Case Study: State Street Ballet
State Street Ballet
2024/25 Season
Client: State Street Ballet
Campaign: 2024/25 Season
Agency: WE INC. Marketing
Date: 2024/25 Season
Project Lead: Fran Jamison
Email & Social Lead: Nicolette Yarbrough
Design Lead: Larry Williams
Project Manager: Shana Olson
Digital Advertising Partner: ASYMM Digital
Strategic Objectives
Implement tracking and evaluation tools onto statestreetballet.com to more accurately track advertising spends.
Adjust Pricing: Increase pricing on matinee performances of SSB’s Nutcracker show due to high demand
Reenergize State Street Ballet’s visual brand, using bold, dynamic imagery, and simple copy
Focus on strategic partnerships and sponsorships to increase the impact of marketing & promotional budget
"In order to begin our partnership with WE INC. Marketing, we needed to get board approval. The scope of work was thoughtful and detailed, truly tailored to our needs so getting a unanimous vote for hiring WE INC. was an easy sell. To date, we have received many positive comments from our board members about the striking images on our posters, the quality of our email campaigns, and the professionalism of our marketing and communication to our audiences. I can confidently say that our staff, board, and patrons are all very happy with the results."
-Cecily MacDougall, Executive Director at State Street Ballet
Results
Sales Increases & Sold Out Performances
3 sold out shows for Nutcracker and an increase of almost 17% in revenue for two performance sets in 2024 (Scheherazade and The Nutcracker). ($226,776 23/24 compared to $264,604.8 in 24/25)
Almost sold-out run of The Little Mermaid in the spring, plus a sold-out sensory-friendly performance– the first of its kind by State Street Ballet.
192% to final ticket sales goal for the closing show of the season. Sold 2.67x the number of tickets to the closing show of the season in 2025 vs 2024.
Trackable Campaigns: ability to assess effectiveness of various advertising spends and media channels for future advertising
More Effective Email Marketing
Sales emails (to State Street Ballet’s list of 6.1k subscribers) improved by 46% when compared to their audience averages, with an average open rate of 47%. (2025 Entertainment/Events Open Rate Benchmark = 43.7% according to MailerLite) Email click through rates also increased by 45%, when compared to audience averages, with an average click through rate of 2%.
Implemented a new email campaign with useful information for patrons sent 48 hours prior to each show and followed up with a post-performance survey. We utilized a content marketing promotion strategy, showcasing behind the scenes content curated for social media, dancer features, and choreographer backstories.
Increased Organic and Paid Social Media Reach
1.7 million impressions for the full season garnered across Instagram and Facebook with a breakdown of around 45% paid impressions and 55% organic impressions. Strategically distributed small budget to maximize impressions and conversions while saving advertising dollars for the shows that needed more promotion
Exceeded Sales Goals: Increased ticket sales by 25% and increased revenue by 13% with no significant increased investment for marketing & promotion.
Implemented first Meta campaigns for SSB: Limited Budget of $10k across the full season drove 5,578 clicks and $29.65k in revenue
Increase in account reach: +339% increase in social media account reach compared to the previous period (September 2023-May 2024)
Increase in clicks: Social content returned over 6.4k outbound link clicks (an increase of 329% on Instagram and 6,000% increase compared to the previous year).Email Effectiveness Increases: Open rates increased by 46% click through rates increased by 45%, when compared to audience averages, with an average click through rate of 2%.
Captured & Increased Potential Revenue: WE INC. found significant sales on matinee performances, and by increasing prices slightly were able to maximize revenue and help drive price-sensitive audiences to different showtimes.
Streamlined State Street Ballet’s visual identity: created a bold, cohesive, and instantly recognizable look throughout the entire season while remaining firmly rooted in the company’s core values—elegance, innovation, and artistic excellence.
"Working with the WE INC. Marketing team has been transformative for our organization. They are organized, timely, and creative, and have helped us bring our marketing efforts up to date. Since beginning our work with WE INC. we have seen an increase in ticket sales, as well as a marked improvement in the professionalism and consistency of our promotions, emails, and promotional materials. I cannot recommend them enough for your marketing needs.”
-Cecily MacDougall, Executive Director at State Street Ballet
Recommendations & Future Opportunities
Pricing Considerations: Either increase ticket prices for most popular shows and performance times, or implement dynamic pricing earlier in the season
Add Performances: As Nutcracker is a significant source of income across the season, consider maximizing potential revenue by adding a performance.
Dive deeper into audience data. Utilize new WE INC. partnership with Bolero to better understand which audiences are returning and which are new to file.
Focus on Subscription Strategies: Focus on turning single ticket buyers into long-term subscribers for the future and refine subscription program.
Specifically focus on converting Nutcracker audiences into regular audiences.
Consider Digital User Experience: utilize the compelling content created for social media on the statestreetballet.org website also. Find meaningful ways for patrons to engage with content online, getting to know State Street Ballet as an organization and the company of dancers.
This case study provides a snapshot of the State Street Ballet’s campaign goals, strategies, outcomes, and recommendations for future improvements, showcasing WE INC. Marketing's effective execution and impactful results. Reach out today to see how WE can support your marketing efforts!