Background

Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay which officially opened on 12th October 2002 is a profit-orientated performing arts centre that offers programmes that suit various audiences. As a hub for performing arts, it runs events regularly. It serves as one of the venues for the Singapore Arts Festival (SAF).

In addition, the Esplanade has organized Flipside events from 29 May to 22 June in conjunction with SAF. First introduced in 2004, it serves as a series of fringe events to the SAF. The main purpose is to showcase the lighter side of the arts to its audiences, compared to the more somber SAF performances that few may comprehend. A wide variety of refreshing programmes were presented by both local and international performers.

The Flipside events comprise of 70 free and ticketed progammes. There were three main locations for the free events: the Concourse, Stage@Powerhouse, and at the Waterfornt Canopy/Roving. The events are sponsored by the National Youth Council, the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, and Nokia.


Role of Events

The Flipside events will definitely draw a large crowd of audience to the Esplanade. The Esplanade gains a positive public image and attracts residents and investors by organizing this event. Future businesses are also stimulated as the Flipside audiences may return to support other events held by the Esplanade.

Due to arts being appealing to a relatively specialized audience, the event can actually help the Esplanade to attract quality audience, local and international, and thus increase their revenue. The vibrant event also encourages first and repeated visits to the Esplanade.

Stakeholders

The main stakeholders are the event organizers, the Esplanade and the Singapore Arts Festival. They invest a large amount of time and capital in planning, publicizing and executing the events. Although certain performances are free of charge, the organizers are just as concerned about ways to attract the relevant audiences to attend them.

The Government, media, local communities and tourists will be interested in the Flipside events. The government is concerned about the tourist revenue during this season. As the Arts Festival is one of the major events in Singapore, there will be media coverage on the Flipside events. The media would want to know the timings of the different progammes.

Local communities will be interested in attending the events, especially since a number of them are free of charge. The event also appeals to tourists because it takes place annually. Tourist arrivals would increase during this period.

Target Market

The BIG NAZO Creature Show was attended by arts enthusiasts, families and tourists. People ranging between the ages of 3 to 65 were present. Majority of the audience were adults, but the performance was loud and lively, thus giving children something to enjoy as well.

Marketing Strategies

I would say that the BIG NAZO Creature Show ran smoothly without any accidents or delays. The Esplanade made very good use of the 8 ‘P’s’ in events marketing to ensure a successful event.

The first ‘P’ is product, which refers to the Flipside event itself and the festival experience that the audiences get. The Esplanade, a well equipped arts centre, is used as the location at which the different events are held. Since it is an arts hub, it is appropriate for the event to go on there. Programme schedules and information about the location of the events are easily accessed on the Esplanade website, making it convenient for interested parties to check event timings.

This event has the partnership or sponsorship of several companies. As for the pricing, some events require ticketing while others are free of charge. The BIG NAZO Creature Show was free of charge. The Esplanade has also done elaborate promotions for the events in their website, along the Esplanade building and in various advertisements around Singapore. For instance, there was a meet-and-greet cum photo-taking session with the BIG NAZO Creature performers before the actual performance to promote the show. There is also contact information on the Esplanade website, www.esplanade.com, for those who wish to make enquiries.

Event Rating

On the overall, I feel that the event was very successful. It catered to the wide variety of audiences that it attracted. One of the qualities that made the show more appealing was the way the masked performers interacted with the audience. The plot was humorous and involved a very sporting member of the audience. The evening timing and outdoor location of the programme was appropriate and added to the atmosphere as it was spacious, cooling and we could enjoy the loud music under the starry night sky. There was even a standing ovation when the dynamic performance ended.

Potential to Meet Tourist Demand

At the BIG NAZO Creature Show, I noticed that there were quite a number of tourists in the audience. I would say that the Esplanade’s Flipside event is a Hallmark event. The event has a high potential of meeting tourism demands. It is a large-scaled, annual event that focuses on the Arts. Based on these facts alone, the event would draw a niche market of tourists who are mainly arts enthusiasts.

The event has definitely attracted more tourists to visit Singapore. Tourists that are already in Singapore when the event commenced may be encouraged to extend their stay in order to attend the events.

According to the Singapore Tourism Board website, last updated on 28 May 2008, Singapore’s tourism mission is “We develop & champion tourism, so as to build the sector into a key driver of economic growth for Singapore.”

Personally, I feel that although the Esplanade’s Flipside events are enjoying a warm reception from locals and tourists, it is not as well known as the Singapore Arts Festival. The event can be promoted overseas to raise more awareness and encourage more tourists to come to Singapore. The Singapore Tourism Board can also feature short clips of the Flipside events in their ‘Uniquely Singapore’ promotional video to draw attention to the events.

1. What’s On: Flipside Events (last accessed on 20 June)