laughing in the rain

Andy Nulman, the guy in charge of laughter in Canada – he’s actually in charge of the Just for Laughs brand, tweeted this past weekend:

…what do I have to do to make 20,000 stand in the rain for comedy?

Andy was attending a Green Day concert and realized that 20,000 rabid fans were moshing it up in the rain. 

So I thought I’d dedicate this post to Andy.  I hope I can help.  Although I do know that Andy has friends much smarter than I.  So there’s no pressure on me to perform.

First off, I don’t think Green Day ordered rain.  Honestly.  So let’s take rain out of the equation.  The question should be, how do we get 20,000 people to buy tickets to a comedy act/show that will take place outdoors?

Step one.  Hire an act or a number of performers so that selling 20,000 tickets is no problem.  Talent matters.  I’m not a follower of the comedy industry, but I do know that Russell Peters sold out the Air Canada Centre back in 2009.  So find someone who has filled or can fill an arena.

Step two.  Energy.  If Green Day were performing an intimate, unplugged set, maybe their fans would have rebelled and left the show.  No one like’s just standing in the rain.  But singing in the rain and being active can be kinda fun. Especially if it’s summer and a lot of white tops are being worn. You shouldn’t plan for rain but you can at least prepare for it.  Which comedy act get’s people fired up?

Step three.  This is a blog about “marketing in a social age” so here’s a suggestion with this in mind.  Create a collaborative event.  Create an interactive community-driven site where fans can suggest jokes and themes.  Think about a mash-up of Twitter, YouTube and flash mobs.  Allow the talent to participate in this collaboration with their fans.  Can you imagine the electricity in the air as people wait for their “contribution” to be shared?

Andy, these are just some thoughts.  Hope they help at least spark some ingenious ideas on your end.

Anyone else have any other ideas?

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