LESSONS 4 CULTURE + BUSINESS SUCCESS

THE FATE OF ‘OBSCURE DVDs’ – LESSONS for CULTURE + BUSINESS SUCCESS ?

Part 3

IN BUSINES AS IN CULTURE, IT PAYS TO BE CREATIVE

EXAMPLES

Take a look at Netflicks And take a look at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

Both have been following business solutions that are completely ‘counter-intuitive’, which is another term for non-linear in our highly linear- thinking western world.

NETFLICKS

The success of Netflicks, based largely on its early and consistent avoidance of the old model of ‘a store selling product,’ is illuminated when you read Beessman’s detailed discussion of how many difficulties attended the retail selling of DVDs, and of the wholesale marketing of DVDs through the large retailers.

Instead, examine the tactics Netflicks has chosen, again and again, and you discover a creative, inventive mind at work. Continuously creating alliances and partnership with Netflicks' customers (wish list), with its vendors, and with other businesses (ICF), that are involved in providing the ‘arts/films/DVDs’ to a greater and growing client base.

THE METROPOLITAN OPERA

The Metropolitan Opera is an even more interesting example.

More interesting not because I love Opera, which I do.

But because The Metropolitan Opera has long operated as a stodgy, linear enterprise.

<>And because EVERYONE has been forecasting the Death of Opera as a viable, self sustaining

enterprise or art form (that is, popular and salable to the masses).

The Death of Opera seemed imminent - At least as far as selling Opera to the larger public was

concerned.

THE GENERAL MANAGER AS AN ARTIST

Enters a new General Manager, Peter Gelb , with a broad view of the whole array of arts.

And he begins to create a cross-pollination between the High Art of opera, and other, more ‘popular’ (that is, ‘lowly’) arts.

He chose to bring movie makers to direct the operas; to bring simulcasts of the opera to radio and video.

And then experimented in SIMULTANEOUSLY staging/distributing the MOVIE VERSION of the operas playing at the MET to selected movie theatres throughout the US and throughout the world.

Let me tell you, the first season is not over yet, yet the results are overwhelmingly successful.

WIN/WIN for EVERYONE

The interesting fact I heard on the news is that not one, but two things occurred.

First, the broadcast of Opera in movie form supported a larger than usual ticket sales volume for each of the Operas produced and playing at the Met.

In addition, a second, unexpected bonus:

In cities where the movie version of an opera playing at the MET has been shown, ticket sales To the Local Oprea Houses have risen !

Which means that yoking the Celestial Opera Form and the Earthly movie form is a successful undertaking for everyone concerned.

My favorite Win/Win formula.

What does it tell you all ?


All Rights Reserved C 2007 Dinnah G. Pladott , Ph. D.