Marketing Communications in Small Theatres in Finland: case Contemporary Theatre Vera Audentia

The topic of this thesis was provided by the case company, Contemporary Theatre Vera Audentia. The case company wanted to develop their marketing communications and needed a tool for managing their marketing communication activities. This tool should help the person responsible for marketing communication to structure their workload and schedule their tasks more easily. Hence, the aim of this thesis was to provide the case company with information about marketing communications in small theaters in Finland and an annual wheel tool in Microsoft Excel format. The tool can be adapted and tailored to changes in the future. Two research questions emerged that would aim to provide answers for the commissioner’s needs. Firstly, this thesis aims to provide answers for the commissioner on how they could develop their marketing communication. To answer this question, the author utilized literary reviews and desk research to form the theory base. Secondly, this thesis aims to provide the commissioner with information on what kind of marketing communication do other small theatres in Finland do. To answer this question, interviews were conducted with selected representatives of small theatres in Finland. The results provide information and examples of marketing communication done by similar theatres to the commissioner. In this thesis basic information about marketing communications and planning marketing communications is provided. The thesis introduces the annual wheel tool developed for the commissioner. Finally, this thesis provides information on what kind of marketing communication do small theatres in Finland do. There also some suggestions for the case company on how they could develop their marketing communication activities further