICK! BLISTERING HOT! MAURICE HINES wows and stuns the audience. He is a singing, dancing showman extraordinaire!”- The New York Times

“TERRIFIC FUN! Few entertainers today can work an audience as well as MAURICE HINES. This vibrant song and dance man is a living link to Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis Jr., Lena Horne and Frank Sinatra.” – The Hollywood Reporter

“IT’S IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO GRIN!” – Time Out NY

“SENSATIONAL! MAURICE HINES’ torch still burns bright. THE MANZARI BROTHERS are extraordinary.” – NY1

“A DAZZLING GIFT TO NEW YORK!” – New York Observer 

Limited Engagement, now playing at New World Stages. For more information, visit TappinThruLife.com.

LONDON LIGHTS UP – LUMIERE FESTIVAL

february 2016

The largest light festival to hit London opened January 14 and took over the capital, keeping it glowing through the week. Produced by Artichoke and supported by the Mayor of London, this event included a host of international artists illuminating the city from major hot spots like Trafalgar Square each night. It even closed down Oxford Street!

AKA London supported with a media campaign across major national press and online publications. Additionally, mobile users near key sites to the festival were able to access exclusive content about the installations.
Visit AKA’s website for the Lumiere Festival here.
Be sure to watch AKA’s Lumiere London trailer too. WATCH HERE.

SPOTLIGHT ON AKA


february 2016

Meet Adam Coffia
Executive Producer – Content, AKA NYC

Adam, our talented Executive Content Producer, comes from a background in costume design (including work on the Radio City Christmas Spectacular), but his newest creative endeavor is drawing and painting.  The year before last, he participated in Inktober on Instagram, drawing and coloring a subject he loves: the sensational, inspirational, celebrational Muppets.  He enjoyed drawing these fuzzy friends so much that he recently began a new round of Muppet drawings with a focus on the cuddly creatures from “Sesame Street.”  These pictures have attracted quite the fan base and AKA’s own Elizabeth Findlay commissioned Adam to create a picture for her muppet-loving daughter, Madeline—it was a big hit!

Check out all of Adam’s drawings on Instagram with the hashtags #muppetsketches and #sesamesketches

GOTTA DANCE LAUNCHES IN CHICAGO

december 2015

AKA NYC’s video launch campaign for the new Broadway-bound musical GOTTA DANCE is based on a deceptively simple twist. After piquing the interest of viewers with soft-focus shots of dancers gliding effortlessly across a stage, it lets them in on the secret: they’re all over sixty. But the show’s veteran cast struts their stuff with the grace and verve of hoofers half their age!

The in-house created spot is all about celebrating these characters as champions, a campaign theme our research team landed on after studying movies and other Broadway shows with a similar message. It’s hard not to be inspired by the heart and depth of GOTTA DANCE and these characters that won’t let anything—even age—keep them from their dreams. We can’t wait until it makes its way from the Windy City to the Great White Way.

HOW COULD ANYONE NOT LOVE SYLVIA?

december 2015

Run, don’t walk, to the funniest feel-good comedy on Broadway. SYLVIA opened on October 28^th and received paw-sitive reviews which we prominently showcased in a special package of three New York Times ads and in a playful TV spot.

Read the raves in the ad below, and watch our new TV b-roll spot created by our Content Team, here.

SYLVIA’s final bow wow is January 3. Visit SylviaBroadway.com for tickets.

ALFIE BOE BRINGS IT HOME IN LES MIZ

december 2015

Broadway is abuzz about Alfie Boe’s amazing performance as Jean Valjean in LES MISÉRABLES. Our Alfie Campaign launched with a stirring pagebuster in the New York Times, and now features a Times Square billboard and new TV commercial. At the end of the day, you’ll definitely want to watch Alfie sing “Bring Him Home,” so click here to watch him nail it on the “Today Show”. Be sure to keep an eye out for shots of our billboard, and Kathie Lee and Hoda weeping. Maybe have a tissue handy yourself.

See Alfie Boe at LES MISÉRABLES on Broadway until February 28, 2016. Visit www.lesmis.com/broadway for tickets.

GOOGLE & THE WHITE HOUSE GET A SPRING AWAKENING

december 2015

To celebrate Google’s ReNewgler week, the cast of SPRING AWAKENING joined the Google office for an awesome performance and chat about the critically acclaimed new Deaf West production of the Tony-winning musical. Watch their performance and hear from the cast here.

And then, the SPRING cast performed at the White House on November 18^th, in celebration of the 25^th Anniversary of the American Disabilities Act. The AKA Social team was thrilled to be on hand covering the event. And to keep the show accessible to all audiences, the show launched a week of $25 tickets to celebrate the historic landmark!

You can see SPRING AWAKENING thru January 24, 2016.

Visit www.springawakeningthemusical.com for tickets.

PILOBOLUS IS IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT

december 2015

As part of an advertising campaign for Pilobolus’s North American premiere of SHADOWLAND, AKA negotiated with WABC to create a unique holiday TV advertising partnership leveraging the shadow movement of the dancers. Two spots were created to promote the show while also providing WABC with a way to wish their viewers happy holidays. WABC has been so pleased with the outcome that they have extended the reach of the partnership and run spots during pivotal primetime shows like “Modern Family” and the season finale of “Dancing with the Stars”. Watch the Thanksgiving spot here, and prepare to be amazed!

We’re delighted by this strong introduction for SHADOWLAND, and know this will drive ticket sales, as well as encourage producers and venues to bring the show to additional U.S. markets.

SHADOWLAND ran thru December 6 at NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts.

FOOL FOR LIQUOR

december 2015

You can’t have a party without good drinks! In our first venture with Manhattan Theatre Club, the AKA Marketing and Promotions team secured not one, but three liquor sponsors for the FOOL FOR LOVE Opening Night at Urbo. Cast, crew and VIPs toasted to the show’s success in style thanks to Milagro Tequila, Reyka Vodka & Tullamore D.E.W Whiskey. Here’s to more smart and satisfying marketing ideas and a long relationship with one of New York’s finest institutions.

MTC’s FOOL FOR LOVE closes December 13, 2015. Visit www.foolforlovebroadway.com.

THANKS GIVING TO BROADWAY

december 2015

AKA NYC, in partnership with Time Out NY, has launched a new industry initiative: BLACK FRIDAY ON BROADWAY, a limited time promotion bringing the tradition of post-Thanksgiving deals to the Great White Way. Starting Wednesday, November 25^th, theater-goers were able to take advantage of exclusive savings on tickets on more than a dozen shows on Broadway and beyond, including MATILDA and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF.
In addition to the media and promotional support from Time Out which included an ad in their Annual Gift Guide, we designed a beautiful website and secured digital, outdoor, and grassroots exposure to spread the word far and wide and maximize ticket sales over the holiday weekend through Cyber Monday.

FUERZA BRUTA IN A SNAPCHAT

december 2015

In an Off Broadway first, FUERZA BRUTA started a global Snapchat account on October 17. Their first Snapchat story launched in NYC and then the account was handed over to the Lima cast and crew, giving a never before seen global perspective of the show. We wanted to generate content that goes beyond the social media norm, and the success of this effort has given FUERZA new followers and a younger demographic of fans.

Is it possible that Snapchat is the future of social content creation? We sure think so! Since May 2016, the Financial Times reported that Snapchat video views have tripled to 6 million per day. AKA NYC and Snapchat are currently partnering together to come up with larger scale content pieces that we look forward to sharing with the Broadway community in the upcoming months.

Make sure to follow their story, by friending FuerzaSnaps. #FuerzaBrutaNYC

HARRY POTTER AND THE AKA CAMPAIGN

december 2015

Tickets for the hotly anticipated stage production Harry Potter and the Cursed Child went on general sale on October 30, and the AKA London team has been hard at work to deliver a magical campaign. Media activity included online theatre-section takeovers in Time Out, The Times Arts, The Telegraph and The Guardian Culture, in tandem with breakout ads in The Evening Standard, The Independent, The Sunday Times Culture and Mail on Sunday Event. In a first ever for these titles, the ads sat alongside genuine editorial.

AKA also ensured rail, underground and roadside exposure including a domination at Kings Cross Station, a favorite of Harry Potter fans because it’s home to the fictional Platform 9 ¾! The on-sale announcement created massive online buzz, with the AKA Social and Content Teams reporting 120 million estimated impressions featuring the production’s official hashtag and Twitter handle (@HPPlayLDN and #CursedChild) which trended worldwide.

SPOTLIGHT ON AKA

december 2015

Meet Ryan Greer
Digital Account Supervisor, AKA NYC

Outside of AKA, Ryan’s lifelong passion for music is manifested in his acclaimed work as a vocalist, composer and bandleader.  On forming his new collective of musicians in 2011, Cabaret Scenes raved, “the Ryan Greer Jazz Group illuminates how a talented crew morphs classics into absorbing jazz numbers.”  He has performed his reinvention of the Great American Songbook at several venues in NYC including the Metropolitan Room, Somethin’ Jazz Club and Don’t Tell Mama.  In the past year, his focus has been on writing original music that combines elements of jazz, funk, cool-groove and Brazilian flavors; and on November 21 and 22, he recorded a full album at The Creamery Studio in Brooklyn.

For the latest news on the album and live event to celebrate the release, follow Ryan Greer Jazz on Facebook.

Click for a sample of Ryan’s previous sounds.

A DIGITAL WORK OF ART FOR WADSWORTH ATHENEUM

november 2015

AKA was thrilled to partner with Hartford’s WADSWORTH ATHENEUM MUSEUM OF ART to create a new digital media strategy promoting and celebrating its reopening after a 5-year “masterpiece of renovation” (The New York Times).

With a programmatic online buy, we maximized the reach to existing arts enthusiasts in the greater Hartford area while expanding the museum’s presence throughout the southern New England, Boston and New York City areas. The campaign was perfectly timed to reinforce and interact with the strong press coverage the reopening received.

Learn more about the Wadsworth Atheneum.

PILOBOLUS HAS A SHADOWY NEW LOOK

november 2015

PILOBOLUS DANCE THEATER brings Shadowland to New York University’s Skirball Center this November, marking the North American premiere of the critically acclaimed, international smash. AKA’s Studio really got in the spirit of the show, creating new key art that captures the adventure and mystery of this unique mix of shadow theater, dance, circus and concert. But we’ll leave the dancing to the professionals!

For more information and tickets to Shadowland, visit the Skirball Center.

NEW YORK THEATRE WORKSHOP IS WEB READY

november 2015

In September, AKA launched the NEW YORK THEATRE WORKSHOP’s new website—a significant achievement for our Digital team, and a wonderful collaboration with this great institution. We were tasked with establishing an online brand aesthetic, an engaging and simple user experience, and a streamlined purchase path—and we were up for the challenge! To deliver to these needs we designed and developed a mobile first site, meaning we began with the mobile design, and then extended out for PC, ensuring a seamless user experience on all platforms.

Add in an e-commerce integration with Spektrix, plus a custom content management system allowing autonomous site management, and now NYTW is web ready and looking better than ever!

Go ahead and explore the whole site on all of your devices at nytw.org.

SUBSCRIBERS GET MORE POWER AT MANHATTAN THEATRE CLUB

november 2015

Continuing our strong relationship with MANHATTAN THEATRE CLUB, we recently launched the first phase of their Tessitura audience database integration. MTC subscribers now have the ability to manage their accounts online, including their personal information, existing subscription bookings and additional ticket purchases and exchanges. We’re looking forward to the next phase and beyond!

Explore all the great offerings at Manhattan Theatre Club.

MATILDA CAMPAIGN – AN AWARDS DARLING!

november 2015

Our exuberant television campaign for MATILDA THE MUSICAL translated into a big night at the 2015 International Davey Awards. The “When I Grow Up” spot, directed by AKA NYC’s in-house team Jamaal+Bashan, won Silver Daveys for Art Direction, Editing and Music.

The TV commercial’s unique concept was part of an effort to broaden the audience for one of Broadway’s most critically acclaimed musicals. Although the spot exudes a spontaneous energy, its presentation was actually the result of a finely honed strategy; data gleaned by our Insights department influenced every detail, from casting the actors who appeared in the spot, to their background environments and more. We also partnered with New York Magazine’s Vulture to push it out through social media channels, triggering enthusiastic engagement. 

These honors underscore AKA’s continuing effort to elevate Broadway advertising and reach a broader spectrum of consumers; we want to make audiences feel the emotion that the show delivers.

See the award-winning spot here.

INTERNATIONAL SPOTLIGHT

november 2015

GOYA: THE PORTRAITS MAKES AN IMPRESSION

THE NATIONAL GALLERY’s big autumn/winter blockbuster exhibition Goya: The Portraits opened in early October to five star reviews from The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph and The Times, with The Telegraph declaring it “the show of the decade.” To support this, AKA launched an impressive campaign across digital, press and specialist platforms, as well as large outdoor formats including taking over the Canary Wharf digital screen and Waterloo and Holborn landmarks. We’ve also launched an exciting partnership with the restaurant Aqua Nueva, who have created a special menu and cocktail inspired by Goya.

For information on Goya: The Portraits at London’s National Gallery, click here.

A BRAND NEW CURRAN

september 2015

One of San Francisco’s most famed theaters is undergoing a renovation, but the show must go on! AKA was thrilled to help launch a new program and brand redesign on September 16, commissioning local artist Aaron de la Cruz to create a unique look for CURRAN: UNDER CONSTRUCTION. This new festival curated by Carole Shorenstein Hays will feature performances by Stew, Taylor Mac, the Story Pirates and more. Audiences will get to enter through the historic stage door (as seen in All About Eve) and be seated on a 120-seat stage for an incredibly intimate experience. Watch our video, and be sure to stop by the Curran if you find yourself in the Golden Gate City between September 23 and February 21.

For more information visit: sfcurran.com

TRADITION AMPED UP

september 2015

Our new commercial for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF went live September 9 and it’s a wonder of wonders. Set to “Tradition,” the spot stylishly captures the choreography of Hofesh Shecter and is already the talk of the shtetl. The countdown to the release was seamlessly integrated with AKA’s Social Media Team through behind-the-scene photos and script teases from Tevye’s iconic opening monologue.

Watch and join us in cheering “Mazel Tov!” to Executive Creative Director Bashan Aquart and AKA’s Content Team’s Jamaal Parham, Stephen Mlinarcik and Adam Coffia.

Broadway performances begin November 20^th.

FANS WANT SPRING AWAKENING

september 2015

Deaf West’s acclaimed reimagining of SPRING AWAKENING is taking over Broadway and Instagram. Previews began September 8 and fans are living for the insider photos from weekly cast takeovers set up by AKA’s Social Media Team. The proof is in the numbers with nearly 2,500 followers gained. Swipe through SPRING’s Instagram and keep checking back for more exclusive cast created content through the end of September. And don’t forget to check out our fantastic TV commercial!

Now in previews at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, opening September 27.

HOT DAME!

september 2015

AKA filmed a tap-happy new TV spot, which made quite a splash when it premiered exclusively on Broadway.com. Go behind the scenes with the delightful dames – Mara Davi, Eloise Kropp and Lesli Margherita – and keep an eye out for our very own Executive Creative Director Bashan Aquart and Content Director Jamaal Parham.

And to celebrate the opening of the box office at the Helen Hayes Theatre, tappers from far and wide competed for a chance to join the cast at the gypsy run. Dazzling dances indeed!
To tap it all off, DAMES showed a lot of leg in The New York Times Fall Preview with a vibrant ad encouraging audiences to “Get your sea legs!”

Broadway’s biggest little musical begins previews September 24.

WALTZING MATILDA

september 2015

The global AKA team came together for the star-studded opening night of MATILDA THE MUSICAL in Sydney, Australia on August 20. This marks the first production to be managed simultaneously by AKA globally – London, NYC and Sydney.

KEEP CALM & WATCH OUT FOR TYRONE

september 2015

London’s calling and Broadway’s funniest puppet is ready to reign over the West End! HAND TO GOD announced it will play its final Broadway performance on January 3 and will be transferring to the Vaudeville Theatre on February 5. Check out our London-inspired ad from the New York Times Fall Preview.

For more updates on this hilarious show visit handtogodbroadway.com.

THE COLOR FUERZA

september 2015

In a theatrical first, FUERZA BRUTA sponsored the ColorMeRad 5K at MetLife stadium on July 26^th.  The cast led the runners through a warm-up just before heading to the track to cheer them on from the FUERZA Pink Color Station.  For the big after-race finale, the cast commanded the stage for an unforgettable performance in front of thousands of color-soaked runners.  For a peek at the event from a safe distance, check out this video.

INTERNATIONAL SPOTLIGHT

september 2015

AKA created a Second World War Campaign for the Imperial War Museum (IWM), marking the first collaboration of the IWM Duxford, HMS Belfast and the Churchill War Rooms under one unified brand and creative vision.

We delivered a fully integrated media campaign that included landmark sites (a first for the museum), a regional radio campaign and a mix of regional and national press aimed to engage two key demos: the ‘culturally curious’ aged 21-39, and ‘those who seek to challenge or enforce their knowledge’ aged 45-54.

AKA also delivered concepts for the HMS Belfast and Summer Families Campaign. Highlights included “Crossing the Line,” a recreation of the traditional ceremony when sailors crossed the Equator, and “Tattoo T-Shirts,” where you can design tees inspired by navy ink.

SPOTLIGHT ON AKA

september 2015

I graduated with a Master’s in Educational Theater from NYU. Outside of my work at AKA, I’m a Teaching Artist with CO/LAB Theater Group, a non-profit based in NYC that provides individuals with developmental disabilities a creative and social outlet through theater. This year, I’m excited to once again be producing their upcoming bi-annual benefit concert, CO/LABaret, and serving as a Supporting Artist in the musical theater production program. We’ll be working with teens and adults to devise an original musical in partnership with a professional composing team (you can catch me on stage in April). Definitely check out the CO/LAB website or Facebook if you’d like to know more.

AND THE AWARD GOES TO

july 2015

AKA NYC was recently awarded twelve Telly Awards, including five Silver awards—the highest Telly honor—and three Broadway Marketing Awards! We could not be more thrilled. Among the Telly winners were our TV spots for MATILDA THE MUSICAL, HAND TO GOD, WOLF HALL, IT’S ONLY A PLAY, and ONCE THE MUSICAL. Our Broadway Marketing Awards went to THE AUDIENCE for best tagline “Sixty Years. Twelve Prime Ministers. One Queen.”, HAND TO GOD for best commercial, and AN AMERICAN IN PARIS for best promotional item. Click here to view the Telly Award-winning spots, and here to learn more about the BMAs!

THE RETURN OF SPRING

july 2015

The revolutionary musical SPRING AWAKENING is back; reimagined by the acclaimed theater company Deaf West. This innovative adaptation takes the already beloved musical to electrifying new heights through the integration of sign language and performers who are deaf—intensifying the rift between the lost and longing teenagers and the adults who refuse to hear them. The Los Angeles Times called it “A ROUSING SUCCESS.” No argument here. To learn more about this stunning new production, click here.

ALL ABOARD

july 2015

DAMES AT SEA, the tap-happy, glittering gem of a show, has announced its Broadway arrival this fall. Directed and choreographed by the three-time Tony Award-nominee Randy Skinner (42^nd Street, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas), this joyful and hilarious musical will leave you spellbound. Previews begin September 24^th. Visit our website and check out our teaser trailer here!

NEW YEAR AT THE NEW GROUP

july 2015

The New Group will launch their 2015-2016 season—“The Year of Living Dangerously”–this August…and it’s well worth the risk. Take a look at our key art for Phillip Ridley’s MERCURY FUR, launching first among a line of others, including STEVE, written by Mark Gerard and directed by Cynthia Nixon, and Pulitzer Prize-winning play BURIED CHILD by Sam Shepard.

10 YEARS OF FUERZA

july 2015

On July 9^th, international phenomenon FUERZA BRUTA celebrated its 10^th global anniversary. To promote this impressive milestone, AKA secured digital billboards in Times Square, Macy’s and Port Authority, in addition to Taxi TV, posters on the Staten Island Ferry and Six Flag domination all summer. FUERZA has also been thrilling audiences with special outdoor performances across the city including Broadway in Bryant Park. Don’t miss out on their upcoming shows:

• July 26—Color Me Rad at MetLife Stadium
• August 2 & 9—Union Square’s Annual Summer in The Square

In addition to all the outdoor fun, AKA has secured a summer promotion with the Bloomingdale’s women swimwear section. FUERZA BRUTA is being featured with in-store signage and on the store event pages as a special gift-with-purchase during the summer while supplies last. When customers spend $200 or more in the swimwear section at any of the following Bloomingdale’s locations, they will be awarded with a voucher to FUERZA BRUTA. We’ll see you there!

MATILDA TAKES TIMES SQUARE

july 2015

MATILDA THE MUSICAL is all over Times Square Outdoor this summer, taking over Phone Kiosks, Digital Newsstands, Metrolights, the Hard Rock Café Marquee and Double Decker buses. We also have a new Times Square billboard, which features our famous leaping maggots! Check it out!

GO FOR GLORIA

july 2015

On June 17th, GLORIA opened to rave reviews and shattered Vineyard Theatre’s box office record for single day ticket sales. Here is a small sampling of the critical acclaim:

“A TIGHT, TWISTY AND IMPECCABLY ACTED DRAMA!” – New York Daily News

“POWERFUL AND CUNNINGLY STRUCTURED!” – Time Out New York

“TERRIBLY FUNNY.” – Variety

The explosive production completed its run on July 18th, wrapping up The Vineyard’s 2014/15 Season. AKA is already at work creating bold new looks for the 2015/16 Season, featuring new work from Paula Vogel, Colman Domingo, and Susan Stroman.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

july 2015

AKA UK recently created a partnership between Motown the Musical UK and Virgin Atlantic, the results of which you must check out! Watch Motown cast members surprise passengers on the London to Detroit inaugural flight by singing some of Motown’s biggest hits and dancing the aisle with Sir Richard Branson. Close to 4M people have already seen this video on YouTube and Facebook, so watch as the performers delight the passengers and prove this is a brand partnership made to fly! Check out the video on YouTube here!

SPOTLIGHT ON AKA

july 2015

Meet Kristen Sgalambro!

Digital Designer, AKA NYC

I grew up scrapbooking and creating handmade cards, which began my interest in paper art. From there I attended FIT, where I majored in Illustration. When I was at school, I always wanted to incorporate paper into my art; I love the depth that layered paper creates and how the changes in light over the course of a day can changes the shadows in my illustrations. My biggest paper inspirations are Brittney Lee, Owen Gildersleeve and Jared Andrew Schorr. My latest project can be seen on Instagram: I’m creating a paper fruit or veggie each day for 100 days as part of the #the100dayproject. Along with paper illustration, I also paint window murals on the weekend for the Sheepshead Bay Movie Theater in Brooklyn. Come see all the latest blockbusters in mural form!

Check out Kristen’s ongoing series here. Also, her tumblr and website.

SPECIAL OFFER FROM BROADWAY’S FIDDLER AND NYC’S JEWISH MUSEUM

july 2015

AKA is thrilled to have created a partnership between Broadway’s FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and NYC’s Jewish Museum. As a part of this partnership, you can receive 50% off admission to the Jewish Museum’s Revolution of the Eye: Modern Art and the Birth of American Television. Just mention AKA or show a copy of our newsletter to take advantage of this one-time offer.

The Jewish Museum Presents: Revolution of the Eye: Modern Art and the Birth of American Television. This is the first exhibition to explore how avant-garde art influenced and shaped the look and content of network television in its formative years, from the late 1940s to the mid-1970s. During this period, the pioneers of American television had adopted modernism as a source of inspiration. Revolution of the Eye looks at how the dynamic new medium, in its risk-taking and aesthetic experimentation, paralleled and embraced cutting-edge art and design. The exhibition runs through September 27 at the Jewish Museum.

Click here to learn more.

Anything But Traditional

june 2015

AKA was highlighted in this week’s Adweek, the leading source of news for marketing, media and advertising professionals. The magazine called us  “anything but traditional” and interviewed Managing Partner Liz Furze about our innovative work in Broadway and live entertainment marketing. Also featured in the piece were Managing Partner Scott Moore, Executive Creative Director, Bashan Aquart and Content Director, Jamaal Parham. Kudos guys!

Read More Here

WE’RE MOVING!

june 2015

AKA NYC is moving to our new office space later this month.  We can’t wait to welcome you to our new home.

The Plant

321 West 44^th Street,

Suite 401,

New York, NY 10036

We hope you’ll visit soon!

THE PARTY OF THE SEASON

june 2015

On Saturday, June 6th, AKA celebrated our 6th Annual Summer Party at Sanctuary’s Haven Rooftop.  Over 250 guests enjoyed massages, Jumbo Jenga, Popbar popsicles, a summer-themed photo booth and many more fun surprises at Sanctuary’s 3 bars and 2 rooftops.  We had blast with all our guests.  Click here to see pics from this fabulous summer soiree!

THE AUDIENCE RULES

june 2015

Congratulations to Dame Helen Mirren for her Tony Award for Best Actress and to Richard McCabe for his win for Best Featured Actor!

In celebration of THE AUDIENCE’s Tony nominations, AKA wanted create visually striking graphics to run across social media which would spotlight each of the nominees and invoke the opulence and cinematic feel of the show.  Take a look here at our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts.

THE AUDIENCE will play its final performance on June 28^th.  Don’t miss this Tony-winning production!  CLICK HERE for more.

AN ENDURING BROADWAY TRADITION

june 2015

To announce the thrilling new production of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, the AKA Marketing and Promotions team invited group sales agents and partners to Gallow Green, a gorgeous rooftop garden, for an exclusive launch event.  The show’s director, Bartlett Sher, was an honored guest, and he spoke about what the show meant to him and how he plans to interpret this iconic musical. (With a cast of 40!)

Performances will begin on November 20^th at the Broadway Theatre, and Opening Night is December 20th.  CLICK HERE to learn more.

BRAVO, IT’S ONLY A PLAY!

june 2015

IT’S ONLY A PLAY had its last performance on Sunday, June 7th, but before everyone took their final bow, we held two special events to celebrate this comedy smash!  On May 19th, AKA’s Digital, Client Services and MAP departments hosted Broadway’s Biggest Selfie (taken by the show’s own Micah Stock) in Times Square.  And on May 12th, the Tony-nominated star also took over the show’s Periscope account to give fans a look backstage at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre.  Congratulations to everyone who played a part in this Broadway sensation!

INTERNATIONAL SPOTLIGHT – BILLY TURNS 10

june 2015

On May12^th, BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL celebrated its 10^th birthday with a special gala event—attended by stars like Elton John and David Furnish!  The anniversary performance had a special twist, with six boys tag-teaming the role of Billy throughout the night and the finale including 90 past and present ballet girls dancing in the aisles of the auditorium. The official hashtag #Billy10 was trending on Twitter for most of the day and generated a staggering 11.8 million impressions!

Speaking of social media, as we celebrated this important milestone for the show, we worked closely with ticket agents to make sure that every single one of their Twitter and Facebook fans knew all about it. Our team shared content created for social media and worked to increase engagement with the agents’ followers. This offered great extra profile for the show, and steered customers towards active birthday sales promotions.

We are delighted to continue working on BILLY ELLIOT, which has so far been seen by over 10 million people worldwide. Here’s to the next ten years!

SPOTLIGHT ON AKA

june 2015

Rosana Iarusso

Junior Designer, AKA NYC

I graduated with a BFA in illustration from FIT. In spring 2014, I started at AKA as the digital intern and then worked my way over into the studio department.

Drawing has been something that I’ve done since I could hold a pencil.  Outside of work, I’m constantly doodling and trying to create new art.   A few artists whose work inspires me are: Arthur Rackham, Mary Blair,  John William Waterhouse,  James Jean, Gil Elvgren, Glen Keane, Britney Lee, Cory Godbey, Peter Emmerich.  My art/style, as of late, is starting to head towards character design. To create these illustrations, I use Photoshop, gouache or watercolor. I enjoy trying to capture a person’s style, traits and little quirks that make them unique. (Watch out, my lovely AKA co-workers, I might just draw you!)

Rosana illustrated the 2014 and 2015 AKA NYC summer party invitations, along with the cover of our 2015 AKA/SVA calendar.

To see more of Rosana’s work, check out her website and Instagram.

A SPECIAL PARTNER OFFER FROM ETHAN ALLEN

june 2015

THE SPOILS opened on Tuesday, June 2nd which marked the final production in The New Group’s 20th Anniversary season.  The furniture featured on set for THE SPOILS was provided in-kind by Ethan Allen as part of a larger partnership including social media cross-promotion.

Ethan Allen is offering AKA NYC newsletter subscribers 10% off now through June 30, 2015.  To take advantage of this special offer, mention AKA when placing your order.  Visit the Ethan Allen flagship on 60th St & 3rd Ave (next to Bloomingdale’s and across from Dylan’s Candy Bar).

VISIONS OF AN AMERICAN DREAMLAND

may 2015

The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, one of America’s oldest museums, celebrated the completion of their five-year renovation project on January 31st with a new exhibition, Coney Island: Visions of An American Dreamland, 1861-2008.

To help promote this dreamy new exhibition, AKA’s content team created an eye-grabbing trailer to be used on TV, online, social media and in e-communications.  CLICK HERE to watch.

ABT & AKA

may 2015

AKA recently partnered with ABT (American Ballet Theatre) to create a new digital media strategy that will promote, and celebrate, their 75th anniversary season. We recommended an online media plan to maximize reach to their existing audience base, and, more importantly, cast a wider net to broaden targeting and ensure brand longevity.

The media plan is intricately designed to entice the right consumer at the right time, in coordination with ABT’s season and their specific ballets, as relates to tourists, families and new audiences.  To learn more about ABT, CLICK HERE.

BIENVENUE A BLO!

may 2015

Boston Lyric Opera’s 2015/16 season transports audiences to a world of passion in Paris, starting with the iconic classic La Bohème.

To help launch their new season campaign, AKA created key art inspired by the French cinema—just like the BLO’s new productions!   We have helped the company roll out this cinematic campaign across print, web and direct response outlets, including a season brochure mailing at the beginning of June. CLICK HERE to visit the BLO website.

MTC Meets Tessitura

may 2015

We are currently undergoing a Tessitura integration with Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC), which is due to launch in the coming months. This new system will simplify the ticket-buying experience for customers online—a definite plus!

As part of this integration, AKA is reimagining the online transaction process to give MTC patrons and subscribers the ability to manage their accounts with more autonomy.

This project comes on the coat tails of AKA redesigning and launching the MTC site. CLICK HERE to check it out! The new site delivered exceptional results, including a page view increase of 65%, as well as an increase in subscriptions and donations.

TRACEY EMIN AT THE TATE

may 2015

Tracey Emin’s best known work, My Bed (her 1998 monument to the heartache of a relationship breakdown)—went on display at Tate Britain for the first time in 15 years. The work, which Emin now describes as a portrait of a young woman, was bought last year by the German businessman and collector Count Christian Duerckheim, who loaned the artwork to the Tate for at least the next 10 years.

To support this exciting public debut, AKA developed our first digital campaign for Tate Britain—a campaign created to build awareness amongst a younger contemporary audience that may not regularly attend the gallery. Using a video featuring Tracey Emin, which you can see here, we’ve implemented Outbrain content sharing, a Bright Roll pre-roll video ad campaign (interestingly using bespoke Quantcast profiles for targeting), social media and the Google Display Network.

THIS MAGIC MICRO-MOMENT

may 2015

This past month, Google defined micro-moments as the “I want-to-know moment, I-want-to-do moment, I-want-to-buy moments,” that people have many times a day. To satisfy these “I want” moments, people now reflexively turn to their smartphones. This change in human behavior gives organizations the opportunity to speak to a potential patron at the exact moment when he or she wants to do something, whether it’s looking for a museum exhibit or learning more about a new play. In order to capitalize on these “micro-moments,” you need precise strategic targeting, bespoke messaging and an integrated campaign that goes seamlessly across devices. As we continue to see the rapid growth in smartphone usage across the world, we will see a similar growth in the importance of these “micro-moments,” especially for marketers.

Sizmek Ads of The Week Features Matilda

april 2015

Sync is what gives this ad for Matilda the Musical its contagious vibe. The HPTO with synced banners splices up video of characters dancing to one of the show’s signature songs: “When I Grow Up.”

Click here to read more.

The Trust Triangle

april 2015

In a section of The Art of Client Service called “Does Advertising Matter,” there’s the image you see above.  In the book, I rather inelegantly refer to this as a “three-legged stool,” but then I heard AKA’s Managing Partner Elizabeth Furze comment on “the stool” in a podcast interview hosted by Ken Davenport.

Click here to read more.

AN HONEST TO GOD HIT!

april 2015

HAND TO GOD opened on Broadway on April 7^th, and now the show has 5 Tony Award® Nominations, including BEST PLAY, BEST ACTOR (Steven Boyer), BEST ACTRESS (Geneva Carr), BEST FEATURED ACTRESS (Sarah Stiles) and BEST DIRECTOR (Moritz von Stuelpnagel)–it’s the most nominated New American Play on Broadway!

AKA has been working like the devil to create eye-catching content for “Broadway’s unlikeliest new must-see play.” (New York Magazine)

We premiered a new TV commercial, touting the show’s amazing reviews:

CLICK HERE to watch.

Our social media team live-streamed cast interviews via Periscope from the opening night party—a Broadway first!  The content is only accessible for 24 hours, so unfortunately, replay is not available, but photos and videos from our live opening coverage can be viewed on HAND TO GOD’s Instagram and Twitter profiles.

For the month of April, we created unique ads for selected Playbill Magazines.

Playbill.com and BroadwayBox.com both ran stories this featuring AKA’s Playbill ad campaign, which uses targeted ads in different Broadway programs to speak specifically to those audiences.

CLICK HERE to read the Playbill.com story.

CLICK HERE to read the BroadwayBox piece.

As The New York Times says, “Run, don’t walk, to HAND TO GOD.”  CLICK HERE to learn more.

WHEN I GROW UP

april 2015

AKA recently debuted a new television campaign for MATILDA that celebrates the show’s feel-good moment, whether you are big or small.  Prolific Broadway producer Scott Sanders posted that this is the “most innovative and brilliant TV advertising for a Broadway musical” that he has seen in over a decade. We agree with Scott, and say BRAVO to our own little geniuses, Jamaal Parham and Bashan Aquart who alongside AKA editors Stephen Mlinarcik and Giancarlo Bauzulli, Executive Producer Adam Coffia and Account Director Elizabeth Findlay worked non-stop to bring this inspiring TV spot to life.  We could not be more excited and proud!

CLICK HERE to watch!

THE WOLVES ARE OUT

april 2015

WOLF HALL Parts 1 & 2 opened on Broadway on April 9, and the critics have lost their heads for this thrilling theatrical event!

“THE TASTIEST DISH IN TOWN. THRILLING, RIVETING AND FUN.” – The New York Times

“A FAST-PACED, FIENDISHLY ENGAGING POLITICAL THRILLER.” – Time Out New York

“STUNNING, CLEVER AND ADDICTIVE.” – Associated Press

“A CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT.” – NY Daily News

And now the show is the most-nominated play on Broadway!

8 Tony Nominations include:

• Best Play
• Best Actor – Ben Miles
• Best Featured – Nathaniel Parker
• Best Featured Actress – Lydia Leonard
• Best Direction – Jeremy Herrin

To learn more about the love affairs and power plays of WOLF HALL, CLICK HERE.

THE HILLS ARE ALIVE

april 2015

AKA was thrilled to create the key art and website for the new North American tour of the world’s most beloved musical, THE SOUND OF MUSIC.  Our design and digital team launched the website this month timed to nationwide movie screenings of the classic film in honor of its 50^th Anniversary.

To learn more about this lavish new production, CLICK HERE

SPOTLIGHT

april 2015

THE AKA PERSPECTIVE

AKA Managing Partner Liz Furze was recently a guest on the podcast The Producer’s Perspective, hosted by Tony-winning Broadway producer Ken Davenport.  On the show, Ken and Liz discussed several topics, such as:

Can a Tony Advertising Campaign really win a Tony?
What is the difference between advertising in the West End versus advertising on Broadway?
How can print advertising still be effective?
And more!

It was a wonderful chat, and Liz and Ken both brought some fascinating insight to the table.

Take a listen HERE.

AKA INSIGHT

april 2015

THE REVOLUTION IS BORN AGAIN

march 2015

We are excited to share the new LES MISÉRABLES campaign, launching on Broadway this spring! The world’s most popular musical can now be seen with breathtaking new key art in outdoor across the city and into the suburbs. That’s not all! Our Content department created a gorgeous new TV commercial with the new key art, which can be seen on WABC-TV and Taxi cabs throughout the city. CLICK HERE to watch. AKA is thrilled to be a part of this iconic musical’s next chapter.

A HELL OF A FAMILY PHOTO

march 2015

To capture the hilarious dynamic between the Broadway cast of the “Ferociously Funny” (NYT) new American play HAND TO GOD, the AKA team orchestrated a photo shoot inspired by deliciously awkward Olan Mills family photos or yore.

HAND TO GOD begins Broadway previews on March 14. CLICK HERE to learn more.

LONG LIVE QUEEN HELEN!

march 2015

Broadway royalty turned out in droves on Sunday, March 8^th for the opening night of THE AUDIENCE, starring Helen Mirren.

CLICK HERE to watch the celebrities on the red carpet and the glamorous after party festivities.

The critics have crowned Dame Helen, “The Queen of Broadway”:

“HELEN MIRREN is SMASHING.   Her Majesty will see you now.” – The New York Times

“HELEN MIRREN RULES BROADWAY.” – New York Post

“HELEN MIRREN IS SO GOOD.  SHE’S THE JEWEL IN THIS CROWN.  New York is fortunate to have an audience with her.” – Daily News

“HELEN MIRREN Holds THE AUDIENCE. IT’S DAZZLING FUN.“ – New York Magazine

CLICK HERE to watch our TV spot that The Huffington Post has declared as “the best commercial of the season”.

For more reviews and information, CLICK HERE.

ROYALTY COMES ALIVE

march 2015

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s WOLF HALL: PARTS ONE AND TWO, based on the award-winning novels by Hilary Mantel, arrived on Broadway March 20 after critically acclaimed runs in both Stratford and London. To help this royal epic come to life, AKA’s content team engaged an army of 3D animators to bring the 16th century into the 21st. This TV spot heralds the arrival of this thrilling theatrical event.  CLICK HERE to watch.

HEIDI’S BACK

march 2015

The Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award®-winning play THE HEIDI CHRONICLES is back on Broadway and the critics are cheering. The show is a New York Times Critic’s pick with the Times calling it, “Wonderful and beautiful. Resonates as strongly today as it did when it first stormed Broadway.”

Just before opening, the AKA content team produced and directed a 3 camera shoot at the theatre, and created a TV commercial which illustrates the hilarious and heartfelt journey of the show’s main characters.  CLICK HERE to watch!

AKA INSIGHT

march 2015

May is a difficult month, particularly for musicals in Year 2 or beyond, because those first three weeks of May leading up to Memorial Day Weekend is prime Tony season. New shows see strong sales during May, as locals try to see the next Tony-winner before June.

Below are the general takeaways from musicals over the past 10 years, and how they fared during May.

Average for all Musicals – down 13% from May Year 1 to May Year 2

Average excluding Tony Winners – down 21% from May Year 1 to May Year 2

Percentage of all musicals making it to Year 3 – 41% (10 out of 11 Tony winning musicals made it to May in Year 3; 8 out of 33 non-winners made it to  May in Year 3).

Looking just at the 8 non-Tony winning musicals to make it to Year 3, it is a 50% split between shows that had a positive change from Year 1 to Year 2 and shows that had a negative change from Year 1 to Year 2, suggesting that this percentage change is not predictive of making to Year 3.

Only 3 of those 8 non-Tony winning musicals made it to Year 4. Of the three, two of them had positive changes from Year 1 to Year 2. The three musicals are Wicked, Rock of Ages, and Mary Poppins.

CLICK HERE for Interactive Chart.

The chart above illustrates each of the musicals over the past 10 years, what percentage change they experienced from May in Year 1 and May in Year 2. If you click on the individual bubble, you can see what show it is, did they win a Tony, and if they made it to Year 3 or Year 4, Again, this does not include Memorial Day Week and we are only noting Best Musical winners (not best revival of a musical, as there was not as strong of a trend).

THE QUEEN TAKES BROADWAY

february 2015

INTERNATIONAL SPOTLIGHT

march 2015

2015 has got off to a busy start for AKA London, as we continue to expand our work with some of the most prestigious museums and galleries in the city. We have recently kicked off media, outdoor and digital activity to promote the British Library’s Magna Carta: Law, Liberty, Legacy, an exhibition commemorating the historical document’s 800 year anniversary.  Over at the National Gallery, the stunning Inventing Impressionism exhibition tells the story of Paul Durand-Ruel, an art dealer who discovered artists such as Monet, Degas and Renoir. AKA is providing marketing services across digital creative, media planning and buying, social, specialist audiences and partnerships. We’re diving deep at the National History Museum as we discover Coral Reefs: Secret Cities of the Sea, with our press, digital and social marketing running soon and our landmark poster at busy Waterloo station already catching commuters’ eyes. Meanwhile Fashion on the Ration at the Imperial War Museum details how fashion survived and even flourished under the strict rules of rationing in 1940s Britain. With research from Arts Council England that museums contribute £1.45bn to the UK economy, this is an exciting time to be involved with these important and influential cultural institutions.

A LOVE-LY PHOTOSHOOT

february 2015

This spring, world-renowned opera star Renée Fleming is making her Broadway debut in LIVING ON LOVE! Joining her on the Great White Way will be Tony Award nominee Douglas Sills and Emmy Award nominee Anna Chlumksy.  To capture the glamor, passion and hilarity of this new play, our Content Department orchestrated a photo shoot with the stars that featured gorgeous gowns, overturned tables and pooches poaching champagne.  The result is some diva-licious new key art. LIVING ON LOVE begins Broadway Previews on April 1^st.  To learn more about this funny and frothy new show, CLICK HERE.

A HELL OF A WEBSITE

february 2015

HAND TO GOD, the hilarious and provocative new comedy by Rob Askins, is coming to Broadway after a critically acclaimed downtown run.  Check out the show’s deviously designed new website HERE and don’t forget to watch our new video starring the wickedly funny Tyrone.  Keep an eye out for Tyrone around Times Square this season—he has a few tricks up his sleeve. HAND TO GOD begins Broadway Previews on March 14^th…pray for us.

LONG LIVE ROCK!

february 2015

THE ILLUSIONISTS MAKE BOX OFFICE MAGIC

february 2015

The mind-blowing, jaw-dropping spectacular THE ILLUSIONISTS wowed Broadway again when the show broke the house record at the Marriot Marquis twice! However, these enchanting fellows barely got to bask in the glow of their success before they had to disappear on their North American tour.  To find out when this dazzling show will come to your town, CLICK HERE.

INTERNATIONAL SPOTLIGHT – BEAUTIFUL

february 2015

AKA London are excited to be working on the West End transfer of the Broadway smash hit BEAUTIFUL – THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL, and have created some stunning creative with star Katie Brayben front and center.  We’ve also unveiled a fittingly beautiful website and released a lovely trailer to get the buzz going.  Previews start from 10th February 2015, and our eye-catching artwork is already lighting up the Front of House at the Aldwych Theatre.

SPECIAL PARTNER OFFER

december 2014

BROADWAY’S BEST-SELLING YEAR

december 2014

GIFTED ARTISTS – THE 3RD ANNUAL AKA /SVA SCHOLARSHIP

december 2014

A MAGICAL OPENING

december 2014

IT’S A BIRD! IT’S A PLANE! IT’S A NEW MUSICAL!

december 2014

THE LEGACY OF THE NEW GROUP

december 2014

‘TWAS THE NIGHT OF THE AKA HOLIDAY PARTY

december 2014

AKA INSIGHT

december 2014

5 DAVEY AWARD WINS!

november 2014

David defeated the giant Goliath with a big idea and a little rock—the sort of thing small firms do each year. The annual International Davey Awards honors the achievements of the “Creative Davids” who derive their strength from big ideas, rather than stratospheric budgets.

AKA is honored to have received 5 Davey Awards for the following:

2014 Silver Award: Once “Gold” – Commercials

2014 Silver Award: Once “Leave” – Music Video

2014 Silver Award: Once “Joyce” – Online Advertising and Marketing

2014 Silver Award: Once “Rebrand-Gold” – Integrated Campaign

2014 Silver Award: All The Way “Power” – Commercials

To find out more about the Davey Awards,click here.

IT’S NOT ONLY A BILLBOARD!

november 2014

On October 9, to celebrate the opening night of IT’S ONLY A PLAY, AKA launched a “Broadway First” media opportunity in Times Square! IT’S ONLY A PLAY was featured on Branded Cities’ innovative Times Square digital billboard and featured a live stream of selfies from the red carpet, the theatre, and fans, all uploaded throughout the evening on Twitter and Instagram using#itsonlyaselfie. This major advertising moment highlighted the spirit of the “celebrity selfie” activity that has been a through-line of the campaign since the show’s launch.

The big picture: the ever-changing landscape of Times Square means more opportunities for innovative media placements, and AKA and IT’S ONLY A PLAY were at the forefront with the creative use of social media channels!

THE NEW NEW GROUP

november 2014

To celebrate their 20^th anniversary season, The New Group tasked AKA to create dynamic new institutional branding that would celebrate their past and future successes, and we are pleased to share the results!  In addition to their new look, TNG will also move this season to new home at the Pershing Square Signature Center. We were honored to be a part of this award-winning company’s next chapter.

On Thursday, 11/6, The New Group kicked off their 2014/2015 season with STICKS AND BONES, starring Richard Chamberlain, Holly Hunter and Bill Pullman.  This is the first major New York revival of the Tony-Award winning play by David Rabe, and the critics are raving about it:

“Bill Pullman is BRILLIANT in Scott Elliott’s FASCINATING new production.” – Ben Brantley, The New York Times

“An unnerving powerhouse.” –Newsday

STICKS AND BONES will be followed by RASHEEDA SPEAKING, directed by Cynthia Nixon and starring Dianne Wiest and Tonya Pinkins, and THE SPOILS, written by and featuring Jesse Eisenberg.

CLICK HERE to learn what else is new with The New Group!

BRINGING UP WOLF HALL

november 2014

We are thrilled to announce the New York premiere of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s smash production of WOLF HALL PARTS ONE & TWO with an industry first – a special “U”-shaped ad in the November 2 New York Times’ Arts & Leisure section.  This premiere placement (never before used by a Broadway show) showcases the unique two-play package on sale through December 31^st.

WOLF HALL begins Broadway performances March 20, but until then you can get your fill of Tudor deceit, betrayal and intrigue onWolfHallBroadway.com.

SEE IT ONCE BEFORE IT’S GONE

november 2014

After 3 years, 8 Tony Awards® and over 1,200 standing ovations, ONCE will play its final Broadway performance on January 4.  To celebrate this musical’s “downright revolutionary” success, AKA created a gorgeous closing campaign, including a brand new TV commercial and a full-page ad in The New York Times.   If you haven’t seen this exquisite musical, we recommend you take The Wall Street Journal’s advice and “Go!”, and if you have seen the show, go once more!

To watch the new commercial, CLICK HERE.

A GRAND REVEAL WITH THE ILLUSIONISTS

november 2014

THE ILLUSIONISTS celebrated their brand new box office at the Marriot Marquis.  Stop by and see the new box office, and, when you do, pick up some tickets before they all disappear!

ALL YOU NEED IS LENNON

november 2014

LENNON: THROUGH A GLASS ONION has opened at the Union Square Theatre to fabulous reviews.  To help trumpet the show’s great notices, AKA’s content team scripted, story boarded, animated, recorded, mixed and trafficked this beautiful TV comercial (in record time!), with a little help from our friend John R. Waters, the creator and star of LENNON, who lent his vocal talents for the voice over.

Look for the :15 and :10 spots on “Good Morning America,” “Today,” Weekend News and NY1 throughout the month of November. And don’t miss the powerful show which celebrates the life and legacy of John Lennon!

CLICK HERE to watch the animated TV spot.

A BRILLIANT NEW SHOW

november 2014

EVERY BRILLIANT THING, the critically acclaimed comedy that The Guardian called “one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see,” starts performances at the Barrow Street Theatre on December 6! This limited engagement comes to NYC from Paines Plough Theater in the UK and is being produced at The Barrow Street Theatre by the team that brought you the award-winning productions of OUR TOWN and TRIBES.   We’ve already added this show to our list of favorite things.  CLICK HERE to learn more.

MATILDA GETS A FACE-LIFT

november 2014

This October, AKA freshened up the front of the house for MATILDA THE MUSICAL with a joyful explosion of color!  Be sure to stop by The Shubert Theatre to check out the show’s spiffy new look.

THE MEASUREMENT MOVEMENT

november 2014

It is a great time to be working in advertising! Every day, we are getting closer to answering that age-old question, “did that ad actually make money?” Analysts are saying that we are in the midst of a “measurement movement,” as the growth in data collection and analysis has encouraged companies to create precise, innovative ways to measure advertising’s true effectiveness in real sales.

Some recent examples include Kool-Aid’s TV campaign that targeted select audiences based on household demographics and income, rather than around TV programs. Kool-Aid reported a 21% increase in sales from the TV campaign. CBS Outdoor is experimenting with new metrics for tracking demographics of people who see a CBS Outdoor billboard, to produce more targeted ads. Even in social media, a new study revealed that Twitter marketing drove $716 Million in auto sales in 2013. Thanks to Twitter and other social media sites, advertising is becoming more targeted and brands are becoming better at fostering customer relationships!

All in all, this better targeting is leading to better tracking and real ROI. We may someday be able to report real ROI on TV and Outdoor like we do for Digital advertising, which will help us all create more effective and more profitable media plans.

THE FUTURE OF ADVERTISING

september 2014

As a part to this year’s Advertising Week event, AKA is mentoring a group of New York City’s brightest and most creative high school students in the Advertising Futures competition. Students from the Academy of Finance and Enterprise in Queens will work with our creative team and digital marketing experts to develop their very own advertising campaign. Their work, along with submissions from other teams, will be presented on October 1st to a jury composed of leading New York City advertising professionals.

Students will work with AKA NYC staff over the next several weeks to create advertising media that may include television commercials, posters, print advertising, websites and apps. AKA staff will provide advice on campaign concept and development, design and production and digital marketing.

The students aren’t the only ones who gain from taking part in the competition, says AKA NYC Content Director Jamaal Parham. “We are incredibly excited to be working with these kids,” Parham says. “It’s refreshing to see the unbridled enthusiasm they are bringing to this task. It reminds us of why we got into advertising ourselves. They are amazing.”

COMING SOON TO A THEATER NEAR YOU!

september 2014

AKA proudly presents…the new art for BILLY & RAY!  This whip-smart comedy by Mike Bencivenga is the Vineyard Theatre’s first production of the 2014/15 season, and is based on the true story of how the  odd couple  team  of writer/director Billy Wilder  and novelist Raymond Chandler battled the Hollywood censors and each other to create the groundbreaking movie classic Double Indemnity.  Our designers drew inspiration from the opening credits of the original film to create this evocative and cheeky homage to classic film noir posters of the 1940s.   BILLY & RAY is directed by real life Hollywood legend Garry Marshall (Pretty Woman, Beaches) and begins performances October 1.

IT’S ONLY A PARTNERSHIP

september 2014

IT’S ONLY A PLAY is currently in previews on Broadway, and playing to packed houses!  To add some extra sparkle to this already bubbly comedy, AKA secured a partnership with Dom Perignon that included a first preview party at the breathtaking cocktail lounge, The Skylark. In addition, IT’S ONLY A PLAY will receive promotional placement at New York City retailers of Dom Perignon.

IT’S ONLY A PLAY will open on Broadway on October 9^th.  Don’t forget to stop by the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre to get a selfie with the cast!

A NEW AUDIENCE FOR THE AUDIENCE

september 2014

On Monday, 9/15 AKA hosted a screening fit for a queen of the NT Live taping of THE AUDIENCE for group sales agents, press and potential partners. The event featured afternoon tea service, catered by Tea & Sympathy, including scones, tea sandwiches and other nibbles, and a welcome video (filmed by AKA) from the play’s director, Stephen Daldry.  THE AUDIENCE is scheduled to begin Broadway previews in February and stars Academy Award® winner Helen Mirren.

THE CRITICS ARE WRITING LOVE LETTERS

september 2014

The new production A.R. Gurney’s celebrated play LOVE LETTERS, directed by Gregory Mosher, opened on Broadway on September 18^th, and the show “Conquers All!” Cheers NBC New York!  Here is a short selection of the raves:

*A New York Times Critics’ Pick!*

“(4 stars) MIA FARROW’s still got the magic. It’s in full view in the FIRST-CLASS Broadway revival of A.R. Gurney’s play, LOVE LETTERS. And Farrow’s matched note-for-note by BRIAN DENNEHY.”-Daily News

“SMART, DELIGHTFUL and MOVING.  Having seen DENNEHY and FARROW and experienced the enhanced emotions of this new production, I WILL HAPPILY CONTEMPLATE RETURNING to see what other favorite actors will make of Gurney’s non-lovers.” – The Huffington Post 

“One of Mr. Gurney’s Best Plays. A tender study of thwarted love in which every pause, however brief, lands like a skipped heartbeat.” – WALL STREET JOURNAL

“Gregory Mosher’s superlative new Broadway production has attracted an impressive roster of performers.” –ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

“LOVE LETTERS is that rare work whose emotional richness requires no embellishment in order to become a full-bodied theatrical experience.” – The Hollywood Reporter

Brian Dennehy and Mia Farrow star in LOVE LETTERS now through October 10^th, when Carol Burnette then joins Brian Dennehy.  Future casts include Alan Alda, Candice Bergen, Stacy Keach, Diana Rigg, Anjelica Huston and Martin Sheen.  For more info about this celebrated production, CLICK HERE

MATILDA GOES BACK TO SCHOOL WITH RALPH LAUREN

september 2014

The MATILDA and Ralph Lauren Literacy partnership officially launched to the public on August 5!  As part of the partnership, MATILDA was featured on the Ralph Lauren homepage and in the children’s store throughout August and September.   Ralph Lauren also posted a sensational video to their YouTube channel capturing their Fall 2014 Children’s Fashion Show (set to “When I Grow Up”), which features MATILDA’s live performance.  The video has seen by nearly 1.5 million viewers.  You read that right!CLICK HERE to watch.

THE NATIONAL THEATRE GOES INTERNATIONAL

september 2014

AKA’s Marketing and Promotions department has recently joined with our Digital department to help promote NT Live to audiences across the United States. To begin supporting the fall season of screenings, including A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, SKYLIGHT, FRANKENSTEIN and OF MICE AND MEN, MAP has secured partnerships with BBC America, The British Consulate, Broadway Boosters and more!

The partnership between NT Live and BBC America launched with an hour-long Twitter discussion moderated by BBC America’s blog, “Mind the Gap, ” about British theater making the transition to America. The conversation also featured Tim Levy of the National Theatre, Simon Stephens, playwright of THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME, and NT Live’s producer, Emma Keith, who answered questions regarding the screenings and how they make British theatre more accessible to the United States.

Stay tuned!  This Mind the Gap Twitter conversation is just the beginning of an exciting partnership between AKA NYC, BBC America and NT Live.

AKA INSIGHT

september 2014

The announcement of the Apple Watch got us thinking about wearable technology. With so many devices like smartwatches and Google Glass already in market, and so many new ones coming, it makes you wonder how many new advertising possibilities will come with this new tech. When you think about it, our personal wearable technologies are gathering an enormous amount of data about our day-to-day behavior already. Health monitors like Jawbone and Fitbit observe our daily activity, health habits and even know the specific time we need a little motivation. As advertisers we are already targeting people based on their online behavior.  In the near future, we may be able to target wearable technology consumers based on how active they are, where they travel and many more personal data attributes.  Soon this scene from Minority Report could actually be a reality!   Of course, this new innovation brings up new issues for data privacy, and the problem of how to target consumers in a personal way without going too far will need creative solutions. For now, we will keep an eye on new wearable technology and think about the endless opportunities this will bring to the marketing landscape.

Further reading at Bloomberg. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-07/advertisers-target-wearable-gadgets-as-next-ad-frontier.html

IT’S ONLY A HOT TICKET!

august 2014

The Broadway comedy about the comedy of Broadway, IT’S ONLY A PLAY, is coming to New York in August, but we kicked off our campaign in June with:

• An American Express presale, supported by a national Telecharge eblast
• A full page announcement ad in The New York Times
• A stunning direct mail piece
• And the national inside cover of The New Yorker

Keep an eye out for the show’s stellar new art and TV spot, scheduled to drop in the next few weeks.

IT’S ONLY A PLAY begins performances August 28^th and tickets are going like crazy! CLICK HERE to find out more about this star-studded show.  In the meantime, we’ll see you at the stage door!

ONCE ON THE WEB

august 2014

Over the last few weeks, our digital team worked tirelessly on a gorgeous new website for ONCE, and we’re proud to say the new site is up and running.  We’re even more proud of how amazing the new site looks!  Included in the re-design is our new art, the fantastic new “Gold” TV spot and a breathtaking “Story” page that takes the reader on a beautiful parallax journey through the history of ONCE. 

CLICK HERE to check out the new website!

JUST ANOTHER MAGIC MONDAY

august 2014

In an enchanting new series entitled “Magic Mondays,” THE ILLUSIONISTS will be posting a new video of one of their cast members performing a mystifying magic trick every week.  The first week’s video starred Andrew Basso, aka “The Escapologist,” and featured some of AKA’s very own!  CLICK HERE to watch that mind-boggling trick.

Witness the fast hands of Kevin James, “The Inventor” HERE.

And CLICK HERE to watch Aaron Crow, “The Warrior” as he keeps his lovely assistant on pins and needles.

Be sure to check back every week to watch all the videos on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube!

MATILDA IN 3D!

august 2014

In another spectacular Broadway first, MATILDA THE MUSICAL has wrapped a double decker tourist bus with 3D and illuminated artwork. The bus has been lighting up the streets since July 4^th weekend and the crowds can’t get enough of it!

RETARGETING IS FLAWED… FOR SOME INDUSTRIES

august 2014

Tom Goodwin, CEO of Tomorrow Group, recently wrote an article for Ad Age about the overall state of online advertising. Mr. Goodwin concludes that retargeting is ill-timed and repetitious. However, in the context of Broadway advertising, retargeting actually has extremely strong results. Across our numerous campaigns, online retargeting has seen anywhere from 300-3,000% returns. In his article, Mr. Goodwin writes, “retargeting will get better… We’ll be shown ads for big-ticket items at precisely the right time, after we’ve been thinking about them for a predetermined period.” What Mr. Goodwin doesn’t know is this is already happening for Broadway shows and is why Broadway retargeting is so effective. Show tickets are seen by many as a luxury “big-ticket” item. We know that it takes Broadway buyers on average 3 weeks to purchase tickets. Therefore, we have a precise window in which consumers are available to be educated and communicated to, which leads to high return. Although Mr. Goodwin makes a strong argument for why retargeting is not advantageous for material goods, it is exactly right for the Broadway industry.

HAIL TO THE CHIEF!

july 2014

ALL THE WAY went all the way to the Tonys®.

WINNER!
Best New Play
Best Actor – Bryan Cranston
2014 Tony Awards

ALL THE WAY also won a host of other prestigious awards this season:

• Best Play – Drama Desk Award
• Best Play – Outer Critics Circle Award
• Best Play – Drama League Award
• Best New American Play – NY Drama Critics’ Circle Award
• Best Actor,  Bryan Cranston – Drama Desk Award
• Best Actor, Bryan Cranston – Outer Critics Circle Award

We are proud to be a part of this first-class production.  Congratulations to Mr. Cranston and everyone on the ALL THE WAY team!

GO ALL THE WAY WITH BRYAN CRANSTON

july 2014

On March 6th, BRYAN CRANSTON, the Golden Globe^® and three-time Emmy^®Award-winning star of “Breaking Bad,” made an electrifying Broadway debut in Robert Schenkkan’s ALL THE WAY. Here is just a sample of the critical raves:

“BRYAN CRANSTON is TERRIFIC. He gives A HEAT-GENERATING, JET-FUELED PERFORMANCE.” –The New York Times

“A SURE-FIRE, ACTION-PACKED HIT!” 
-The Huffington Post

“NONSTOP ACTION. It has the suspense of a first-class thriller.” -NY1

To showcase the show’s sterling reviews, AKA secured a back cover ad in The New Yorker and a full page with “Reverse L” inThe New York Times, surrounding the theater listings. We also created a fantastic new TV spot, featuring Mr. Cranston himself.

CLICK HERE to watch the new spot.
CLICK HERE to watch highlights of the opening night red carpet.

Congratulations to the ALL THE WAY team on a spectacular Broadway opening!

BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE ALL THE WAY TV SHOOT

july 2014

AKA Broadcast Director Jamaal Parham and Executive Creative Director Bashan Aquart flew to Los Angeles in early December to shoot the ALL THE WAY TV spot with Emmy and Golden Globe winner Bryan Cranston. While there, we shot a behind-the-scenes look at making the commercial. Click here to see our team in action.

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

july 2014

Bryan Cranston is LBJ in ALL THE WAY, a new play by Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Schenkkan. After a sold-out run in Boston, the show began previews on Broadway on February 10th! To herald the Broadway debut of this Golden Globe® and three-time Emmy® award winner, we got an exclusive word from the president. It’s not personal. It’s just politics. We were thrilled to get a chance to work with this legendary actor as he leads a cast of 20 on Broadway.
Click here to watch the commercial.

AKA ON TELLY! 15 AWARDS

july 2014

We’re proud to announce that AKA was recently awarded 15 Telly Awards including three highest honor Silver Awards and two People’s Choice Awards! Among the winners were AKA’s TV spots for ALL THE WAY, THE GLASS MENAGERIE, MACBETH, MATILDA, THE VELOCITY OF AUTUMN and STOMP.Click here to view the Telly Award-winning spots.

ONCE IS TV “GOLD”

july 2014

On June 9th, ONCE premiered a gorgeous new TV commercial, produced by our wonderfully talented Broadcast department. The folks at Broadway Box “cannot stop watching it.” CLICK HERE to watch the full commercial!

NEW MTC SITES LIVE

june 2014

AKA recently launched a full website for the new MTC production of WHEN WE WERE YOUNG AND UNAFRAID, starring the incomparable Cherry Jones, and a parallax site for the American musical premiere of THE LION. We also updated the MTC institutional website with new branding featuring the eagerly anticipated stars and productions of the upcoming 2014/15 season. Click the links below to view these gorgeous new sites!

MTC

WHEN WE WERE YOUNG AND UNAFRAID

THE LION

MATILDA READS WITH RALPH LAUREN

june 2014

MATILDA THE MUSICAL officially launched an ongoing literacy partnership with Ralph Lauren at their Kids Fashion Show on Monday, May 19th at the New York Public Library. During the event, MATILDA Cast members wowed the crowd with an amazing 4-girl rendition of “Naughty” into “Revolting Children.”

While the fashion show took place in May, the full partnership will kick into high gear later this summer—just in time for Back to School!

The event was picked up across many press outlets, including The New York Times Style section.  CLICK HERE and use your reading skills to learn all about it!

HOLLER AND THE HIP-HOP MUSEUM

june 2014

On June 2^nd, HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME began Broadway previews.  In celebration, The National Museum of Hip-Hop is curating a special Hip-Hop exhibition at the Palace Theatre. The exhibition invites patrons to learn about the history of Hip-Hop through one-of-a-kind artifacts and memorabilia, write their dreams on our “Dreams Walls” and view a gorgeous mural featuring the 4 Elements of Hip-Hop: DJing, Emceeing. B-Boying and Graffiti.

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME ticketholders can view the exhibition for free half an hour prior to each performance.
Learn more at hiphopmuseum.org or on the museum’s Facebook page.

AKA NYC SUMMER PARTY

june 2014

On Saturday, June 7^th, we hosted the fifth annual AKA Summer Party, and we had the biggest turnout yet!  From the roof of the Empire Hotel, the AKA team, friends and international colleagues enjoyed a few games of ping-pong (courtesy of SPiN Galactic), a few relaxing massages, and many mango margaritas. Click here to view our Facebook album of the party.

We were so happy to share a relaxing afternoon with you all during a busy Tony weekend.  See you for more fun in the sun next year!

HOLLER AT US

may 2014

On June 2nd, the music and lyrics of Tupac Shakur will blaze into life on Broadway in the new musical HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME. The cast recently performed a few of the show’s electrifying numbers for the press, and also hit the recording studio to record a selection of the powerful songs. AKA’s content team were on hand at both of these exciting events and got some amazing footage! CLICK HEREfor a sneak peek.

Keep your ears open this summer, as we plan to release a few of the recorded tracks online, including “California Love,” “Holler If Ya Hear Me” and “Unconditional Love.” And keep your eyes out for our interior subway campaign and our new TV spot, which hit the air last week. CLICK HERE to watch.

AN EXTRAORDINARY VELOCITY

april 2014

THE VELOCITY OF AUTUMN, starring Academy Award® winner (and Outer Critics Circle nominee) Estelle Parsons and Tony Award® winner Stephen Spinella, opened on Monday night to explosive applause! Here are just a few of the fantastic notices this hilarious show has received:

“THE GREAT ACTOR ESTELLE PARSONS IS SUCH FUN TO WATCH.” -The New York Times

“WRY & SPIRITED. AN ENRICHING GIFT TO THE AUDIENCE.” -Associated Press

“A FUNNY & TOUCHING 90-minute play that will rattle you to your core.” -NBC New York

Click here to learn more.

GO GREEN WITH MTC

april 2014

Manhattan Theatre Club recently launched their annual “Go Green” subscription renewal campaign, a successful drive for subscribers to renew online. Go Green launched MTC’s 2014-15 season renewals and is off to an amazing start out-performing last season’s numbers. We launched the two online forms for new and renewing subscribers which you can check out here.

EPK FIT FOR A KING

april 2014

Our Broadcast team recently filmed EPK for Theatre for a New Audience’s stunning production of KING LEAR. This footage was produced, shot and edited by our fantastic team.

HEATHERS IS ALL POPULAR AND STUFF

april 2014

March 31st was the 25th anniversary ofHeathers the movie and the opening night of HEATHERS THE MUSICAL. The critics say HEATHERS is so very. Check out some of the reviews:

“A ROWDY GUILTY PLEASURE.”
– The New York Times

“SASSY, SEXY and OH-SO-SMART,HEATHERS deserves to run with the popular crowd.”
– Time Out New York

“INGENIOUS, NAUGHTY and VERY FUNNY.”
– New York Post

We revealed a totally rad new website andsocial media page. Click those links, byatches!

Click here to watch our hot new TV commercial.

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS…ROCKS!

april 2014

AKA NYC was recently tasked by Base Entertainment and S2BN to refresh the existing branding for the smash-hit Las Vegas production of ROCK OF AGES, now playing at The Venetian. Our team developed a range of creative explorations that would resonate on the Vegas Strip. The chosen concept prominently features the hotter than hot cast members and a glitzy logo treatment, which brings a fresh new dimension to the campaign. We’re thrilled with the results!

THE MATILDA BOOK CLUB CELEBRATES ITS BIRTHDAY

april 2014

We’re celebrating over a year of MATILDA Book Club hangouts! We’ve been broadcasting globally via Google every month with Roald Dahl’s daughter, Lucy Dahl, as well as special guests. Click here to check out our highlights reel.

March’s Book Club hangout featured Embeth Davidtz, the original Miss Honey from the 1996 film version of Matilda: watch here.

AKASXSW

may 2014

This past month, our Digital Group Director, Sarah Borenstein, and our Strategic Innovations Director, Joshua Lee Poole, headed south to attend SXSW Interactive. From hands-on training to big-picture analysis of the future, SXSW Interactive has become the place to preview the technology of tomorrow today.

Here’s our Top 10 list of key takeways:

1. A key theme this year was about privacy. Brands will need to justify requesting personal data by rewarding consumers with helpful personalization. People are more aware than ever before about what their personal data is worth.

2. From healthcare to consumer entertainment, wearable tech was prominent, signaling a future in which more people augment their bodies with these devices.

3. People gravitate to content on mobile, as it is seen as entertainment rather than advertising. The average person interacts with his/her smartphone 100 times per day, and as such, 50% of Facebook ad spend is now on mobile.

4. Robots as workers was a prominent topic. They were discussed taking over as assistants, babysitters and cleaners. While some people may struggle with the introduction of this electronic labor, it will also stimulate job creation in some sectors.

5. We’re steadily more reliant on photos, emojis & videos. With attention spans shrinking, a picture is worth a thousand words.

6. 3D printers and “printables” were a highlight this year. These were featured in various forms from printing 3D edible food to shoes.

7. When brands have emotionally compelling social content, more people will engage with it.

8. Content is king. Addictive storytelling, branded newsrooms and native advertising are the new world order.

9. A culture of innovation is only meaningful when it is valued, nurtured and strategically developed.

10. The era of Big Data is valuable only if we effectively share our learnings with clients in a meaningful way.

WHAT’S YOUR DAMAGE, HEATHER?

may 2014

HEATHERS THE MUSICAL started performances on March 15 at New World Stages, and the in-crowd has already taken notice! Brought to you by the award-winning creative team of Kevin Murphy (Reefer Madness, Defiance), Laurence O’Keefe (Bat Boy, Legally Blonde) and Andy Fickman (Reefer Madness, She’s the Man), HEATHERS THE MUSICAL is a hilarious, heartfelt and homicidal new show based on the greatest teen comedy of all time. To launch this very “very” new production, AKA created a campaign that celebrates HEATHERS’ 80s roots, while making it relevant for today. We began with teaser art and a direct mail postcard that paid homage to the chalk board art of the movie. Last week, the full, and totally fab, campaign art rolled out across all platforms, including front of house and outdoor placements in and around NWS and Times Square.

We also recently premiered a hot new Broadcast spot, which captures the sassy and sexy personality of the show. CLICK HERE to watch.

HEATHERS THE MUSICAL is destined to be the most popular new show of the season.
CLICK HERE to learn more!

VELOCITY ON BROADWAY

march 2014

She raised her kids – now she’s raising hell! Academy Award® winner Estelle Parsons is coming back to Broadway in THE VELOCITY OF AUTUMN. This wickedly funny and wonderfully moving new play matches Parsons with Tony Award® winner Stephen Spinella in a mother and son showdown for the ages. Performances will begin April 1 at the Booth Theatre following the critically acclaimed run at Arena Stage in Washington DC. We had a blast with Parsons at a recent photo shoot to create the show’s eye-catching key art. Check out our behind-the-scenes video here. AKA is currently putting the finishing touches on a VELOCITY OF AUTUMN TV spot that will have you in “stitches.” Stay tuned!

AKA JOINS THE CLUB

march 2014

AKA is thrilled to be working with Manhattan Theatre Club. Our first brief from this historic New York institution was to overhaul their extensive website with a focus on creating a more dynamic aesthetic.

Under the dynamic leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, Manhattan Theatre Club has grown in four decades from a prolific Off-Off Broadway showcase into one of the country’s most acclaimed theatre organizations. Click here to view the new site.

ROCK OF AGES LOVES THE LADIES

march 2014

ROCK OF AGES is pampering the women this winter with Ladies’ Nights! Every Tuesday in February and March, ladies can enjoy complimentary cocktails and fun activities before the show. In addition to managing the planning and execution of all events, AKA secured the partners for the campaign, including Kiehl’s, MAC Cosmetics, Body & Pole, Gina Le Salon, Quinn’s, Vada Spa and Manicube.

The promotion has been supported in print with full page ads in regional issues of Elle, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, and InStyle. Additional promotion included distribution of collateral to local spas and salons, e-blasts, on Gilt City’s “Gilt Women” platform, Playbill ads, and on all ROCK OF AGES and partner social media platforms. The most recent Ladies’ Night was covered editorially by NBC for inclusion on New York Live on LXTV and for a feature on Taxi TV.

Learn more about the events by visiting RockOfAgesMusical.com/LadiesNight.

WHAT’S YOUR DAMAGE?

march 2014

Attention all you swatchdogs and diet cokeheads! HEATHERS THE MUSICAL, the deliciously dark new show based on the 80s cult classic movie, is about to start a riot at New World Stages. Performances begin March 15 (Color us stoked!), and we can tell from the invited press day that happened last week that this show is going to be VERY.

AKA is currently developing key art and working on a number of 80s appropriate promotional partners to make sure that HEATHERS is the most popular new musical of the season. ARE YOU IN, OR ARE YOU OUT?

Hashtags are like Corn Nuts: totally necessary. Make sure to use ours! Simply search for #HeathersMusical on Twitter or Facebook to join in on the gossip.

P.s. Our job is to be popular and sh*t, so be sure to LIKE us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

20 YEARS OF STOMP!

march 2014

Thursday, February 27 marked STOMP’s 20th Anniversary in New York City—CONGRATULATIONS!

As part of the celebration, the AKA Marketing Team secured the Empire State Building as a partner and the New York landmark was proudly lit red & white in honor of STOMP. Cheers to 20 more years!

THE QUEEN ON THE WEB

march 2014

The deliciously decadent QUEEN OF THE NIGHT—currently running at the Diamond Horseshoe for a limited engagement—has opened, and New York Magazine calls it “New York’s hottest nightlife event!”

There has been an enormous amount of press and social coverage following the show’s premiere. To help showcase this tremendous buzz, AKA built a custom-designed press page that displays our quotes in an innovative and beautiful way, in addition to aggregating social posts and pictures from QOTN visitors. To see all this and more, visit QueenOfTheNightNYC.com.

VINEYARD ARLINGTON ART & GALA BRANDING

march 2014

AKA continued our partnership with the Vineyard Theatre by creating a beautiful look for their newest show, ARLINGTON.

We worked together with the Vineyard to develop the creative and some initial banners, which they have utilized across their entire campaign. In other Vineyard news, AKA designed the invitation for the theatre’s annual gala—this year celebrating legendary songwriter Dory Previn.

The printed invitation, donor card, and RSVP cards look beautiful, and it was a fantastic refresh to the versions they’ve used in the past.

MCC GALA

march 2014

AKA is proud to again be working on the branding and video for MCC’s annual Miscast Gala, which will be held on March 31 at the Hammerstein Ballroom. Miscast features some of Broadway’s hottest stars singing songs from shows in which they would NEVER be cast…and the results are thrilling!

INTERNATIONAL SPOTLIGHT: THE SPIRIT OF THE WEST END

march 2014

Angela Lansbury is returning to the West End as Madame Arcati in Blithe Spirit after a 44 year absence and AKA is the full-service agency behind the show, doing everything from developing the key art and website through to planning the media and developing audio visual content. In fact, we recently worked alongside our sister agency DMS to turn around a short but sweet trailer from her recent Q&A.

QUEEN OF THE NIGHT

january 2014

To celebrate the re-opening of Diamond Horseshoe at the Paramount Hotel, Sleep No More producer, Randy Weiner, and the creators of the Box have launched QUEEN OF THE NIGHT.

This provocative experience invites you to be dined, delighted and desired. Click here to view our trailer and here for more information.

MEDIA FIRST FOR MATILDA THE MUSICAL!

january 2014

In another industry first, MATILDA stunned on-lookers with a new digital double-decker bus from our friends at Vector media. MATILDA enjoyed 100% share of voice over two two-show days while the bus ran a customized route around midtown. Be sure to look out for these marvelous, miraculous buses!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JANIS!

january 2014

In celebration of Janis Joplin’s birthday on Sunday, January 19th, AKA developed a cross-platform birthday celebration for fans in attendance at A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN. The event was promoted via Broadway.com, along with advertising within the Bergen Record and a widespread push on social media platforms for JANIS and partners. Additional promotional value was secured through partnerships with PC Richards, Guitar Center and Gibson Guitars. To help audiences commemorate this evening, AKA coordinated a Janis Joplin-themed photo booth in the theatre for both performances. At the evening performance, Janis-inspired cupcakes were passed out as patrons exited the theatre and the cast received a peace sign cake – all generously provided and designed by our good friends at Sugarush in Red Bank, NJ. Audiences went wild for the booth and cupcakes, making it truly a special birthday celebration for Janis!

BIKEMAN

january 2014

We are proud to be working on the lyrical and haunting new play, BIKEMAN. This powerful show recently began performances at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center.

LA SOIRÉE WELCOMES NEW ACTS!

january 2014

World conquering hoola hoop master Marawa, extraordinary aerial artist Brett Pfister and the sassy and classy Cabaret Decadance have joined the lovable group of circus runaways at LA SOIRÉE! This spectacular show and its sensationally seductive blend of variety and cabaret continue to dazzle audiences at the Union Square Theatre. Check out the show’s new look and CLICK HERE to watch our fabulous new TV commercial.

WE’RE #1!

december 2013

Time Magazine just released their list of Top 10 Musicals and Plays for 2013 and we were excited to see three clients featured, including BEDLAM, MACBETH and MATILDA THE MUSICAL who took the #1 spot!

DMS JOINS FORCES WITH AKA AND CP

december 2013

We’re really pleased to announce that digital business solutions agency Digital Media Services (DMS) has united with AKA and The Creative Partnership (CP) to offer a unique proposition to companies within the film, live entertainment, arts and cultural industries.
DMS is a pioneering international company that employs the latest digital technologies to provide smart and cost-effective multi-media business solutions across a range of industry sectors. Its expertise covers media monitoring and digital video services, as well as unique, bespoke delivery platforms for broadcast and digital content distribution.

The new partnership, effective immediately, recognizes the on-going digital convergence of media and its delivery to businesses and consumers. The collaboration between AKA, DMS and CP also responds to the need for a cost-effective service provision that incorporates media creation, promotion, delivery, distribution and evaluation.

We’re looking forward to seeing how this partnership will enable us to continue delivering dynamic and innovative work, while also offering our clients valuable and new marketing opportunities.

BRYAN CRANSTON GOES ALL THE WAY

december 2013

AKA is thrilled to be working on the upcoming production of ALL THE WAY, starring 3-time Emmy® Award winner Bryan Cranston as president Lyndon B. Johnson. Mr. Cranston, the lauded star of “Breaking Bad,” leads a cast of more than twenty actors in the new play by Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Schenkkan. To launch the campaign, AKA secured an American Express pre-sale campaign for the show that included a full page + reverse L unit in The New York Times, in addition to presence in the Amex newsletter and social media support. ALL THE WAY is set to begin previews February 10th at the Neil Simon Theatre with an opening night of March 6th.To learn more about this gripping show, visit AllTheWayBroadway.com.

INSTANT BRILLIANCE

december 2013

This month, we launched “InstaScenes” for THE GLASS MENAGERIE. This innovative new social media campaign features actual scenes from the critically-acclaimed production on the show’s official Instagram page. This campaign is a Broadway first and has gained a lot of buzz, with Broadway World calling it a “peerless social media promotional campaign.” CLICK HERE to read more.

OUR CUPS RUNNETH OVER

december 2013

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, AKA was thrilled to create a cause marketing initiative for the hit Broadway musical ROCK OF AGES called “RAISE YOUR CUPS FOR THE CURE.” AKA secured a partnership with Hard Rock Cafe’s Pinktober campaign to raise awareness and funds for local and international breast cancer charities. Proceeds from the sale of a limited-edition, pink version of the fan favorite “Hooray for Boobies” t-shirt and a “Pinktober-ade” vodka martini were donated to Pinktober at the end of the six week campaign.

This effort was supported by a multiplatform, co-branded media program that included subway two-sheets, a radio partnership with LITE FM, print, digital fitness and elevator screens, and online media. The AKA creative team even refreshed the ROCK OF AGES key art to give it a pink flair!

CLICK HERE to learn more about this program.

BEDLAM RETURNS TO NEW YORK

december 2013

Bedlam Theater Company is one of New York’s rising stars in the Off Broadway scene. After rave reviews for its season this year at the Access theater, Bedlam are now performing their innovative productions of Shakespeare’s HAMLET and the not often staged SAINT JOAN by George Bernard Shaw at the Lynn Redgrave Theater in rotating repertory. Given the plethora of Shakespeare plays gracing NY stages this winter, the campaign has particularly looked to define these productions as groundbreaking and unique. We are specifically focusing on BEDLAM’s mission to break down the barriers between audience and performer and the interpretation of the text. This has led us to create a special partnership with the New York City Department of Education to host two special invite nights for over 100 teachers. We have also invited these educators to bring their students in the New Year to a series of matinee talkbacks in which BEDLAM will work with the kids to explore these classic texts. CLICK HERE to find out more about these incredible productions.

LA SOIRÉE ET LA SMASH HIT!

december 2013

LA SOIRÉE is New York’s utterly outrageous and most unique nightlife offering.  Combining burlesque, circus, comedy and amazing acrobatic and aerial acts, this production is not your traditional circus show! As the show is playing at the Union Square Theater, the promotions and media mix have specifically targeted a downtown crowd with a dominant presence in and around the Union Square area. This has included Pole Banners, Subway 2 sheets and an amazing ticket turnstile domination at Union Square Station, as well as multiple partnerships with restaurants and stores in the area. To watch the saucy TV spot and get a taste of LA SOIRÉE, CLICK HERE.

VISIONS OF SUGAR PLUM FAIRIES

december 2013

NUTCRACKER ROUGE opened at the Minetta Lane Theatre on December 4th. This sizzling reimagining of the beloved Nutcracker tale opened to rave reviews, with The New York Times calling it a “decadent winter spectacle.”

‘TWAS THE AKA HOLIDAY PARTY

december 2013

This year AKA NYC celebrated the holidays on a boat trip around Manhattan! We drank, dined, exchanged presents, did a bit of gambling (you gotta pay for those Secret Snowman presents somehow) and danced the night away as we cruised around Manhattan. We had a very merry night, and everyone enjoyed the holiday cheer. To see photos of our evening, CLICK HERE!

THE GLASS MENAGERIE SHINES

october 2013

Tennessee Williams’s American classic, The Glass Menagerie made its return to Broadway this October, and the critics have called it unforgettable! Ben Brantley of The New York Times declared, “Be prepared to have the breath knocked out of you.”  And the Daily News raved “this shattering and shimmering Glass Menagerie is a must-see.” To watch our latest TV spot click here.

NEW STOMP AD BRINGS THE BEAT TO TV

october 2013

AKA was thrilled to unveil a new TV commercial for Stomp, which was a collaboration between the AKA creative team and Stomp creators Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas. The fabulous TV spot premiered this September in New York City and will play in cities across the country on the US tour.
Check out Stomp’s new look here!

MURDER FOR TWO AT A NEW STAGE

october 2013

We are pleased to announce that after a sold-out run at Second Stage uptown the off-Broadway musical hit Murder for Two began previews at New World Stages on October 23rd. The AKA team has given the hilarious murder mystery a new look, capturing the madcap mayhem and musicality of this who-dunnit duet. For more information about Murder for Two, click here.

MATILDA CELEBRATES ROALD DAHL DAY

october 2013

Last month, Matilda the Musical wished creator Roald Dahl a happy birthday by celebrating Roald Dahl Day Dahl MONTH. Not satisfied with just one day to honor the birthday of world’s greatest storyteller, AKA expanded the festivities to Roald Dahl Month with several initiatives, including Broadway’s first ever Google Hangout Crash in which Matilda cast members “crashed” MATILDA fans’ very own Google hangouts. We also hosted two Google Book Club hangouts with Roald Dahl’s daughter, Lucy Dahl; Fantastic Mr. Fox with Dahl’s granddaughter, Chloe, and The Twitshosted from inside Dahl’s actual writing hut in Great Missenden, UK !

Next time you pass through Times Square, keep an eye out for Matilda’s Double Billboard, which recently went up. Also, for those watching the new fall TV lineup, the show’s new spots recently began airing. Click here to take a peek!

NEW YORK AD WEEK CONFERENCE

october 2013

Joshua Poole, Director of Strategic Innovations, attended the 10th annual New York Advertising Week this past month.  At the conference, he engaged in lively discussions about the current state of advertising and attended panels and lectures on topics ranging from the changing demands of the modern day Creative Director to brand building with Kris Jenner. Joshua’s favorite takeaway from the week were the lessons in innovations with video and mobile communications, as he plans to advance Broadway’s brand strategies with the latest ideas and advancements in advertising. At the heart of these discussions of new technology and techniques were our fundamental mission — to develop big ideas and share stories that engage and inspire audiences.

LUXURY RETAIL SUMMIT

october 2013

Marketing Manager Sara Rosenzweig attended Luxury Daily’s first annual Luxury Retail Summit last month. This daylong event featured speakers from Lalique, Porsche Design, Fairmont Hotels, Gucci, La Mer, Hearst Design Group and the former CEO of Bergdorf Goodman.

No matter the companies’ specialties, each group put special emphasis on customer relations and customer service, stressing how overall experience for the customer is what is going keep them coming back.

AKA believes firmly that theatergoing is a premium experience and attending this conference only further enhanced this belief. The conference reinforced our basic principles such as marketing with consumers, not at them, and never undervaluing our product. We know we have something special and only seek to treat it as such.

AKA LAUNCHES STRATEGIC INNOVATIONS

october 2013

We are thrilled to announce a new AKA department, STRATEGIC INNOVATIONS, and introduce our newly promoted Strategic Innovations Director, Joshua Poole. As a valued member of the Client Services team over the past three years, Joshua has served as Account Supervisor on multiple accounts, including Rock of Ages, Macbeth and A Christmas Story. In this new role, Joshua will focus on developing integrated big ideas across all platforms and delivering industry innovations for our clients. We look forward to sharing more with you in future editions of the newsletter.

OPENING NIGHT AT FIRST DATE

august 2013

Broadway’s musical comedy, FIRST DATE, opened this summer and the critics fell in love with it! The Associated Press called it, “SASSY, MADCAP FUN” and NY1 said “THIS IS ONE FIRST DATE YOU DON’T WANT TO END!” AKA’s social team were present at the opening of this hysterical new show and captured the star-studded event over Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

And while you’re checking out our gorgeous cast, CLICK HERE to check out our new TV commercial!

GLASS COMES TO BROADWAY

august 2013

From director John Tiffany and the Tony Award®-winning creative team behind Oncecomes a spellbinding new production of Tennessee Williams’s masterpiece THE GLASS MENAGERIE. Broadway Previews begin September 5th and excitement is building!

Social networks were buzzing after the installation of the show’s Front of House, Box Office opening and press event. CLICK HERE to view some of the pictures our social team captured of this stellar cast!

And we recently premiered a new TV commercial for this “gorgeous and glorious” production. CLICK HERE to view the new spot.

CHECK OUT THESE DAMES

september 2013

We are proud to be working with Infinity Theatre Company and Perry Street Theatricals on the first Broadway production of the tap-happy, navy-crazy musical comedy DAMES AT SEA—arriving on Broadway in 2014. To support the press announcement of the show, AKA created an animated landing page, complete with high-kicking chorines and plucky sailors! Click HERE to visit the page, and sweep your glooms away with DAMES AT SEA.

STILETTOS AND SEQUINS COME OUT FOR STRICTLY BALLROOM

september 2013

Monday, August 5th saw the launch of Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom the Musical—opening in Sydney, Australia in April 2014 and produced by Global Creatures (King Kong, Walking with Dinosaurs The Arena Spectacular)

Launch day started with a media call for over 100 of the world’s key media outlets. Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin and the entire creative team addressed the press, taking questions and finishing with a fast and furious ballroom dancing presentation. (Check out those wigs!)

The evening saw over 1,000 invited guests, including top group bookers, promotional partners, competition winners and ticket agents, attend a lavish event with Baz at the Sydney Town Hall, which had been decked out as the “Warawee Ballroom Dancing Championships.”

Of course, by the end of the night everyone was on their feet and dancing to the show’s signature tune, “Love Is in the Air!”

GET ON THE BUS

september 2013

AKA shows are dominating the Manhattan streets with our stand-out full-bus-wraps on the open-top tour buses across the City. MATILDA, SPIDER-MAN and ROCK OF AGES are all taking advantage of these huge moving billboards during peak tourist season. And, in case that wasn’t high profile enough, you can find all the shows in the on-board tourism magazine NY City Monthly as well!

SUMMER IN NYC

september 2013

To start the summer off with a bang, AKA implemented an extensive media campaign called Summer in NYC, which targeted affluent New York City vacationers and residents in The Hamptons, Jersey Shore and Fire Island.  This co-branded initiative featured the shows FIRST DATE, JERSEY BOYS, LET IT BE, ROCK OF AGES, SPIDER-MAN and THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL, and included eight weeks of radio, print, online, hand-to-hand distribution and an extensive search engine marketing campaign.  Consumers were directed to SummerInNYC.com, where they were driven to purchase full-priced tickets to each of the six participating shows. Here are some stats on this successful campaign:

• Between the Fourth of July and Labor Day, Summer in NYC delivered approximately 30 million impressions throughout the Tri-State area.
• The click-through rate of our online ads was nearly twice the industry standard.
• And over half a million impressions were served through search ads.

Overall, Summer in NYC reached the largest percentage of new audiences than any other Broadway summer initiative! Thanks to all the shows that participated. We’ll see you next summer.

MATILDA TAKES OVER JFK!

september 2013

Over the past few weeks, MATILDA THE MUSICAL has taken over the American Airlines Terminal at JFK with an extensive ad buy and live cast performances. Look for MATILDA the next time you fly the friendly skies!

THE TRIP IS ALMOST OVER!

september 2013

THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL will be ending its triumphant Broadway run on October 9th. If you haven’t seen this inspiring production starring Tony Award® winner Cicely Tyson and Vanessa Williams, you should get on that! The Associated Press says “Your Heart Will Sing!”
View our latest TV spot HERE and for more information CLICK HERE.

AKA SUMMER AWAY DAY

august 2013

On Friday, August 16th, AKA celebrated our annual Summer Away Day. We bussed it down to Asbury Park, where we lounged by the pool, had a classic backyard barbecue and drank some (strongish) margaritas. It was a terrifically fun day. We hope you all had a chance to enjoy yourselves like we did this summer!

BROADCAST UPDATE

august 2013

Click here to watch the Broadcast Update Video.

A FIRST LOOK AT FIRST DATE

july 2013

For this hysterical and hopeful new Broadway musical about the chances we all take to find love, our broadcast department shot the cast, including Zachary Levi (“Chuck” and Thor: The Dark World) and Krysta Rodriguez (“Smash” and The Addams Family), at the glamorous Dream Hotel in Chelsea.

During the shoot, we filmed a special TV commercial with Zac and Krysta to be played at Radio City Music Hall during The Tony Awards®. And while we were capturing the chemistry of the two stars, we also shot a behind-the-scenes video in which we asked the cast and creatives to dish on their very first date. CLICK HERE to watch those hilariously awkward and adorably cheeky pieces.

SPIDER-MAN SWINGS INTO ORLANDO

july 2013

Last month, Broadway’s favorite superhero swung down to Orlando, FL to take part in the 15th annual Vacation.com convention.  AKA secured SPIDER-MAN an exclusive performance opportunity at this trade show—which welcomes over 2,000 agency owners, front line agents and travel industry suppliers—and  worked with the creative team to develop a high-energy number that included a new medley of four songs, brand-new stunt choreography for the costumed Spider-“Men” and supporting video elements, created by our broadcast department.

SPIDER-MAN was also included in pre-event communication to all attendees and will follow-up the event with a fully-branded insert in the July Vacation.com monthly newsletter. Our thanks to everyone involved for an amazing experience!

JULY UPDATE

july 2013

Click the image to the left to watch the July Update Video.

KING KONG STORMS AUSTRALIA!

july 2013

On June 15, KING KONG THE MUSICAL took Australia by storm at its glittering Global Premiere in Melbourne!

Critics and audiences have been blown away by the show’s breathtaking fusion of the classic and the new. In fact, The Australianraved “KING KONG will change the way we look at musical theatre!”

The Age newspaper said “Eyes will pop and jaws will drop. A magnificent achievement!” The Herald Sun called KING KONG “a triumph! It has the audience gaping in awe.” And The Guardian says it is “Unlike anything seen on stage before!”

To herald this incredible production’s opening night, AKA created an extended cut of our sizzle reel to give the world a taste of the epic music theatre event that is shaking the walls of the Regent Theatre.

300 SHOWS. 10 VENUES. 1000 ARTISTS.

july 2013

AKA was exited to take on the digital media strategy, social strategy and online video production for LE FESTIVAL D’ETE DE QUEBEC.  Held July 4-14th in Québec City, the festival is Canada’s largest outdoor musical event. Tens of thousands of festival-goers take over Québec city historical center for 11 straight days to see world-renowned stars, as well as up-and-coming bands, of all music styles.

To help announce this epic event, we spoke to the entire northeast (a first for Le Festival) and secured online placements on a variety of NYC music-focused publishers, along with creating a video that captures the energy and excitement of both Québec City and LE FESTIVAL D’ETE DE QUEBEC.

To watch the electrifying video, CLICK HERE.

STOMP IS A LEGEND

july 2013

On Tuesday, June 18th, STOMP was honored at The 3rd Annual Off-Broadway Alliance Awards as a “Legend of Off-Broadway.” Original STOMP cast member and current New York rehearsal director Fiona Wilkes and current cast member Jason Mills accepted the award on behalf of the show’s creators, Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas.  Congratulations to this landmark New York production!

AKA WINS 3 BROADWAY MARKETING AWARDS

july 2013

As the cherry on top of a fantastic season, AKA was honored with three Broadway Marketing Awards for our campaign for MATILDA! Followers of The Producer’s Perspective voted for the best Broadway marketing and advertising and we (humbly) accepted the awards for Best Tagline, Best Website and Best Twitter. We’d like to thank everyone that voted for us! And our moms. Cheers everyone!

A NEW BRITISH INVASION!

july 2013

AKA is thrilled to be working on LET IT BE, a spectacular concert experience featuring The Beatles’ greatest hits. And to help announce the arrival of this fab new show, AKA secured an exclusive presale with American Express! LET IT BE will begin performances on Broadway at the St. James Theatre on July 16 with the official opening night of July 24. In the meantime, expect Beatlemania to hit the streets in the coming days!

ADC YOUNG GUNS: RICH TU

july 2013

Join AKA NYC Art Director Rich Tu as he discusses his work at the Apple Store on London’s Regent Street. Hear his emphasis on the importance of diversity in creativity, and the advantages of constantly rethinking the way you work. Come early as seating is limited.

Make a reservation for the event on July 23rd at 7PM by clicking here.

AKA NYC SUMMER PARTY 2013

june 2013

On Saturday, June 8th, we hosted our fourth annual Tony Weekend Summer Party atop the Empire Hotel. From the rooftop terrace, we enjoyed refreshing cocktails while appreciating the company of our clients, friends, and international colleagues. Partygoers that wanted some friendly competition hit the ping-pong table (supplied by our friend/client SPiN Galactic!), while those that wanted a more relaxing experience got all of their kinks worked out by talented masseuses. It was lovely to see so many of you there, and we hope you enjoyed yourselves as much as we did!

Click here to view our Facebook album.

A MASTERPIECE RETURNS TO BROADWAY

may 2013

We are delighted that the new production of Tennessee Williams’ masterpiece, THE GLASS MENAGERIE, starring two-time Tony Award winner Cherry Jones, Zachary Quinto, Tony nominee Celia Keenan-Bolger and Brian J. Smith, will be coming to Broadway.

This exquisite production began at the American Repertory Theater in Boston, where it received glowing reviews. The New York Timescalled it “such a thorough rejuvenation of Tennessee Williams’ drama that I hesitate to call it a revival.” And added star Cherry Jones is “perhaps the greatest stage actress of her generation, in one of the greatest roles in American theatre.” THE GLASS MENAGERIE begins performances September 5th, CLICK HERE to find out more about this must-see production.

THE SMELL OF REBELLION

june 2013

Check out the magical new video we created for Trunchbull’s anthem, “The Smell of Rebellion.”  Our creative and broadcast departments paired up to make this delightful short, which celebrates the ingenious lyrics of MATILDA’s Tim Minchin. CLICK HERE to watch! You can find the rest of our videos here.

STOMP GETS A NEW LOOK

june 2013

AKA is happy to unveil a bold new look for the international sensation, STOMP. This smash hit show has thrived in the East Village’s Orpheum Theatre for nearly twenty years and continues to captivate audiences worldwide. Our new creative injects a fresh perspective on the iconic brand using mega-sized lettering and cast photography. STOMP’s new art is stamped (Or should we say “stomped?”) with the tagline: “Established in 1994 NYC,” solidifying STOMP as a vital part of the city. CLICK HERE to find out more about this amazing show!

THE GREAT ART OF 1812

june 2013

A SCIENTIFIC FREE-FOR-ALL

june 2013

This past weekend, THE WORLD SCIENCE FESTIVAL proved to be a brilliant annual celebration and exploration of science! On Saturday at INNOVATION SQUARE, we spent an unforgettable day with amazing robots, interactive video games, 3-D printed wares and hi-tech installations. That evening, we ventured to an outdoor party below the Brooklyn Bridge for an urban star-gazing event where we learned about the Transit of Venus, a rare astronomical event set for June 5 when Venus passes directly between the Earth and the Sun. On Sunday we experienced THE ULTIMATE SCIENCE STREET FAIR, which held all-new interactive exhibits, games, and performances. To learn more about all the fascinating, fun and free programs the WSF had to offer, CLICK HERE.

MAY UPDATE

may 2013

Click the image to the left to watch the May Update Video.

BROADWAY ROCKS

june 2013

Thousands of Times Square pedestrians joined cast members of Broadway’s favorite shows, along with CBS RADIO New York personalities for The 2nd Annual “Broadway Rocks Times Square for St. Mary’s Kids,” a free concert presented in Father Duffy Square (Broadway & 47th Street) on Sunday, June 2nd.

The outdoor event featured performances from the Broadway hits ROCK OF AGES, SPIDER-MAN TURN OFF THE DARK and the upcoming Broadway musical comedy FIRST DATE, along with a unique photo booth experience sponsored by Broadway’s LET IT BE.

This event is made possible through the collaborative efforts of CBS RADIO New York and AKA, along with additional media support from Clear Channel SPECTACOLOR, New York Post and NASDAQ Reuters.
CLICK HERE to learn more.

KING KONG COMES TO MELBOURNE

june 2013

To celebrate the June arrival of the larger-than-life new musical KING KONG, AKA Australia coordinated a spectacular event on the Eureka Skydeck, the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere!

On Tuesday, May 21st, a 4.5 meter hand (a purpose built replica of the show’s monstrous main character) was attached to the Eureka Skydeck and suspended 300 meters high above Melbourne—complete with KING KONG’s legendary damsel in distress, Ann Darrow (as played by stunt woman Leigh-Anne Vizer)!

Not only will Kong’s hand appear on level 88 of the Skydeck for the run of the show, but AKA also negotiated a tremendous partnership with the Eureka Skydeck that will deliver thousands of dollars of added value to KING KONG’s campaign.

Coverage of the stunt was picked up worldwide across publications including The Guardian, The BBC, The Huffington Post as well as every major news outlet in Australia. CLICK HERE to get a behind-the-scenes look at this king-sized event!

BRITAIN GETS MORE TALENT

june 2013

A big, fat yes!  AKA recently partnered with the UK’s favourite family entertainment show, “Britain’s Got Talent.”

As part of the program’s semi-final week and building-up to its Grand Finale, the prime-time show aired a competition for four lucky winners to win a trip to London, Los Angeles and New York to see some of the world’s best live entertainment, including BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL, WAR HORSE and SPIDER-MAN TURN OFF THE DARK.

The partnership delivered huge nationwide exposure for the shows involved thanks to its 56 screenings and an audience reach of up to 17.7 million viewers.

AKA GOES SOMEWHERE FUN

june 2013

AKA was excited to design the key art for SOMEWHERE FUN—a compelling new play by Jenny Schwartz, which debuted at The Vineyard this month. To help create this haunting and whimsical image, our creative team juxtaposed the surreal elements of the play while grounding them in the familiar setting of Central Park. We’re proud to continue our work with one of New York’s premiere off-Broadway theatres (which formerly produced The Lyons), while supporting The Vineyard’s legacy of provocative show art.

SWAN LAKE COMES TO MOVIE THEATERS

june 2013

We are excited to be working with Fathom Events to advertise the broadcast of the beautiful classic, SWAN LAKE. Get ready to experience the iconic ballet the way it was meant to be seen! On June 6th, Fathom Events and Omniverse Vision will team up to bring you an exclusive viewing of SWAN LAKE in both 2D and RealD 3D. This exciting event will be broadcast live all the way from the Mariinsky Theatre, the birthplace of Russian ballet, to select cinema locations around the world. CLICK HERE to get your tickets today!

STOP THE PRESS!

june 2013

Our very own Scott Moore was recently quoted in an article for Bloomberg News on the ever-expanding world of Broadway corporate sponsorships. To read Scott’s insights and learn more, CLICK HERE.

YG11 JURY DISCUSSION PANEL

may 2013

Join our Art Director, Rich Tu, for the ADC Young Guns 11 Jury Panel as he moderates a discussion geared to give future Young Guns new insight. This is a great opportunity to find out how the jury members became Young Guns themselves and the things they will be looking for as jurors.

The event begins at 8PM, Tuesday, June 4 at the Apple Store SoHo and the panel will include Elizabeth Weinberg and Dan Savage, amongst others.

For more information on the event, check out the ADC Young Guns website by clicking here.

2013 TONY AWARD NOMINATIONS

april 2013

MATILDA: OPENING NIGHT SPECIAL

april 2013

MATILDA opened last week to rave reviews! Read what Ben Brantley of The New York Timeshad to say about the miraculous show here. For more spectacular reviews, visit the MATILDA website HERE.

Continuing our partnership, Google and AKA created a special week of activities to celebrate opening. The partnership included a Google+ Scavenger Hunt on the MATILDA website, a Google Chrome Wallpaper “skin” for MATILDA, a Google Hangout with cast members and Sophie LaMontagne from Georgetown Cupcakes, and a special Google Offer for $5 off a cast album. This delightful series of events was a Broadway first and a lot of fun!

At the opening night celebration, the AKA Broadcast team shot a fabulous red carpet video, featuring interviews with celebrities, the cast and more! CLICK HERE to watch.

We hope you saw our gorgeous Playbill, Broadway World and New York Magazine Vulture takeovers! If you missed them, CLICK HERE to view the magic.

OUT, OUT DAMN TV SPOT!

april 2013

Tony® and Olivier Award Winner Alan Cumming is back on Broadway in Shakespeare’s dark masterpiece, MACBETH – now in previews at the Barrymore Theatre. We are excited to share our spine-tingling new TV spot for the show with you. Click HERE to view it – but don’t watch it alone!

MACBETH opens on Broadway this Sunday, April 21st.

THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL ARRIVES ON TV

april 2013

THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL— Horton Foote’s masterpiece about memory, mortality and the undeniable, universal yearning for home, starring Cicely Tyson, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Vanessa Williams—opens next Tuesday April 23 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre. Before this starry opening, CLICK HERE to watch the show’s new TV spot!

AKA MEETS THE WORLD OF SCIENCE

april 2013

THE WORLD SCIENCE FESTIVAL returns to New York City May 29th – June 2nd for an extraordinary celebration of scientific discovery. AKA is proud to have been appointed as the festival’s creative agency and look forward to exciting New York City (and the world) with new visuals for this year’s events! For more information on the World Science Festival, visit their site here.

BODY WORLDS PULSE COMES TO NEW YORK

april 2013

AKA is proud to be providing online and interactive media services to BODY WORLDS PULSE, which opens at Discovery Times Square on April 26th. The original exhibition from Gunther von Hagens is an inspiring, immersive multimedia exhibition about health, wellness and living to the beat of life in a vibrant, fast-paced city. It is an exhibition unlike any other!

MATILDA: THREE-TIME TELLY AWARD WINNER

may 2013

The prestigious Telly Awards, which have been honoring the most innovative and outstanding work from respected advertising agencies, production companies and television stations since 1979, announced their 34^th annual awards at the end of March.

We are incredibly proud to announce that our pre-opening television campaign for Matilda The Musical triumphed among 13,000 other entries to win in three separate categories. The rigorous judging process involved over 500 accomplished industry professionals before we were awarded in the realms of Excellence in Entertainment, Art Direction and Use of Music.

To find out more about the awards and watch our TV Spot, click here to read the full article on BroadwayWorld.

HOW WAS YOUR WEEKEND?

march 2013

At AKA NYC, our broad range of expertise is often influenced by the eclectic mix of talents and interests of our staff. To give you more insight into the great variety of our influences, we’ve launched a new feature on our Facebook page, AKA: The Weekenders. Check out The Weekenders to see what we get up to outside of the office. Click here to take a look at our album and make sure to check back for weekly updates.

A WHOLE NEW SPIDER-MAN!

march 2013

In honor of SPIDER-MAN TURN OFF THE DARK’s third thrilling year on Broadway, AKA NYC has created a dazzling new look for this breathtaking spectacular! Our creative team captured the mega-hit’s super-hero size, rock ‘n’ roll energy and awe-inspiring effects in two bold new key art images, which will work in tandem. Beginning this spring, keep your eyes peeled for SPIDER-MAN sightings in major outdoor buys all over the city. SPIDER-MAN TURN OFF THE DARK will continue to soar over Broadway at the Foxwoods Theatre through the summer and beyond!

A SINGULAR SENSATION

march 2013

We were really excited to work alongside our sister agency, The Creative Partnership, to develop a series of trailers to support the opening of the West End hit, A CHORUS LINE. It was the perfect opportunity to utilise our combined experience!

Press night quotes, printed that day, were incorporated into the content to highlight the rave reviews within a 24 hour window following the first night of the highly acclaimed production. Have a look at the finished version here.

FIRST DATE

march 2013

This month, AKA got in the mood for love at the groups launch and announcement of FIRST DATE, Broadway’s new musical comedy. FIRST DATE’s very own Cupid journeyed around the city—complete with wings and a halo—and visited group agents and industry folks alike, posing for photos and distributing custom candy conversation hearts!

FIRST DATE will begin its Broadway romance this July. We are thrilled to be a part of this exciting new production, and look forward to sharing more with you in the coming months! In the meantime, click here to visit our Cupid-inspired landing page.

WHAT A TRIP!

march 2013

THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL, starring Cicely Tyson, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Vanessa Williams, is all around the city. We hope this stunning art featuring this talented cast brightens New Yorker’s trips around the city. Be sure to take a look!

Broadway previews for THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL begin on Saturday, March 30th and Opening Night is Tuesday, April 23rd. Get your tickets today!

WE’D LIKE TO THANK THE ACADEMY

march 2013

For a second year, AKA NYC has been recognized as a multiple award-winner in the Annual Telly Awards. The Telly Awards honors “the very best film & video productions, groundbreaking online video content, and outstanding local, regional, & cable TV commercials and programs.” Our work on MATILDA THE MUSICAL, A CHRISTMAS STORY THE MUSICAL, BARE THE MUSICAL, ORCHID, THE LYONS, THE ANARCHIST and SPY THE EXHIBIT has been selected by The Telly Awards and their Silver Telly Council for a total of eleven 2013 awards, specifically recognizing our excellence in Entertainment, Art Direction, Use of Music, Use of Humor and Editing.

The 34th Annual Telly Awards received over 13,000 entries from the finest ad agencies, production companies, TV stations, cable companies, interactive agencies and corporations in the world. It is a remarkable achievement to be selected for recognition and truly an honor.

You can view all our winning spots here.

SXSW & AKA

march 2013

South by Southwest® is a unique annual festival in Austin where music, indie film and emerging technologies combine. This year Sarah, Jen and Emily from AKA’s digital department put on their cowboy boots and headed deep into the heart of Texas to check it out. There they found themselves surrounded by over 30,000 digital specialists from around the world.

We’re excited to start implementing the things our team learned in a variety of channels over the next few months. To whet your appetite, here’s a peek at our favorite 10 takeaways:

1. Consumers don’t think per medium, they engage with all mediums.
2. It’s all about engaging consumers authentically.
3. We never understood how people consumed media and news before digital. We only knew reach.
4. Technology should fade into the background, helping you to do the things that you love.
5. Those people bored at work who surf the web (blogging, tweeting, FB and IM) are a bigger audience than the BBC, CNN or any other traditional media channel.
6. Be a brand partner. Help brands figure out what people are interested in and help them share it in a clever, relevant way.
7. Social media is real-time marketing – people engage with relevant content that matters to them at that moment.
8. In this day and age, everyone is a media company.
9. Be emotive. You don’t remember the joke, you remember that you laughed with your friends.
10. Social media is becoming the new starting point for content.

For the more visual people out there, take a look at our SXSW album on the AKA Facebook page.

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES

february 2013

This spring, Tony® and Olivier Award winner Alan Cumming will star on Broadway in a bold new interpretation of MACBETH, staged by John Tiffany, the Tony-winning director of Once, and Andrew Goldberg. This production had sold-out runs at the National Theatre of Scotland and the Lincoln Center Festival and now it’s coming to Broadway. In preparation for the run, which begins April 7 at the Barrymore Theatre, AKA developed a powerful, visually-arresting brand that is sure to catch the eyes of New York. Look for the full page ad that ran on page 3 of this past Sunday’s Arts and Leisure Spring Preview issue in The New York Times. And check out the Barrymore Theatre marquee, which Alan himself helped to install!

ROCKIN’ THE TIMES SQUARE TURNSTILES!

february 2013

ROCK OF AGES is excited to be the first Broadway show to take over all the subway turnstiles at the Times Square subway station. This hot new ad buy is part of a larger winter transit advertising campaign, which also included additional subway branding. AKA branded the turnstiles at all 10 entrances to this heavily trafficked station to catch the eye of commuters and tourists as they enter and exit the station. The turnstiles will be seen throughout the winter, resulting in thousands of branding impressions per day. In addition to that, they’re freakin’ awesome!

MATILDA ON TV AND IN BOOKS

february 2013

MATILDA’s latest TV commercial is here! Following on the heels of our winter campaign, we introduced the first look at the show itself, again featuring the voice talent of Sir Michael Gambon. Take a look at the TV spot here.

In other news MATILDA THE MUSICAL has launched a book club with Penguin Young Readers Group, celebrating Roald Dahl. In conjunction with previews beginning next week a book will be announced to be read each month. In April, a Google+ Hangout, hosted by Lucy Dahl (Roald Dahl’s daughter), will explore the topics and themes from the book, as well as Lucy’s personal stories. We think this is a really exciting way to dive further into the magical world of Roald Dahl! For more information, please visit: www.matildathemusical.com/bookclub

THERE’S A NEW “HIT” OFF-BROADWAY

february 2013

AKA is thrilled to be working on HIT THE WALL, Ike Holter’s new play about a group of unlikely revolutionaries thrust onto the frontline of history during the 1969 Stonewall riots. The show is making its New York premiere at the Barrow Street Theatre after a successful run last spring at Steppenwolf’s Garage Rep, and is presented by the team that brought audiences the unforgettable productions of TRIBES and OUR TOWN. Don’t miss it!

WHAT HAPPENED IN 2012

february 2013

In spite of Hurricane Sandy, 2012 was a record-setting year for Broadway ticket sales. We’ve assembled an infographic which recalls some of the highlights and some of the challenges that we as an industry faced in the past twelve months, with a look forward at what 2013 holds in store. Click to view our infographic here.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT!

february 2013

We are delighted to have been appointed as the full-service marketing and advertising agency in London for one of the world’s favorite museums, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
Situated in the heart of the capital, the museum is home to over 700 authentic and original exhibits collected from everywhere you can imagine, representing the fascinating places and cultures visited by Robert Ripley during his travels. Such is the extent of his collection that the iconic, five floor London attraction is but one in a global chain of “odditoriums” (as Ripley’s calls its museums).

This is a breakthrough addition to our Events & Attractions roster – we’re very pleased to be working with such a well-known and well-loved tourist institution!

NYC & COMPANY ANNUAL MEETING

february 2013

Members of our marketing and digital teams attended the NYC & Co. Annual Meeting last week at Avery Fisher Hall. The meeting featured speeches from Mayor Bloomberg, NYC & Co. staff members and a special appearance via satellite by Miss Piggy. Here are some key findings from the meeting:

• 52 million tourists visited NYC in 2012 spending 55 billion dollars.
• NYC’s goal is 55 million tourists spending 70 billion dollars by 2015.
• 1 out of every 10 jobs in NYC is in the hospitality industry (over 350,000).
• NYC welcomed 5.2 million visitors to NYC as a result of a meeting or convention (300,000 more than Las Vegas).
• NYC saw the most international visitors from the following countries:
  • Canada
  • England
  • Brazil (NYC & Co. has been working with the State Department to make it easier to obtain a Visa from Brazil to the U.S. As a result, Brazil has jumped to the #3 slot.)
  • France
  • Germany
  • China
  • Australia

THE CREATIVE PARTNERSHIP

january 2013

We’re thrilled to announce that film advertising agency The Creative Partnership has become part of the AKA Group. With offices in London and Los Angeles, The Creative Partnership has over three decades of experience as one of the leading names in the entertainment industry and a strong legacy of creating award-winning integrated campaigns for both theatrical and home entertainment clients. Most recently the agency has been responsible for developing campaigns for award contenders like Lincoln, Zero Dark Thirtyand the epic musical Les Misérables.

CLICK HERE to visit the website for The Creative Partnership and see some of its amazing work!

NEW YEAR, NEW LOOK!

january 2013

AKA is kicking off 2013 with a fresh, new logo. We used the idea of ‘Moving Forward’ as a conceptual starting point in our exploration to find a brand that illustrates AKA’s focus on innovation and cutting-edge advertising. AKA NYC Senior Designer and branding specialist Adam Neumann, led the redesign:

“The mark flips part of the ‘K’ to become a forward-pointing icon which leads a viewer through our company materials. We built upon our existing color scheme, adding purple to our red and blue while incorporating gradients within this palette to add theatricality and flair to the overall look. AKA’s new brand identity reflects the contemporary, forward-thinking company we are and the dedication and passion we bring to our clients.”

MCC THEATER – MISCAST 2013

january 2013

MCC Theater’s annual gala, MISCAST sees Broadway favorites take to the Hammerstein Ballroom stage in this one-night-only extravaganza, performing songs from roles in which they would never be cast. Once again, AKA has created branding for the event and developed an invitation that is at once fresh and exciting, yet delivers a continuity that honors the legacy of this annual production. Mark your calendars for this highly-anticipated evening set for March 4!

ATLANTIC THEATER COMPANY

january 2013

We were thrilled to work with the award-winning Atlantic Theater Company to redesign the websites for both their Theater Company and Acting School. The two new sites highlight the updated branding for the company, bring key information to the forefront and optimize the user’s experience. Take a virtual tour of their updated look!

Atlantic Theater Company: http://atlantictheater.org/
Atlantic Acting School: http://www.atlanticactingschool.org/

NEW TV FROM MATILDA THE MUSICAL

january 2013

This week AKA debuted the latest TV commercial for MATILDA, voiced by none other than legendary star of stage and screen, Sir Michael Gambon.

You can see the commercial airing exclusively this month on WABC-TV or online on in our portfolio. MATILDA begins performances on Broadway on March 4th.

RECORD-BREAKING NEWS

january 2013

Two of AKA’s Broadway musicals closed out 2012 with a bang! A CHRISTMAS STORY, THE MUSICAL, new to Broadway this fall, broke the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre house record twice: week ending 12/23 with a 9 performance gross of $1,491,488.20 and week ending 12/30 with an 8 performance gross of $1,558,922. And the long-running Broadway musical ROCK OF AGES broke the Helen Hayes Theatre house record again, beating its previous record-breaking week in 2011, week ending December 30 with a 9 performance gross of $745,205.20.

THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL

january 2013

Cicely Tyson, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Vanessa Williams take the stage this spring in a landmark production of Horton Foote’s THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL. Performances begin March 30th at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.

American Express Cardholders have exclusive access to tickets now through January 30th.

THE SVA RECEPTION

january 2013

AKA New York City had a great time celebrating our new partnership with the School of Visual Arts on Monday. Check out some of our photos from the event where we got together to celebrate the work of some of their most talented students. We’re very proud of our new relationship and can’t wait to work with SVA more in the future!

BEYOND THE MUSIC

december 2012

AKA is proud to support the industry lab presentation of BEYOND THE MUSIC, an exciting new musical with original book and direction by Andy Sandberg and an exhilarating pop-rock score by Cliff Downs and Katie Kahanovitz. Performances take place at the Manhattan Movement & Arts Center (248 W 69th Street) Monday, January 28 at 3pm and 7pm, and Tuesday, January 29 at 12pm.

THE AKA/SVA SCHOLARSHIP

december 2012

AKA takes great pride in the support and fostering of up-and-coming artists. In conjunction with the School of Visual Arts, aka has created an exciting new annual scholarship. Students were tasked to make an original piece of art incorporating a Broadway theme. After going through dozens of beautiful designs, we selected one grand prize winner and four runners-up. Those students received scholarships towards their education and the advancement of their career.

For more information and to view all of the submissions, visit www.akanyc.net/svascholarship

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS STORY

december 2012

On November 19, A CHRISTMAS STORY, THE MUSICAL opened to rave reviews and a flurry of activity, which has made it the must-have ticket of the holiday season! A major part of aka‘s advertising campaign for this musical smash was broadcast TV. We partnered with WABC-TV to secure select prime-time spots, including “Dancing with the Stars,” election coverage, Taxi TV and other highly-viewed programming through partnership rates, added-value, and bonus access. The show‘s robust online campaign featured a fun interactive online contest to find Ralphie‘s missing glasses and CHRISTMAS came early for tourists and business travelers with a branded takeover at JFK‘s American Airlines terminal. ‘Tis the season!

To view the TV spot, CLICK HERE.

DECK THE HALLS OF PENN STATION!

december 2012

BREAKING NEWS: New York’s hometown hero Spider-Man has been spotted all over the Long Island Railroad terminal at Penn Station. And we do mean all over! AKA has created a truly Super Hero-size takeover across the platform and ticketing levels of one of the busiest transit hubs in the world. The eye-popping results include more than 60 individual pieces and required our dynamic design team over 100 hours to create. We think even the Green Goblin would agree: the results are amazing. Spidey and friends will be watching over LIRR Penn Station through December. Check it out! We couldn’t be prouder of this spectacular installation for our high-flying client: SPIDER-MAN TURN OFF THE DARK!

JINGLE BELL ROCK OF AGES

december 2012

For the 2nd year in a row, ROCK OF AGES is getting into the holiday spirit with a new campaign for the month of December. In this fun and festive new ad, even Santa (cast member Adam Dannheisser) is a ROCK OF AGES fan! This cheerful campaign is running across print, online and direct response. Also highlighted are special VIP Holiday Packages, giving ROCK fans a chance to amp up the fun even more, and further increase the show’s grosses during peak holiday performance weeks.

So be on the lookout for a Santa that totally ROCKS!

HARRY POTTER THE EXHIBITION

december 2012

AKA is proud to be working on HARRY POTTER THE EXHIBITION, which returned to New York in November. The exhibit now features additions from the final films, in addition to the previously displayed artifacts, and is the next chapter in the Harry Potter adventure!

In order to attract maximum attention to this exhibition during the crowded landscape of the holiday season, AKA crafted a digital media strategy that not only included the traditional outlets such as The New York Times and Broadway World, but also Entertainment Weekly, NBC Universal movie sites (including Fandango.com) as well as Time Out New York Kids. We also developed ads for the iPad edition of The New York Times to capture the attention of on-the-go fans/tourists who are mobile and searching through things to do in the city.

THE LOOK OF FOREVER DUSTY

december 2012

FOREVER DUSTY: The Dusty Springfield Musical is currently playing at New World Stages. Check out our groovy new TV commercial HERE!

JOINING THE PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART

december 2012

We are thrilled to be working with the Philadelphia Museum of Art on the digital and marketing campaign for “Dancing around the Bridge: Cage, Cunningham, Johns, Rauschenberg, and Duchamp.” The New York Times recently hailed the exhibit as “a top candidate for favorite museum show of the year!” In addition to this one-of-a-kind exhibition, aka is handling the digital campaign for the museum’s holiday celebration. We are very proud to be working with such a prestigious institution.

FRONT ROW SEATS AT THE DONMAR

december 2012

In London, we’re really proud to have been appointed as the Donmar Warehouse’s full-service agency, encompassing all their work at the Donmar and the associated season at the Trafalgar Studios.

Last month we launched Barclays Front Row, which will transform the Donmar from THE most exclusive “impossible to get a ticket” theatre in London to one of the most accessible  in town.

Every Monday at 10am, the Donmar release an allocation of £10 front row seats for forthcoming productions. The tickets are available to everyone on a first come first served basis online, on the phone and in person.

The launch campaign included an integrated advertising campaign, brand partnerships, targeted distribution, direct marketing and online social initiatives. The first ticket release took place at 10am on Monday, November 19th for the first week of performances of JULIUS CAESAR, Phyllida Lloyd’s all female production of Shakespeare’s raw and eternal study of power. The scheme has been an overwhelming success and has already begun to make a big difference to the diversity of their audiences and the energy in the auditorium.

WAR HORSE ARRIVES IN MELBOURNE

december 2012

The international sensation WAR HORSE has now been seen by 2 million people worldwide and is about to open at The Arts Centre in Melbourne, Australia. Our Australian offices are extremely proud to be working with this newly mounted co-production between The National Theatre of Great Britain and Global Creatures. WAR HORSE will make its Australian debut on New Year’s Eve before touring to Sydney, Brisbane and on to New Zealand in 2013.

HOLIDAYS ON THE HIGH SEAS!

december 2012

This year AKA NYC celebrated the holidays on a boat, y’all!  We ate dinner, exchanged “Secret Snowman” presents and danced the not-so silent night away on a cruise around Manhattan.   We had a wonderful evening, and everyone got into the holiday spirit (or just spirits in general).  To see photos of the fun, CLICK HERE!

BROADWAY ROCKS

november 2012

Raising awareness for St. Mary’s Healthcare System For Children

In September, AKA partnered with CBS Radio New York, Spectacolor and News Corp to present a special benefit called “Broadway Rocks.” The event took place in the heart of Times Square and raised awareness for St. Mary’s Healthcare System For Children. Cast members from aka shows SPIDER-MAN TURN OFF THE DARK, A CHRISTMAS STORY THE MUSICAL, ROCK OF AGES, BARE and FOREVER DUSTY rocked the crowd for this wonderful cause.

CLICK HERE to watch the 5 & 6 CBS News coverage.

Our hope is to make Broadway Rocks an annual event. Thanks to all involved and those who came for making it a success!

OLNEY THEATRE CENTER – 75TH ANNIVERSARY

november 2012

AKA has recently completed a rebranding project for the Olney Theatre Center in Maryland. The new identity coincides with the institution’s 75th anniversary and the arrival of Martin Platt as Artistic Director. It communicates the excitement of the live theatre experience and the diversity of content offered at OTC. The project began with a new logo, distilling down to an (O!) which serves as a recognizable and versatile branding element. Furthermore, aka designed the theatre’s new season brochure and social media skins, developing cohesive branding (logo, key art, type) across all communications that will make Olney’s presence in the D.C.-area market more visible than ever before, as this storied institution looks boldly to the future with a striking new look.

For more information, CLICK HERE.

MIAMI’S NEWEST THEATRICAL POP-UP ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE

november 2012

ORCHID is Miami’s newest theatrical pop-up entertainment experience, a cocktail of song, dance, glamour, burlesque, aerial acrobatics and variety arts set inside The Pleasure Garden, a seductive throwback to the pleasure gardens of the 19th century. Part Moulin Rouge, part Cirque du Soleil, this pop-culture infused extravaganza is performed in a vintage European Cabaret tent and enhanced by an exclusive food and beverage program developed by James Beard award winning chef, Michelle Bernstein.

With an exotic international cast led by Director William Baker—who has worked with the likes of Kylie, Rihanna and Britney—this is one show that has to be seen to be believed…

ORCHID is now in previews in Miami’s Design District. Watch the teaser video HERE and CLICK HERE to explore our gorgeous new website and learn more about this enticing new theatrical experience!

FOREVER DUSTY: OUR CREATIVE

november 2012

This exhilarating new musical about the Legendary Dusty Springfield opened at New World Stages in November. We’re very proud of the gorgeous art our design team created for this show, and we’d like to share it with you here. Look for all of Dusty’s amazing hits in her famous beehive! To learn more about FOREVER DUSTY,CLICK HERE.

LABYRINTH THEATER’S 21ST SEASON

november 2012

AKA is thrilled to be working with the LAByrinth Theatre on their 21st season! Among the exciting new productions we can expect from this innovative theater company are three World Premieres: Radiance by Cusi Cram (All the Bad Things), A Family for All Occasions by Bob Glaudini (to be directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman) and a provocative new play from Stephen Adly Guirgis (The Motherfucker with the Hat). We can also look forward to the return of the new play reading festivals: NewYorkNewYork and the Barn Series. For more information and LAB Pass access, CLICK HERE.

ROYAL OPERA HOUSE, LONDON – ONE EXTRAORDINARY WORLD

november 2012

The Royal Opera House, one of the world’s most prestigious cultural institutions, is a hugely significant addition to our portfolio of clients. We’re thrilled that our remit encompasses managing the organization’s creative brand development, promotions and media buying both online and offline.

Most recently our London office developed the key artwork for the Royal Opera House’s Winter 2012 brochure, which sets the tone for the upcoming season. The artwork developed draws on the primary themes of the programme’s featured productions, specifically the revival of Tosca and the eagerly awaited re-imagining of opera Eugene Onegin.

London Creative Director, Matt Dixon, developed the concept working alongside photographer Kevin Macintosh and Production Designer Daryl McGregor. The dramatic result, which features Royal Ballet principles Steven McCrae and Thiago Soares, has been inspired by the concept of memory, bringing to mind the fleeting moments in time and the chaotic store of distorted recollections that can determine subsequent lives.

SPY: NEW TV CAMPAIGN

september 2012

SPY: THE SECRET WORLD OF ESPIONAGE continues to dominate the New York landscape and with the exhibition running through March next year the campaign now introduces TV for the fall season. We were tasked with creating an accessible and exciting TV commercial that would speak directly to families. You can take a close look at CIA artifacts and real spy gadgets from highly classified archives in our high-tech spot here.

SUMMER ROCKS AT SIX FLAGS!

september 2012

AKA rocked America’s largest regional theme park this summer with an integrated partnership between Broadway’s ROCK OF AGES and Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey.

Targeting a broad demographic in the peak of summer leisure, ROCK OF AGES covered the park with outdoor signage, TV and radio spots in queues, strategically placed digital signage, collateral distribution, and online presence.

Furthermore, Six Flags featured an entire ROCK OF AGES Day this August, bringing Broadway’s biggest thrill ride to park guests with an exciting performance by the cast, prizes, and an ’80s costume contest – all heavily pre-promoted in the park.

Get ready for more fun this fall as the partnership continues into Fright Fest 2012!

PRESALE WITH GOOGLE OFFERS AND AMERICAN EXPRESS®!

september 2012

In a Broadway first, AKA secured a groundbreaking partnership between Google, American Express® and MATILDA THE MUSICAL, which opens on Broadway spring 2013. Tickets are on presale now supported by cross-platform exposure with The New York Times (including a full page in their Fall Preview issue), online presence and a high impact TV campaign. You can take a look at our animated spot which features a voiceover by none other than Sir Michael Gambon here.Tickets for MATILDA THE MUSICAL will be on sale to Google Offers subscribers from Friday, September 21. Tickets are on sale to American Express Cardmembers now. More details atMatildaTheMusical.com.

MONSTER NEWS FROM AKA MELBOURNE

september 2012

YOU ARE INVITED: GLOBAL CREATURES LAUNCH THEIR MOST AMBITIOUS PROJECT YET. KING KONG!

Five years in the making by an award-winning international creative team, KING KONG is set to be an epic and dazzlingly original theatrical experience. This ground-breaking production will feature a cast of 49 actors, singers, dancers, circus performers and puppeteers who will bring to life one of the most advanced puppets in the world – a one-ton, six meter tall silverback gorilla.

On Saturday October 6th at 8pm (EST), GLOBAL CREATURES invite you to join them for their KING KONG launch event, live streamed from Melbourne’s Plaza Ballroom. Here they will announce their internationally renowned musical contributors, premiere performances of original compositions, unique insights from the creative team and the reveal of their exceptional cast.

To watch, tune in to kingkongliveonstage.com

USA West Coast – October 6, 5pm
Australia (AEST) – October 7, 1pm
United Kingdom – October 7, 1 am

Footage will be available for download after the event.

SARA JANE MERCER: ONLINE VIDEO SERIES

august 2012

Last year we created the Sara Jane Mercer Clean, Pure and Simple brand and built all of her online assets. Recently promoted through Martha Stewart Weddings, CECISTYLE, RebeccaCasciano.com, Vegan Magazine, and Spirit Beauty Lounge, Sara Jane Mercer has now teamed up with makeup artist Rebecca Casciano and Spirit.com for a three part video series produced and edited by aka. Take a look at the video series here.

A CHRISTMAS STORY, THE MUSICAL: BROADWAY PREMIERE

august 2012

Tickets for this new Broadway musical based on the beloved classic film went on sale Wednesday, August 8 through an American Express presale, followed shortly thereafter by a presale period with Audience Rewards. In developing the creative campaign, aka has brought to life numerous visual elements so fondly remembered by the movie’s millions of fans. Who could forget the famous leg lamp, the mischievous Ralphie Parker, and the must-be-Italian “fragile” box? Look out for all of them as we prepare to take over New York this holiday season.

» visit the website here.

SPIDER-MAN WELCOMES TRAVELERS TO NYC!

august 2012

AKA secured an exclusive promotional partnership with American Airlines and SPIDER-MAN TURN OFF THE DARK launching the first-ever domination of the American Airlines terminal at JFK. Large-scale banners and vibrant wallscapes leave a superhero-sized impression as incoming passengers make their way through the terminal and baggage claim. The extended partnership includes over 12 million impressions via online and printed boarding passes, website promotions, in-flight magazine ads and audio spots delivering a total media value exceeding $1 million!

LONDON OLYMPICS

august 2012

The success of the London Olympics relied on great teamwork and that’s also true of marketing campaigns this summer!

In the lead up to London 2012, our London team worked closely with McDonald’s to develop a recognition and reward scheme for the Olympic Games’ volunteer program. As the official sponsors of the program, McDonald’s trained over 70,000 ‘Games Makers’ who received exclusive access to a dedicated site where they could take advantage of theatre tickets priced at just £20.12.

To find out more about our exclusive reward and recognition scheme with McDonald’s visit our international website.

THE ANARCHIST: FIRST LOOK

july 2012

Pulitzer Prize winning playwright David Mamet’s new play THE ANARCHIST made its debut with a teaser at the TONY AWARDS® on June 10th. You can take another look at the explosive teaser trailer we put together here before we welcome THE ANARCHIST to Broadway this November.

» view the spot

AKA JOINS FORCES WITH LEADING INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES

july 2012

We are proud to be providing creative and interactive services for this new exhibition at Discovery Times Square. SPY: THE SECRET WORLD OF ESPIONAGE is presented by BASE Entertainment and reveals declassified stories, objects and artifacts from the CIA. With the World Premiere of the exhibition here in New York, our creative has truly taken over the city with an expansive outdoor campaign.

GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS: AL PACINO’S BACK ON BROADWAY THIS FALL

july 2012

AL PACINO returns to Broadway this fall when he stars in DAVID MAMET’S acclaimed Pulitzer Prize-winning drama GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS and we are thrilled to be a part of the team. PACINO, who was nominated for an Oscar for portraying the role of Ricky Roma in the film version, will now take on the role of Shelly Levene in this new production, which marks the 30th anniversary of the play. Previews begin October 16 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre for this limited 10 week run!

AKA TONY WEEKEND PARTY

july 2012

Our third annual Tony Weekend Summer Party took place in New York on Saturday, June 9th. For this year’s party we took over the roof terrace at the Top of the Strand, where we all enjoyed Pimms and cocktails while looking out over stunning views of the Empire State Building and all the way downtown to the new One World Trade Center tower. With masseurs available, it was a wonderful opportunity for the AKA NYC team to share a relaxing afternoon with friends, international colleagues, clients and suppliers. We were delighted to see so many of you there and hope you had as much fun as we did. We’re already looking forward to next year’s party!
» view photos from the party

THE FIRST EVER INSTAGRAM MEETUP

may 2012

We were delighted that The Huffington Post featured our END OF THE RAINBOW Instagram campaign with details on the first ever Broadway Instagram meet-up, at the Belasco Theatre. The event reached over 500,000 users and generated hundreds of new photos on Instagram.
» read the article
» view the Instagram feed

ROCK OF AGES: TONIGHT I ROCK!

may 2012

ROCK OF AGES kicked off its fourth smash year on Broadway with a new creative campaign – TONIGHT I ROCK! – depicting regular people by day who totally rock out by night at Broadway’s Best Party. The exciting new creative was rolled out across Manhattan, targeting spring tourists, office workers, transit riders, and pedestrians through an incredible outdoor advertising buy, featuring digital urban panels throughout the city, subway interior cards across multiple lines, and an impressive branded interior take-over on the Shuttle train between Times Square and Grand Central Station.

BEHIND THE POSTER

may 2012

We’re thrilled that Arts Beat, the culture section of the New York Times online, featured our artwork for the Broadway revival of A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE in their latest Behind the Poster feature.

» read the article

RITA LYONS ON TV

may 2012

The Vineyard Theatre’s hit play THE LYONS transferred to Broadway this spring. One major effort was creating a strong TV campaign that would cut through the heavy spring activity. The play’s sharp and witty humor was captured perfectly with Tony Award® – winning star Linda Lavin delivering a series of motherly “observations” from her character Rita Lyons. Viewers love these spots on TV – look out for future versions to be released online soon!

» view the spots

AKA NYC WINS TEN 2012 TELLY AWARDS

may 2012

The Telly Awards has named AKA NYC as a multiple top prize winner in the 33rd Annual Telly Awards for our BILLY ELLIOT Broadway TV spot and HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON ARENA SPECTACULAR trailer, with distinction for our promotional and branding campaign work. With over 11,000 international entries each year, this is truly an honor.

“The Telly Awards has a mission to honor the very best in film and video,” said Linda Day, Executive Director of the Telly Awards. “AKA New York’s accomplishment illustrates their creativity, skill, and dedication to their craft and serves as a testament to great film and video production.”

» view our Billy Elliot Broadway spot
» view our Dragons spot

DREAMWORKS’ HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON ARENA SPECTACULAR:

march 2012

“Dragons marvel as arena entertainment hits new heights.”
—Sydney Morning Herald

DREAMWORKS’ HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON ARENA SPECTACULAR opened in Melbourne this month and AKA was thrilled to help excite the audiences by creating a new trailer and TV spot for the production. The show arrives in the U.S. later this summer, featuring awe-inspiring live action that will thrill audiences of any age! Visit DreamWorksDragonsLive.com for up to date news and tour dates.
» view our new trailer

BRINGING THE AUDIENCE INTO THE PICTURE

march 2012

Leading up to the first performance of END OF THE RAINBOW, AKA created a signature style for the show’s social media postings that communicates the poise, attitude and timelessness of the legendary Judy Garland. Throughout rehearsals, the cast and creative team have captured special moments, which aka has treated and posted via Instagram. The photos are accessible via an Instagram tab on the show’s Facebook page and were turned into an exclusive and downloadable Facebook cover photo. The initiative has so far reached over 650,000 people. END OF THE RAINBOW is now playing at the Belasco Theatre.

» view Instagram feed

ROCKING THE SUBURBS ALL WINTER LONG

march 2012

This winter, suburbanites who love to ROCK were the life of the party at the Helen Hayes Theatre eight times a week. After careful geographic analysis of recent sales patterns, AKA’S winter advertising plan for ROCK OF AGES focused on regional suburban outreach. Key placements in Long Island, Staten Island, Westchester, and New Jersey included mall advertisements, billboard signage, commuter rail presence, select local print ads, and gym and bar digital screen loops. A new testimonial television spot began airing throughout the region as well, capturing the kick-ass party atmosphere that audiences keep coming back for again and again. In this short period, ticket sales have increased over 10% in Long Island and 5% in the New Jersey suburbs. With these carefully targeted placements and a keen eye toward securing the best value possible, ROCK OF AGES flourished during a traditionally weak season across the industry.

EXCLUSIVE PRESALE PARTNERSHIPS

march 2012

This season, desire is taking on a whole new rhythm with Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE. Launching in style, AKA secured a presale with American Express and partnered with New York Magazine to deliver maximum exposure in-book and online including an exclusive takeover of the Entertainment homepage. A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE begins previews April 3 at the Broadhurst Theatre.
» view our TV spot

SXSW: AKA AT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST’S INTERACTIVE CONFERENCE

march 2012

Our Director of Digital, along with our Director of Marketing and Partnerships, travelled to Austin, TX, earlier this month to attend SXSW Interactive, the biggest interactive conference on Earth—a breeding ground for new ideas and creative technologies.

A few advance previews of what’s to come in 2012:
⋅Transmedia campaigns will allow brands a 24/7 interactive platform with users.
⋅Product storytelling will play a big role in brand engagement on all digital outlets.
⋅AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile are creating a joint-venture app, ISIS, which allows for payment via phone. No wallet needed!

We were so inspired at SXSW that we can’t wait to introduce everything we learned into your campaigns.

BRINGING THE AUDIENCE INTO THE CONVERSATION

january 2012

Stick Fly, a new play by Lydia R. Diamond and directed by Kenny Leon, has taken the audience experience to a new level. Working with the cast and creative team, including producer/composer Alicia Keys, the show is holding regular talkbacks following select performances. AKA has secured sponsor organizations to host each talk, promoting group nights and special events including The Root, USA Network/Psych, Martha’s Vineyard, and Black Enterprise.

THE NATIONAL THEATRE OF GREAT BRITAIN: PROMOTING THE NT LIVE SERIES

january 2012

The National Theatre continues its US domination by extending its offering to audiences across the US through NT LIVEC—a season of thrilling live theatre broadcasts to local cinemas across the country direct from the National Theatre’s London home. This season opens with TRAVELLING LIGHT on Feb 9 and will continue with Shakespeare’s COMEDY OF ERRORS, the classic comedy SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER and Danny Boyle’s award winning FRANKENSTEIN. Visit NTLive.com for venue info nationwide and tickets.

MEMPHIS THE MUSICAL PARTNERS IN-STORE PROMOTION WITH COCA-COLA

january 2012

This month, AKA partners MEMPHIS THE MUSICAL with Coca-Cola, in a unique in-store promotion of a MEMPHIS enter-to-win contest promoted with multi-packs of Coca-Cola. Available at 52 ShopRite locations throughout the Tri-State area, the contest is promoted with Coca-Cola/MEMPHIS branded point-of-sale materials, online and in ShopRite advertising. Reaching over 4.6 million shoppers over 4 weeks, with online and print reaching a further 6 million. WBLS-FM supports the partnership with almost $100,000 in media value through live on-air dial to win contests, pre-recorded promos, and appearances by DJs in-store. The overall promotion delivers over $450,000 in value for under $3,000 spend!

MEMPHIS RINGS IN 2012 WITH A WHOLE NEW LOOK!

january 2012

This month, MEMPHIS THE MUSICAL takes over 50% of all 2-sheet platform posters (over 520 posters total) in NYC subway stations. We negotiated to receive half of the posters free-of-charge. The campaign is an aka media first with 50% of the sites guaranteed in prime city locations. The posters utilize five brand-new looks for the show to showcase MEMPHIS as the fun, passionate, must-see hit that it is.

BILLY ELLIOT—THREE YEARS ON BROADWAY!

january 2012

After three years, 10 Tony Awards^® and 16 Billys, BILLY ELLIOT on Broadway took its final bow this past Sunday, January 8, 2012. We were proud to roll out new creative last fall across outdoor, online display, print collateral and TV showcasing the triumph, energy and eternal spirit of the show.

THE HIGHEST WEEKLY GROSS IN BROADWAY HISTORY!

january 2012

SPIDER-MAN TURN OFF THE DARK achieved the highest weekly gross in Broadway history this past holiday. We contributed to SPIDER-MAN’s historic, record-setting week by securing VIP partners and monitoring premium inventory for this blockbuster show. Almost in celebration, Spider-Man himself hit the airwaves, saving CNN’s Anderson Cooper from the evil clutches of the Green Goblin, in an integrated partnership we brokered in conjunction with Countdown 2012, Times Square Alliance and CNN. We devised, conceived and delivered the stunt with our colleagues that was broadcast live on the Jumbotrons throughout Times Square, and also delighted the national television audience.

END OF THE RAINBOW LAUNCHES WITH MEDIA FIRST IN THE NEW YORKER

january 2012

END OF THE RAINBOW launched its advertising campaign with a two-part national ad in The New Yorker‘s January 2 issue. We negotiated the inside front cover position, which ran to all of The New Yorker‘s one million+ subscriber base, for the rate of an NYC DMA page. We also negotiated the front cover flap for newsstand copies within the DMA. This is the first time a Broadway show has run in this combined position, and the savings to the show totaled over $250,000. END OF THE RAINBOW begins previews at the Belasco Theatre on March 19. CLICK HERE.

IT’S ONLY A SHORT EXTENSION

february 2015