Challenge
Cultivate the next generation of Cirque du Soleil lovers
Cirque du Soleil built their distinctive brand by turning the traditional circus genre upside down.
The core consumer of its artistic, luxurious entertainment is 35 - 55 years old and affluent.
However, they will be dead by 2050, and before profits die with them, we have to reach a younger audience
Audience
Target a mindset, not a "millennial"
What defines a millennial beyond an age bracket?
For all the pluralities in millennial tribes, they all told us they love to celebrate their youth with friends - it's a time of embracing the impossible and rejecting routine.
Instead of looking at demographics or psychographics we spoke to a mindset that’s universal and eternal:
child-like wonder.
This opens up an audience of all ages, especially kids, who are natural, uninhibited dreamers.
We spoke to die-hard fans in real life and dove into online chatter in fan communities.
They told us their obsession was sparked from their very first show.
Stepping into Cirque's fantastical world made them feel like a kid again, experiencing everything for the first time.
Category
More than a fancy circus or live entertainment
We redefined Cirque du Soleil's core offering to be creating immersive worlds of wonder and imagination.
Insight
You don't stop dreaming when you grow old; you grow old when you stop dreaming
Reality is grim and suppresses our ability to dream.
Research in cognitive development shows that creativity peaks at 8 years old, before systematic education sets in, followed by other unpleasant realities like mortgages, unemployment, and the impending Trump presidency.
Strategy
Escape from reality
For adults, Cirque du Soleil will be the break in the clouds, letting them see the world through a child's eyes again. For children, it will be an essential part of their education and development outside of the classroom, reminding them that nothing is impossible.
We'll inject moments of magic into the real world with surprising installations linking back to an explorational app. Giving audiences a glimpse of this dream-like world will be the hook to developing new life-long fans.
Creative Execution
Dream with open eyes
 An app allowing users to explore virtual environments from Cirque's current and upcoming shows. |  |  Tower viewers equipped with augmented reality will overlay Cirque's world onto our own, turning regular cityscapes into inspired dreams. |  |  Beautiful Cirque-inspired installations in heavy traffic public areas provide a mini escape from reality. |  At installations, tell your dreams to an artist who creates a 3D printed version and a virtual rendering to crossover into the app and AR tower viewers. |
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Recommendations
Campaign timeline: launch pre-summer 2007
Make the shift from "family-appropriate" to "family-oriented"
Improve shows for a younger audience (children): weekend matinee, meet the performers, new "junior" shows
App downloads and interactions
Earned media impressions
Brand sentiment
Awareness among children & families
Measuring success
Net new customers
Return customers
Lower age of attendees
Don't target only millennials with a brand campaign that needs to be renewed every decade for the zeitgeist.
Speak to a mindset that's universal and eternal.
Cultivating Cirque du Soleil lovers from a young age is a long-term investment that will pay dividends.