atlanta ballet report

Atlanta Ballet Audience Study

Research Findings of Current/Former Subscribers and Single Ticket Buyers

Used by Permission Former

Target Marketing Inc. 755 Anthony Court Atlanta, GA 30044 (770) 979-9060 Contact: Scott Hample

Atlanta Ballet A Marketing Research Report of Audience Preferences

Executive Summary

One would have expected to see some differences between the Single Ticket Buyer, Current Subscribers and Former Subscribers. Instead we found lots of similarity between the segments, each sharing comparable attitudes on many of the issues outlined in our telephone survey.

Coming away from the focus groups, we were led to believe that each segment possessed differing opinions on such issues as where should future performances be held and the types of ballets they preferred. Reactions to initiatives the Atlanta Ballet could do to increase membership were also mixed. Even the type of media they used to get information about upcoming performances and their opinions of the Patron Services Department varied.

But this was not the case. Our telephone survey discovered many similarities among the groups. It appears that almost all of the respondents were very pleased with the Atlanta Ballet, despite which group they belonged.

Even compared with other professional performing arts groups in Atlanta, all respondents, including the Former Subscribers, rated the Atlanta Ballet very high.

Where there was a difference, there was not a major difference how the respondents rated the same issues.

Quality and Value Quality and Value does not appear to be an issue with the respondents. All three targeted groups agreed that the Atlanta Ballet rated high on “Overall Experience,” “Quality of the Ballet Performances,” “Quality of the Individual Performers,” “Quality of the Music,” and “Value for the Price of the Ticket.”

We had anticipated low marks for the “Quality of Music,” based upon the negative opinions verbalized at the focus groups on the use of canned music during performances. But his was not the case. On a scale of 1 to 10, where a 10 meant “Excellent,” the respondents gave the ballet an 8.6.

During past seasons, the Atlanta Ballet had been forced to use canned music instead of live music because of issues with the Symphony’s union. Many said that the presence of a live orchestra (The Atlanta Symphony) creates a greater ambiance during the ballet performance.

While the score is still high (7.98 out of a scale of 10), “Value for the Price of the Ticket” rated the lowest among the five perception issues. Its relative position, as compared to the other

Target Marketing Inc. November 2002 Page 2

four attributes, should warrant concern.

The telephone survey respondents mostly echoed what the focus group respondents had to say about the price of tickets as being an obstacle to attending more performances, either as a single ticket purchaser or as a season ticket holder.

The tough economy and the fact some dual income households have been reduced to single income households (due to layoffs) was one of the many reasons why people were not attending more performances.

However, the true indicator should be “Value” as opposed to “Price.” Academic studies have shown that “getting value” for the price is positively correlated to a respondent’s propensity for repeat purchase.

Overall, the respondents believed the Atlanta Ballet gave the patrons their money’s worth. Current Subscribers and Single Ticket Buyers rated the Atlanta Ballet about the same while Former Subscribers rated the value higher than the other two groups. When compared to other Atlanta professional performing arts groups, the ballet was rated a 7 on a 1 to 10 scale. They felt the Atlanta Ballet’s quality and value was not the same but higher than the others.

Ballet Types As expected, Story and Classical ballets were rated high among all of the respondents. These two kinds of ballet universally had higher interest levels than the Mixed Performances (the Indigo Girls Project) and the New Works (Dracula.)

While Current and Former Subscribers preferred the Story and Classical offerings, they were also open to attending the other two varieties.

Single Ticket Buyers did not indicate wanting to move too far from the mainstream. They preferred the Story and Classical Ballets and had no desire to attend the Mixed Performances or the New Works style of ballet.

Not surprisingly, demographic had a high correlation among the type of ballets preferred.

Older patrons and those with higher total household incomes displayed a higher interest in the Story and Classical ballet types. The older and wealthier patrons showed higher interest in the traditional ballet types while the younger and less wealthy patrons showed a higher interest in the new works.

Interest in Mixed Performances rated low in all age groups.

The Fox Theatre While our focus groups participants had mixed feelings about having performances at the Fox Theatre, a majority of our telephone respondents preferred the venue as the theatre of choice.

Most of the telephone respondents nixed the idea of moving the performances to alternative venues. Everyone apparently believed the Fox to be an integral part of the Atlanta Ballet experience.

Logic would have us thinking that patrons living more than 30 miles (one-way) from the Fox would have preferred holding performances out in the suburbs. Holding performances at a more convenient location was never an issue with these respondents.

There appears to be great loyalty toward having the Atlanta Ballet continue at the Fox Theatre. Moving all the performances away from the Fox Theatre would be detrimental for the Atlanta Ballet in another way.

When we asked Current Subscribers, Former Subscribers and Single Ticket Buyers about the likelihood that they would renew their subscription if all performances were moved from the Fox Theatre, most gave the idea poor marks. Roughly 75% of these patrons disliked this idea.

Media Choices Both direct mail advertising and placing performance information in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution are the most effective ways in which the ballet can reach all of its audience segments. If advertising funds are limited, the marketing department should weigh the other media outlets carefully before committing money.

The Internet (both the Atlanta Ballet website and other websites), radio, and television appear to be ineffective in communicating with patrons. Likewise for using community newspapers (i.e., Northside Neighbor), magazines, billboards, and posters to reach patrons. Less than 10% of the respondents mentioned any of these other media sources.

Not surprisingly, a large majority disliked the use of telemarketing.

The local radio station garnering enough response was WABE-FM, the local NPR station. It was the only radio source mentioned consistently by the respondents although the number of respondents who mentioned radio was very, very small.

If part of the Atlanta Ballet’s strategy is to market to the younger audiences (under 34,) some money should be spent on advertising on non-ballet websites, such as the AccessAtlanta (the Atlanta Journal-Constitution) site.

The older group (35 and older) still preferred the Atlanta Ballet direct mailings as well as getting the information from the Atlanta


Journal-Constitution. Likewise, patrons who graduated college and earned at least a bachelor’s degree mentioned the same sources. The lesser-educated patrons, those with some college or less, still preferred the newspaper and the direct mail pieces but also said they would prefer getting ballet information from the electronic media.

Media choices by total household income followed the same pattern. Patrons having an annual total household income of $25,000 or more trended toward direct mail and the newspaper, with some mentions of using the Internet. Households with earnings less $25,000 a year like these same outlets as well as the electronic media for getting ballet information.

Incentives To Subscribe

A large percentage of the respondents in our three groups said they would consider buying/renewing their subscription if performances were scheduled for more than one weekend.

Extending the season’s by adding additional events, however, was met with mixed reaction. Current Subscribers liked the idea of adding more performances to the season. The others did not.

Single Ticket Buyers also said they would consider buying a special ticket package where they could choose only the events they wished to attend without having to buy tickets for the entire season.

Conclusion After sitting through four focus groups, one would have gotten the impression that Current Subscribers, Former Subscribers, and Single Ticket Buyers held pretty strong diverse opinions about the Atlanta Ballet.

(Because focus group dynamics are different than the dynamics of quantifiable research--telephone surveys--there is an intrinsic probability that opinions expressed by one group may differ from the opinions expressed by the other.

Focus groups are designed to help researchers “focus” on what are the main issues of concern for the consumers. The goal of the telephone survey is to validate or invalidate, in a statistically significant and projectable manner, what we learned in the focus groups.)

In our study, some opinions expressed during our focus groups differed from the ones expressed in the telephone survey. We found many similarities between the three patron segments and very few instances of differentiation.

All the telephone respondents, regardless of the patron segment, viewed the quality and value of the Atlanta Ballet the same. All respondents also believed the Atlanta Ballet was somewhat better than the other professional performing arts groups in Atlanta.

They also held strong beliefs about keeping performances at the Fox Theatre. Their media habits were almost identical as well as their preferences for ballet type. Everyone, of course, wants cheaper priced tickets.

Based upon our findings from our telephone survey, the Atlanta Ballet should not make any major changes to what they are doing now.

There are opportunities to tweak their marketing mix. For instance, adding an additional weekend to the performance run not only gives patrons more flexibility on when they want to attend the performance but also minimizes patron unhappiness for having to waste his/her ticket because of an unexpected schedule conflict. Making strides in improving customer service through the Patron Services Department and making better media buys are other examples.

Our telephone survey suggests:

• The Single Ticket Buyers and the Former Subscribers still hold the Atlanta Ballet in high esteem. They appear to still be very loyal but changes in their own lifestyle have prevented them to become subscribers.

• Some of the reasons for not subscribing have been due to the tough economy and high unemployment rates.

• Younger patrons, who are starting their families, do not have the time to attend all performances.

• Competition for the patron’s mind share is getting tougher. Interest in other professional performing arts groups and other cultural events may have an influence on the purchase of a ballet subscription.

By making slight adjustments in its marketing mix, the Atlanta Ballet can minimize the attrition rates of Current Subscribers. There appears there is very little the Atlanta Ballet can do to get Former Subscribers to renew heir membership or convert Single Ticket Buyers to subscription holders.


Background

For the past several years, the Atlanta Ballet has been experiencing a decline in subscribers. The subscribers are not renewing their membership. And single ticket buyers do not have the inclination to become subscribers.

A series of four focus groups were held in July 2002. The focus group interviews explored the attitudes, opinions, and motivations of four target segments of ballet ticket buyers:

• Current subscribers

• Former subscribers

• Single ticket buyers

• Nutcracker only ticket buyers

(For purposes of this quantitative study, a decision was made to combine Single Ticket and Nutcracker only ticket buyers together because of similar attitudes and behaviors. The reader should infer any references to Single Ticket Buyers to include Nutcracker Only Ticket Buyers as well. )

The sessions discovered some of the many issues the Atlanta Ballet are now facing. The focus group findings led to the development of the following hypotheses:

Hypothesis: Current and Former Subscribers welcome improvement in the availability and the professionalism of patron services personnel.

Hypothesis: Current and Former Subscribers' programming interests and preferences encompass all types of ballet -- story, classical, new works, and mixed performances. Single Ticket Buyers prefer only “Story Ballet,” such as Madame Butterfly and the Nutcracker.

Hypothesis: Many current and former subscribers enjoy the Fox, but are willing to explore alternative venues. Single ticket buyers consider the Fox an integral part of the Atlanta Ballet experience.

Hypothesis: Single ticket buyers rely mostly on conventional media, such as television, radio, billboard, and posters for performance information. Former and current subscribers rely more upon traditional newspapers (mainly the Atlanta Journal-Constitution) and the ballet’s direct mail pieces. E-mail and the Internet is also a possibility for some potential ticket buyers

Hypothesis: Most attendees consider the quality of the Atlanta Ballet performances to be on par with other professional performing arts groups in the Atlanta area.

Hypothesis: Most current and Former Subscribers are older,

better educated, and have a higher total household income than Single Ticket Buyers. Attendees possessing these demographic also tend to rate their overall experience higher.

Hypothesis: Likelihood of Current and Former Subscribers to renew their subscription would be a function of increasing the number of events per season and scheduling performances so they would run for more than one weekend. The likelihood of Single Ticket Buyers to subscribe to a season would be influenced by the same factors as well as purchasing season tickets for selected performances rather than all performances.


Scope and Methodology

Between September 20 and October 20 of this year, 400 people participated in a telephone market study to assess attitudes and opinions toward the Atlanta Ballet.

The principal objectives of the study were to: • Identify the reasons subscribers purchase season tickets to

the ballet while single ticket buyers do not choose to commit to more than one performance at a time.

• Ascertain why former subscribers chose to not to renew their

season tickets. • Determine the key factors that would induce single ticket

buyers to purchase subscriptions. • Pinpoint preferences in venue locations and whether

alternate sites would induce purchase of subscriptions. • Measure ballet strengths and weaknesses in terms of price,

quantity and quality of performances, content choices, convenience of purchase, and customer service.

• Ascertain membership profile of others belonging to other

performing arts organizations.

The content of the research survey was also formed from the hypotheses outlined in the previous section of this report. (See Appendix A for a copy of the Survey Instrument.)

Contact information came from Atlanta Ballet mailing lists of Current Subscribers, Former Subscribers, Single Ticket Buyers, and Nutcracker Ticket Buyers.

Current Subscribers were defined as people holding season tickets to Atlanta Ballet events during the 2001 and/or 2002 seasons.

Former Subscribers were defined as people who had not renewed their season tickets during 2001 and 2002. Their last year of purchasing a subscription was during either the 1999 or 2000 seasons.

Single Ticket Buyers comprise of people who have never bought season tickets to the Atlanta Ballet. These patrons either purchased a ticket to the Nutcracker during previous holiday seasons or bought a single ticket to another ballet performance. People in these two groups, for the purposes of the focus groups and this telephone study, were treated as being mutually exclusive.

We originally had a quota of 150 respondents from each of the four market segments, for a total of 600 completed surveys. This number of respondents, it was expected, was enough to achieve

statistically projectable results based upon a 95% confidence level, with a plus or minus 5% margin of error.

A 10-minute survey was administered by telephone by an Atlanta market research field service. Potential respondents were randomly selected by computer.

Probably as a function of the Former Subscribers’ level of interest, an unusually high refusal rate was experienced from this market segment. Refusal rates by the other two groups were within normal expectations. We were only able to interview 73 Former Subscribers.

The field service was unable to obtain more responses from Former Subscriber category. Despite extending the phone calling time frame for another 10 days, the quota for this group was not obtained. Because of the high refusal rates, the results from Former Subscribers presented in this report are NOT statistically projectable.


Findings We went into this phase of the research study thinking that our findings from the telephone surveys would be similar to those found in the focus groups. Many of our hypotheses were based upon our theory that each of the target groups (the Current Subscribers, Former Subscribers, and Single Ticket Buyers) encompassed different perspectives on the same issues relating to their view of the Atlanta Ballet.

Results of our quantitative study proved differently. Our research surprisingly found all three targeted groups mostly held similar opinions and beliefs. Where there was a difference, there was not a major difference how the respondents rated the same issues.

Attitudes and Beliefs

All three targeted groups rated the Atlanta Ballet rather high on the following attributes:

• “Overall Experience,”

• “Quality of the Ballet Performances,”

• “Quality of the Individual Performers,”

• “Quality of the Music, ”

• “Value for the Price of the Ticket.”

Overall Experience The ratings on this issue were high among all respondents as with the three target groups.

On a 10-point, where “1” meant poor and “10” was excellent, the mean score from all respondents was an 8.53. Former Subscribers almost equaled the total sample at 8.51 while Current Subscribers rated their experience slightly lower at 8.39.

Single Ticket Buyers rated their overall experience was higher (8.70) than all the others, with this group coming in statistically different than the Current Subscribers. (See Chart 1.)

Quality of Ballet Performances Likewise, there was little contrast between all of the respondents and the three different target groups for this attribute. Scores on this issue, given the consistent standard deviation and standard errors, were almost identical.

Scores again were high. All of the respondents combined rated the quality of the ballet performances an 8.76 out of a possible 10. Former Subscribers rated the Atlanta Ballet slightly higher (8.86) than the Current Subscribers (8.68) and the Single Ticket Buyers (8.81.)

Quality of the Individual Performers The Individual Performers were rated high as well, with very little distinction among the three target groups and the sample as a whole.

Scores were similar to the other attributes. The total sample rated the performers an 8.74 while the Current Subscribers (8.66) and Former Subscribers (8.70) rated them almost the same.

The Single Ticket Buyers rated the performers slightly higher at an 8.86.

The numbers in one group are not statistically different than those in the other groups.

The numbers for both the above attributes are reflective of the attitudes and beliefs held by the focus group respondents.

Quality of the Music We had anticipated, based upon the negative opinions verbalized at the focus groups, that the Atlanta Ballet would receive low marks for the Quality of the Music. Circumstances beyond the Atlanta Ballet’s control had forced the organization to use canned music instead of live music during past seasons.

Despite complaints, the Atlanta Ballet still received high marks of the quality of music during the performances.

Overall, the total sample rated the Quality of Music an 8.58 out of 10. Current and Former Subscribers rated the music quality slightly lower (8.40 and 8.46 respectively) while Single Ticket Buyers gave a statistically significant higher grade at 8.85.

Our focus group participants felt the music was an integral part of the total ballet experience. It is high on their set of expectations.


Value for the Price of the Ticket “Value for the Price of the Ticket” rated the lowest of the five perception issues. While the score is high, its relative position, as compared to the other four attributes, should warrant concern.

Other studies have shown that “getting value” for the price is positively correlated to a respondent’s propensity for repeat purchase.

Overall, the respondents believed the Atlanta Ballet earned a 7.98 out of a possible 10 for providing value for the price of the ticket. Current Subscribers and Single Ticket Buyers rated the Atlanta Ballet about the same (7.95 and 7.94 respectively.)

Surprisingly, Former Subscribers rated the value higher (8.14) than the rest of the respondents.

There was no statistical significant difference among the groups for this attribute.

Focus group participants generally were satisfied with the value they receive for the ticket prices they are paying -- especially when compared with the ticket prices of other arts organizations.

Patron Services Patron Service personnel, despite the complaints expressed in the focus groups, were rated high among the telephone respondents.

All groups rated Patron Service personnel in the 7.9 out of 10 range. All respondents combined rated Patron Services a 7.94. Current and Former Subscribers rated them slightly higher at 7.96 while the Single Ticket Buyers rated them a 7.90.

When asked what changes the Atlanta Ballet should make in the Patron Services Department, the respondents said:

• Be clearer and better informed about the availability and location of the seating.

• Have more accessibility by phone

• Extend Patron Services hours of operation

• Have quicker turnaround in mailing tickets

Ballet Types Story Ballet The telephone respondents’ strong preference for story ballet, such as Madame Butterfly, was predictable. On a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 was “Extremely Interested” and 1 was “Not at All Interested, all respondents rated story ballet an 8.08.

While Current and Former Subscribers rated story ballet higher (8.49 and 8.34 respectively,) Single Ticket Buyers still scored story ballet a respectable 7.45, much higher than all other ballet types. (See Chart 2.)

Classical Ballet Respondents rated Classical Ballet as their second preference. Performances such as Swan Lake proved popular across all target groups. They rated it a 7.89 overall.

Like Story Ballet, Current and Former Subscribers rated Classical Ballet higher (8.53 and 8.22 respectively) than Single Ticket Buyers (6.97.)

Mixed and New Works Performances Relatively speaking, the respondents had mixed perceptions of these two ballet types. New Works, like Dracula, rated higher (7.40) than the Mixed Performances, such as the Indigo Girls Project (6.56.)

Again Current and Former Subscribers rated the Mixed and New Works performances higher than Single Ticket Buyers. Single


Ticket Buyers tended to be more interested in the Classical and Story Ballets, as evidenced by the huge popularity of The Nutcracker.

There also seems to be a not so surprising interest correlation between age and income and the ballet type preferences.

The over 50-year-old patrons showed higher interest in the traditional ballet types while the younger patrons showed a higher interest in the new works.

Interest in Mixed Performances rated low in all age groups.

We found diversity in results in the higher incomes versus the lower incomes. Respondents with higher total household incomes showed a preference for the Story Ballet while the lower income were inclined to be interest in Classical Ballet and New Works. Interest in Mixed Performances was low across all income ranges.

The respondents’ level of education did not factor in the choice of ballet performance types. The respondents in the Some College or less and the College Degree or more shared almost equal interest or disinterest in the different ballet types.

Fox Theatre The Fox as a Location Our focus groups participants had mixed feelings about having performances at the Fox Theatre. Many current and former subscribers said they enjoyed the Fox, but are willing, even anxious, to explore alternative venues. Single Ticket Buyers considered the Fox an integral part of the Atlanta Ballet experience.

Everyone in our telephone survey rated the Fox Theatre as the location of choice for the Atlanta Ballet. Single Ticket Buyers rated the Fox higher (8.97) than the Current and Former Subscribers (8.59 and 8.63 respectively) but the scores were high nonetheless. (See Chart 3.)

Participants in the focus groups had complained about the poor seating and the cramp concession area during intermission. They complained about seating angles and posts as well as the lack of room in the lobby and long lines waiting to enter the bathroom and at the concession stands.

But the phone survey respondents apparently were not as critical.

Over 30% of the Single Ticket Buyers said they would like the Fox Theatre and suburban location option. Former (27.4%) and Current Subscribers (18.6%) liked this idea less.

Another alternative was to keep the major performances at the Fox but use other smaller downtown venues for the other kinds of performances. Many suggested the Ferst Center at Georgia Tech or the Rialto at Georgia State.

Overall, 17.5% of the respondents said they would prefer this option. Over 20% of the Former Subscribers surveyed opted for this alternative. Only 18% of the Current Subscribers and 15.3% of the Single Ticket Buyers like this idea.

Other alternatives such as moving all performances away from the Fox to either a suburban or downtown location were nixed by most of the respondents. There appears to be great loyalty toward having the Atlanta Ballet continue at the Fox Theatre.

Fox Theatre as Incentive to Purchase Subscriptions As mentioned above, moving all the performances away from the Fox Theatre would be detrimental for the Atlanta Ballet in another way.

When we asked Current and Former Subscribers about the likelihood that they would renew their subscription if all performances were moved from the Fox Theatre, most gave the


idea poor marks.

Roughly 22% of those Current and Former Subscribers responding to this question gave a 6 or better on a 1 to 10 scale. Over 78 % considered this a bad idea. The mean rating from these two groups was 4.8 for Current Subscribers and a 3.51 for Former Subscribers. The overall mean was a 4.41.

For Single Ticket Buyers, almost 75% of the respondents did not like this idea at all. The mean rating for this group was a 3.77.

Fox Theatre and One-Way Distances We felt that location preferences were a function of the distance patrons had to travel one-way to see a ballet performance. We also theorized that patrons living in suburban locations would not be amenable to having the performances located at the Fox and other downtown locations.

In fact, all respondents who traveled over 30 miles one-way rated the Fox as a location for ballet performances (9.09) higher than those patrons who had to travel less than 30 miles (8.61.) This difference was statistically significant.

A little less than 74% of all patrons traveling more than 30 miles rated the Fox a “9” or a “10”. Almost 65% of those traveling less than 30 miles rated the Fox as a “9” or a “10.”

Current Subscribers, Former Subscribers, and Single Ticket Buyers mirrored the same scores as above. Those attending the furthest away rated the Fox Theatre higher than those who lived closer in.

Fox Theatre and Other Demographics It appears that a preference for the Fox Theatre as the location of the Atlanta Ballet is also a function of age, education, and total household income.

Audiences age 25-49 with less than a college education and a total household income of less than $54,000 a year seem to rate the Fox Theatre higher than their counterparts. (See Chart 5.)

Media Choices By Segment From our focus groups, we were told that Single ticket buyers relied on conventional media, such as television, radio, billboard, and posters for performance information. Former and current subscribers relied upon traditional newspapers (mainly the Atlanta Journal-Constitution) and the ballet’s direct mail pieces. E-mail and the Internet is also a possibili ty for some potential ticket buyers.

Our survey says that direct mail and placing performance information in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution are the most effective way in reaching Current and Former Subscribers as well as Single Ticket Buyers. (See Chart 6.)

The Internet (both the Atlanta Ballet website and other websites), radio, and television appear to be ineffective in communicating with patrons. Likewise for using community newspapers (i.e., Northside Neighbor), magazines, billboards, telemarketing, brochures and posters. Less than 10% of the respondents mentioned any of these media sources.

By Age As it may be expected, the 24-year-olds and younger crowd get their information about ballet performances from the Atlanta Ballet direct mailings (35.7%) and non-ballet websites (28.6%).

The 25- to 34-year-old age group showed preferences for similar sources as their younger counterparts. This group said they got their information from same sources but reversed their preferences for non-ballet websites (36.5%) and Atlanta Ballet direct mail (32.7%.)

Patrons over 35-years-old said they get their information from the Atlanta Ballet direct mailings and the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Overall, patrons said they got the majority of their information from Atlanta Ballet direct mail and notices in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. All other information sources scored less than 10% among all age groups. (See Chart 7.)

By Education Lesser-educated patrons (Some College or Less) not only rely upon getting their performance information from Atlanta Ballet direct mailings and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution but from electronic media as well.

Radio, word-of-mouth, and television seemed to catch the attention of this group as well as other non-ballet websites.


Those patrons that earned a college education degree (undergraduate and/or graduate degree) said they relied upon the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and direct mailings as their primary information sources. They also said they visited both non-ballet as well as the Atlanta Ballet websites for performance information.

By Total Household Income Households earning less than $25,000 a year were fans of the Atlanta Ballet direct mail, non-ballet as well as the Atlanta Ballet websites, TV and word-of-mouth advertising for performance information.

Households earning $25,000 or more annually, said they used Atlanta Ballet mailings, non-ballet as well as the Atlanta Ballet websites, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for their sources of information.

Other Performing Arts Groups The Comparison

When asked to compare the Atlanta Ballet with other professional arts groups in Atlanta, the respondents believed the Atlanta Ballet to be better.

On a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 was “Much Better,” 5 was “About the Same”, and 1 was “Much Worse,” all respondents rated the Atlanta Ballet a 7.42.

There was very little difference how the three market segments rated the Atlanta Ballet.

Current Subscribers rated the Atlanta Ballet a little lower, a 7.29, while Former Subscribers and Single Ticket Buyers rated the Ballet slightly higher (at 7.59 and 7.50 respectively.)

It also stands to reason that those respondents who rated the Atlanta Ballet high in “Overall Experience,” “Performance Quality,” “Performer Quality,” and a good “Value,” also rated the Atlanta Ballet better.

Frequency of Attending Other Performing Arts Groups Overall, respondents said they attended 5.7 professional performing arts events (other than the Atlanta Ballet) within the past 12 months. (See Chart 8.)

Current Subscribers averaged slightly higher number 6.6 performances while Former Subscribers said they attended 6.1 events. Single Ticket Buyers attended the least, averaging only 4.5 events during the past 12 months.

Respondents up to 24-years-old said they attended 3.5 other professional performing arts events while those 35-49 attended only 4.8. The other groups (ages 25-34 and over 50) attended more frequently, averaging 6.1 and 6.8 events respectively.

(This could be a function of presence of children in the household.)

One could have easily predicted that those possessing an undergraduate degree or higher would attend more events than their less educated respondents. The higher educated group attended an average of 6 events while the others attended only 3.9.

How many other professional performing arts events were attended is a function of income. Those respondents reporting a total household income of $55,000 or more on average attended 6 events within the past 12 months. Those making less than $24,000 attended 3.6 while those making between $25,000 and


$55,000 attended 4.8

Other Professional Arts Groups Theatrical, musical, and the opera were the favorites of those who said they attended other professional performing arts events.

Specifically, the respondents enjoyed The Alliance Theatre (23.1%), The Atlanta Symphony (39.8%), and the Atlanta Opera (19.3%.) Other theatrical groups, such as the Georgia Shakespeare Festival and the Shakespeare Tavern, were mentioned by 44.7% of the respondents. Broadway plays and neighborhood theatrical groups were also included in this group.

Almost 14% of the respondents mentioned they attended musical concerts (the Atlanta Symphony, Rock and Jazz) performances at Chastain Park, Spivey Hall, and the Rialto Theatre.

These were scattered evenly among the Current and Former Subscribers, as well as the Single Ticket Buyers.

The older the respondent, the greater likelihood they would attend other professional performing arts events. This also goes for those more educated and living in a household with a higher income.

Respondents who travel less than 30 miles one-way to attend the Atlanta Ballet performances also more likely to attend events by the other performing arts groups. There was a lesser likelihood to attend other groups if they lived more than 30 miles away.

Attendance Demographics There appears to be no direct statistical correlation between how many performances the patrons attended in the past two years and the distance they had to travel. The less than 30 miles group attended an average of 3.89 performances while those traveling more than 30 miles managed to attend 4.25 Atlanta Ballet performances. (See Chart 9.)

There was a correlation of performances of other performing arts groups they attended and the number of Atlanta Ballet events they saw. Those attending up to 5 events of other performing arts groups averaged 3.6 Atlanta Ballet performances. Those attending over 6 other performing arts events averaged 4.52

As expected, there was also a correlation between the number of Atlanta Ballet performances attended and the patrons’ age, education, and total household income. (See Chart 10.)

Age groups 35-49 years (3.78 performances) and Over 50 years (4.77) tended to attend more Atlanta Ballet events than their younger counterparts. The under 24 crowd attended only 2.5 performances while the 25-34 group averaged only 2.87 events.

Those not holding a college degree averaged only 2.9 performances in the past two years while those with at least an undergraduate degree attended 4.2 performances.

There was a statistical difference by total household income. Those who lived in a household earning over $100,000 a year attended 4.64 events. Patrons from households making less than $25,000 a year averaged only 3.1 performances. The group including households making $25,000 to $54,000 purchased an average of 2.66 tickets in the past 2 years while households earning $55,000 to $100,000 managed to attend 3,26 Atlanta Ballet performances.

There were no significant differences between the number of events attended by males and females. Males attended an average of 4.2 performances while females 3.9.

Who Else Attends Ticket purchasers are usually accompanied by their spouse/domestic partner (37.4%) and/or their children or grandchildren (31.6%). Attendees seldom attend with friends (18.6%) or with other relatives (10.7%.)

Less than 10% of the ticket purchasers attend with business associates, members of an organization (church, etc.) or by themselves.


Likelihood To Purchase Subscriptions

After observing the focus groups participants, we felt that increasing the number of events in the season and extending the performances to more than one weekend would attract Current Subscribers to renew their subscription to the Atlanta Ballet and Former Subscribers could be persuaded to purchase a subscription again.

The same beliefs held for Single Ticket Buyers. By giving them more flexibility, these patrons would be more than eager to purchase a subscription.

Current Subscribers Current Subscribers preferred to adding more events to the season and extending the number of performances to more than one weekend. Over 27% of these patrons rated the idea of adding more events a 9 or 10, on a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 meant “less likely” and 10 meant “more likely.” On average, all Current subscribers rated this idea a 7.1.

Slightly over 44% rated adding the performances ran for more than one weekend a 9 or 10. Overall they rated this idea a 7.5 on the same 10-point scale.

Former Subscribers This group, if given their druthers, would prefer extending the number of performances to more than one weekend over adding more events to the season. On average, this group rated the idea of adding more events to the season a 4.8 while giving a 6.3 to extending the performances to more than one weekend.

Still, doing so would not influence too many Former Subscribers to purchase a subscription again. Only 9.6% of these patrons rated the likelihood of purchasing another subscription if more events were added to the season a 9 or a 10. A little over 20% rated adding another weekend to the performance a 9 or 10.

Single Ticket Buyers Adding more events to the season would not influence Single Ticket one way or another to purchasing a subscription to the Atlanta Ballet. Only 13% of the Single Ticket Buyers rated adding more events were added to the season 9 or 10. On average, these patrons were rather indifferent about this idea, giving it a 4.97 out of a scale of 1 to 10.

Exactly 16% of these patrons rated extending the performances to more than one weekend a 9 or 10 on the same scale. On average, all Single Ticket Buyers rated the idea a 5.7.

Overall, Single Ticket Buyers did prefer having flexibility in purchasing season tickets for selected performances rather than all performances. Over 31% rated this idea a 9 or 10. Their

average score was a 6.9 on the 10-point scale.


CHARTS

Chart 1: Atlanta Ballet Ratings By Segment Type

8.53

8.39

8.51

8.708.76

8.68

8.868.81

8.748.66

8.70

8.86

8.58

8.408.46

8.85

7.98 7.95

8.14

7.94

7.5

8

8.5

9

Total Current Former Single Ticket

Scor

e (1

to 1

0 Sc

ale)

Overall Experience Qualty of Performance Qualty of Performers Quality of Music Value of Ticket Price

Chart 2: Interest Ratings for Ballet Types

8.08

8.498.34

7.45

7.89

8.53

8.22

6.97

6.56

7.19

6.64

5.73

7.40

8.15

7.53

6.46

5

5.5

6

6.5

7

7.5

8

8.5

9


Scal

e (1

to 1

0)

Story Ballet (Madame Butterfly) Classical Ballet (Swan Lake) Mixed Performances (Indigo Girls) New Works (Dracula)


Chart 3: Rate Fox Theatre as Location for Ballet Performances

8.74

8.59

8.63

8.97

8.4

8.6

8.8

9

Scal

e (1

to 1

0)


Chart 4: Location Prefences by Segment

58.0%

63.3%

47.9%

56.7%

17.5% 18.1%20.5%

15.3%

24.8%

18.6%

27.4%30.7%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%


Perc

enta

ge

All Performances at Fox Major Performances at Fox and Others Downtown Major Performances at Fox and Others Suburban

Chart 5: Fox Theatre Choice by Demographics

8.79

9.13

8.94

8.35

9.13

8.66

9.07

8.91

8.74 8.75

8.00

8.25

8.50

8.75

9.00

9.25

<24 YearsOld

25-34Years Old

35-49Years

50+ YearsOld

SomeCollege or

Less

CollegeDegree or

More

<$25k $25k-$54k $55k-$100k

$101k+

Scal

e (1

to 1

0)

Chart 6: Information Sources for Performances

50.5%

65.5%

57.5%

29.3%

35.5%

24.9%

50.7%

40.7%

14.8%

6.8% 6.8%2.8%

11.5%9.0%

5.5%

17.3%

6.3%

1.1%

8.2%11.3%

4.0%1.1%

5.5% 6.7%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Total Current Former Single

Perc

ent

Atlanta Ballet Mailings AJC Other Websites (Access Atlanta) Atlanta Ballet Websites TV Radio


Chart 7: Media Choice by Age

50.5%

35.7%32.7%

50.0%

58.6%

35.5%

14.3%

25.0%

35.7%

40.8%

14.8%

28.6%

36.5%

14.8%

5.9%

11.5%

7.1%

21.2%

12.6%

7.2%6.3%

14.3%

3.8%

8.2%

3.9%4.0%

0.0%

5.8%3.8% 3.9%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Total Up to 24 25-34 35-49 50 and Older

Perc

enta

ge

Atlanta Ballet Mailings AJC Other Websites (Access Atlanta) Atlanta Ballet Websites TV Radio

Chart 8: Number of Other Professional Performing Arts Events Attended in Past 12 Months

5.7

6.6

6.1

4.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

6.5

7.0

Total Current Former Single

Num

ber

Chart 9: Mean Number of Atlanta Ballet Performances Attended Past Two Years

3.993.89

4.25

3.60

4.52

2

3

4

5

Total <30 Miles Traveled 30+ Miles Traveled Up to 5 Performances AtOther Art Groups

6 Or More Performances AtOther Art Groups

Num

ber

Chart 10: Mean Number of Atlanta Ballet Performances Attended Past Two Years

2.50

2.87

3.78

4.77

2.91

4.20

3.13

2.66

3.26

4.64

4.17

3.93

2

3

4

5

<24 YearsOld

25-34Years Old

35-49Years

50+ YearsOld

SomeCollege or

Less

CollegeDegree or

More

<$25k $25k-$54k $55k-$100k

$101k+ Male Female

Num

ber


QUESTIONNAIRE

ATLANTA BALLET QUESTIONNAIRE Prepared by Target Marketing Inc.

Hello, this is _________ with ___________. We are conducting an opinion survey for The Atlanta Ballet. The purpose of the survey is to understand the opinions and preferences of people about the arts in Atlanta. We are not selling tickets, renewing subscriptions, nor soliciting donations. We only are asking for people's opinions. May we take just a few minutes to talk with you now? If not, ask, "Would another time be more convenient to call you?" a. Screening question: Do you or any member of your family work for an arts organization, advertising agency, or marketing research company? Yes . . . . . . . 1 ---> Thank person and TERMINATE No . . . . . . . 2 1. Have you purchased season tickets or individual tickets for any performance of the Atlanta Ballet in the past two years? Yes . . . . . . . 1 No . . . . . . . 2 2. About how many performances of The Atlanta Ballet have you attended in the last two years? # ATLANTA BALLET PERFORMANCES ATTENDED IN PAST TWO YEARS ______ ----> IF "0", THANK PERSON &

TERMNATE INTERVIEW 3. Who usually attends the Atlanta Ballet with you? [DO NOT READ LIST. RECORD ALL THAT APPLY] No one else . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Spouse, domestic partner . . . . . . 2 Children or grandchildren . . . . . . 3 Other relatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Friends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Business associates . . . . . . . . . . 6 Members of an organization . . . . 7 (such as church, social group) Other [SPECIFY] __________________ 4. In your household, who usually decides to attend the Atlanta Ballet? [READ LIST ONLY IF NECESSARY] Self . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Spouse or domestic partner . 2 Children or grandchildren . . . 3 Other relative . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Other [SPECIFY] ________________ 5. Using a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is “poor” and 10 is “excellent,” how would you rate the Atlanta Ballet on . . [READ LIST. RECORD RATING FOR EACH]

Don't Poor Excellent Know Overall experience 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0


5a. . Using the same 1 to 10, where 1 is “poor” and 10 is “excellent,” how would you rate the Atlanta Ballet on Quality of the ballet performances 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0 Quality of the individual performers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0 Quality of the music 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0 Value for the price of the tickets 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0 6. How likely are you to attend at least one performance of the Atlanta Ballet during the coming season? Please use a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is “definitely will not attend” and 10 is “definitely will attend.” Definitely Definitely Not Attend Will Attend Don't Know 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0 ASK QUESTION 7 ONLY IF "5" OR LOWER IN QUESTION 6: 7. Please tell me why you said (number rating given in Question 6). [PROBE FOR COMPLETE ANSWER] ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ 8. Using a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is "not at all interested" and 10 is "extremely interested", how would you rate your interest in each of these types of ballet?

Not At All Extremely Don't Interested Interested Know Story Ballet, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0 such as Madame Butterfly Classical Ballet, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0 such as Swan Lake Mixed Performances, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0 such as The Indigo Girls Project New Works, such as 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0 Dracula 9. Using a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is “poor” and 10 is “excellent”, how would you rate The Fox Theatre as the location for Atlanta Ballet performances? Poor Excellent Don't Know 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0

10. With respect to the location of the Atlanta Ballet performances, would you like to see the Atlanta Ballet? [READ CHOICES. RECORD ALL THAT APPLY AS MULTIPLE RESPONSE) Continue to have all performances at The Fox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Have major performances at The Fox, but also schedule . . . . . . . . . 2 performances at other downtown locations Have major performances at The Fox, but also schedule . . . . . . . . . 3 performances at suburban locations Move all performances to another downtown location . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Move all performances to a suburban location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 DON'T READ Don't Know/Unsure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 11. Using a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is “poor” and ten is “excellent”, how would you rate the Patron Services Department that handles tickets and seat selections for the Atlanta Ballet? Poor Excellent Don't Know No Experience 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 x y 12. What changes, if any, would you advise the Atlanta Ballet to make in the Patron Services Department that handles tickets and seat selections? [PROBE FOR COMPLETE DETAILS] _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ ASK Q. 13 - 15 FOR SUBSCRIBERS AND FORMER SUBSCRIBERS ONLY: 13. Using a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is "less likely to subscribe" and 10 is "more likely to subscribe”, what is the likelihood that you would buy/renew your subscription if more events were added to the season? Less Likely More Likely Don't Know 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0 14. Using the same 1 to 10 point scale, what is the likelihood that you would buy/renew your subscription if the performances ran for more than one weekend? Less Likely More Likely Don't Know 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0


15. Using the same 1 to 10 point scale, what is the likelihood that you would renew your subscription if the performances were moved away from the Fox Theatre? Less Likely More Likely Don't Know 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0 ASK Q. 16 - 19 FOR SINGLE TICKET AND NUTCRACKER BUYERS ONLY 16. Using a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is where 1 is "less likely to subscribe" and 10 is "more likely to subscribe”, what is the likelihood that you would subscribe to the Atlanta Ballet if more events were added to the schedule? Less Likely More Likely Don't Know 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0 17. Using that same 1 to 10 scale, what is the likelihood that you would subscribe to the Atlanta Ballet if the performances ran for more than one weekend? Less Likely More Likely Don't Know 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0 18. Using that same 1 to 10 scale, what is the likelihood that you would subscribe to the Atlanta Ballet if the performances were moved away from the Fox Theatre? Less Likely More Likely Don't Know 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0 19. Using that same 1 to 10 scale, what is the likelihood that you would subscribe to the Atlanta Ballet if you could purchase season tickets for selected performances rather than all performances? Less Likely More Likely Don't Know 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0 20. What sources do you use to determine when performances of the Atlanta Ballet are going to take place? Atlanta Ballet Mailings . . . . . . . . 01 Atlanta Ballet Website . . . . . . . . 02 Other Websites . . . . . . . . . . . . . 03 (such as Access Atlanta) Television . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04 Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 05

Which station? ____________________ Posters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 06

Word-of-mouth (Other People) . . 08 Atlanta Journal-Constitution . . . . 09 Creative Loafing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Community Newspaper . . . . . . . 11 (such as the Marietta Daily Journal, Northside Neighbor) Magazine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Other [SPECIFY] ____________________ ASK Q. 21 FOR SINGLE TICKET AND NUTCRACKER BUYERS ONLY 21. What could the Atlanta Ballet do to encourage you to attend more of their performances? [DO NOT READ LIST. RECORD ALL MENTIONS AS MULTIPLE RESPONSE] More varied programming (types of ballets) . . . . . . . 01 Schedule more performances of each event . . . . . . 02 (extend from one to two weeks) Extend the season to include more events . . . . . . . . 03 (e.g., from four events to six events) More flexibility in ticket packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04 (e.g., options for two or three performances rather than all) Let me know when the performances are scheduled . 05 Advertise more . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 06 Send me direct mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 07 E-mail me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 08 Lower ticket prices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 09 Have performances in locations other than the Fox. . 10 Have performances in non-traditional locations . . . . 11 (such as parks, shopping malls, schools) More combination performances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 with other groups (like the Indigo Girls Project) Have special appearances by star performers . . . . . 13 Other [PROBE FOR COMPLETE DETAILS] _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________________ ASK Q. 22 ONLY FOR CURRENT AND FORMER SUBSCRIBERS 22. What could the Atlanta Ballet do to encourage you to renew your subscription? [DO NOT READ LIST. RECORD ALL MENTIONS AS MULTIPLE RESPONSE.] More varied programming (types of ballets) . . . . . . . 01 Schedule more performances of each event . . . . . . 02 (extend from one to two weeks) Extend the season to include more events . . . . . . . . 03 (e.g., from four events to six events) More flexibility in ticket packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04 (e.g., options for two or three performances) Let me know when the performances are scheduled . 05 Lower ticket prices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 06 Have performances in locations other than the Fox. . 07 Have performances in non-traditional locations . . . . 08 (such as parks, shopping malls, schools) More combination performances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 09 with other groups (like the Indigo Girls) Have special appearances by star performers . . . . . 10 Other [PROBE FOR COMPLETE DETAILS] _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ Our final questions are designed to better understand the demographics of the Atlanta Ballet audience. This information will only be reported in total, with all individual information remaining confidential. 23. Approximately how many miles, one way, do you travel to see a performance by the Atlanta Ballet> NUMBER OF MILES _______ IF RESPONDENT GIVES A RANGE, ASK THEM WHAT SPECIFIC NUMBER TO USE. IF THEY CANNOT GIVE AN EXACT ANSWER, TAKE THE MID-POINT. 24. About how many professional performing arts events other than the Atlanta Ballet have you attended in the past 12 months?

NUMBER OF PERFORMANCES _______ (IF "0", SKIP TO Q. 26) IF RESPONDENT GIVES A RANGE, ASK THEM WHAT SPECIFIC NUMBER TO USE. IF THEY CANNOT GIVE AN EXACT ANSWER, TAKE THE MID-POINT. 24a. What other professional performing arts events do you attend? 1 The Atlanta Symphony 2 The Atlanta Opera 3 The Alliance Theatre 4 Other theatrical groups 5 Other ____________________ (specify) 25. Using a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is "much worse" and 10 is “much better”', how would you compare the Atlanta Ballet with other professional performing arts organizations in the Atlanta area? Much Worse Much Better Don't Know 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0 26. Which of these categories includes your age? [READ LIST] Under 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 18 to 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 25 to 34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 35 to 49 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 50 to 64 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 65 to 79 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 80 or older . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 DON'T READ Refused . . 0 27. What is the highest level of education you have completed? [DO NOT READ LIST] Less than high school degree . . . . . . . 1 High school degree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Some college . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 College degree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Some graduate/professional school . . . 5 Graduate/professional school degree. . 6 Refused . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 28. What is your marital status? Are you . . . [READ CHOICES] Married or partnered with someone . . . . . . . . 1 or Single, widowed, or divorced . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 DON'T READ Refused . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3


29. What is your total annual household income? [READ LIST IF NECESSARY] Under $15,000 . . . . . . . . 01 $15,000 up to $25,000 . . 02 $25,000 up to $35,000 . . 03 $35,000 up to $55,000 . . 04 $55,000 up to $75,000 . . 05 $75,000 up to $100,000 . . 06 $100,000 up to $150,000 . 07 $150,000 up to $200,000 . 08 $200,000 up to $250,000 . 09 $250,000 or more. . . . . . . 10 DON'T READ Refused . . 11 30. What is your race? [READ LIST IF NECESSARY] White or Caucasian . . . . . . . . . . 1 Black or African American . . . . . 2 Hispanic or Latino . . . . . . . . . . .3 Asian or Pacific Islander . . . . . . . 4 American Indian or Native American . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Mixed Heritage or Other . . . . . . 6 DON'T READ Refused . . . . . . 7 RECORD, BUT DO NOT ASK: 31 Sex of respondent: Male . . . . . . .1 Female . . . . 2 Verify with respondent his/her phone number and zip code from listing information: Respondent Zip Code __________ Telephone number _________________________________________