Problem

Théatre français de Toronto (TFT) needed to expand its subscriptions, especially into the English speaking community, but faced several challenges.

Solution

Like all theatre companies, TFT has to keep a keen eye on costs. Their marketing aspirations are significant but their budget is fixed. Since partnering with TFT in 2002, CLD found a way to make the numbers work. By moving to a monthly retainer fee, CLD could match TFT’s communications plan to their budget. Functionally, this makes CLD an in-house studio for TFT, relieving the theatre company of pressure to constantly watch the bottom line. CLD creates all of TfT’s communications to the media and public: print, web, html newsletters and branding. CLD also finds cost savings in the production of these materials, being closer to the resources than any client ever could be.

Furthermore, TFT values CLD’s creative input right down to the root level of developing marketing strategies. For instance, we were great supporters of the theatre’s implementation of surtitles, which allow non-francophone patrons to understand and appreciate French theatre the way it was intended, in a French milieu.

Results

In a market where theatre attendance is in overall decline, since partnering with CLD, the number of TfT subscribers has actually increased by 10% each year.