TheMan
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- NemiLerVion
Marketing pretty much run the park though.
That's wrong. SO SO wrong. Who allowed that to happen?
Wow. That's properly back to front!
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ℹ️ Heads up...
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Fireworks 2014
- Thread starter James
- Start date
That's wrong. SO SO wrong. Who allowed that to happen?
Wow. That's properly back to front!
Imagination
TS Member
Marketing do control every element - especially with Ents, character names, set designs etc. It has been like this for years.
They hated the battle idea - "rides do not have personalities or personas and why would they battle each other?!"
Urm, yet who made the rides battle it out twice before? Yes - you dear marketing team, you.
They hated the battle idea - "rides do not have personalities or personas and why would they battle each other?!"
Urm, yet who made the rides battle it out twice before? Yes - you dear marketing team, you.
Burbs
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
All of them I believe. Although DF, XS and possibly CCL close a short while before the fireworks commence, and reopen a short while after the fireworks have finished.
Scott
Former TS Team Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
Only the areas behind the Towers close before the show. Mutiny Bay, Katanga Canyon and Valley will all be open during the show. The other areas reopen shortly after the show.
The only rides that close at dusk are The Skyride, The Flume, Get Set Go and also The Gardens I believe.
The only rides that close at dusk are The Skyride, The Flume, Get Set Go and also The Gardens I believe.
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
Marketing have had control over the park for quite some time now, when Morwenna was the marketing director she had a lot of influence over what happened, and I've said it before but it is no coincidence that things have gone downhill since she left.
Does anyone know if Towers currently have a marketing director though? I don't recall anyone replacing Justin following his swift promotion to a senior position at Merlin.
It makes sense in one respect having marketing in control. It ensures that decisions made are likely to have an impact on guest numbers as they are not going to go for things that cannot be marketed. A lot of businesses are becoming marketing led now, with many CEOs having marketing backgrounds as opposed to finance backgrounds. One park that I know is a bit different is BGW, the entertainments team over there have a lot of influence, especially when it comes to theming around the park.
Does anyone know if Towers currently have a marketing director though? I don't recall anyone replacing Justin following his swift promotion to a senior position at Merlin.
It makes sense in one respect having marketing in control. It ensures that decisions made are likely to have an impact on guest numbers as they are not going to go for things that cannot be marketed. A lot of businesses are becoming marketing led now, with many CEOs having marketing backgrounds as opposed to finance backgrounds. One park that I know is a bit different is BGW, the entertainments team over there have a lot of influence, especially when it comes to theming around the park.
James
TS Founding Member
Main problem with marketing running the park is that they just don't understand the different departments. Someone with a specialism in marketing just won't understand someone with a specialism in the entertainments industry.
It's like a cleaner managing a building contractor (maybe that's where The Smiler's ground works went wrong ). They have no understanding of one another.
It only works if you have someone who's open to new ideas and doesn't interfere too much... like Morwenna.
Bring back Morwenna!
It's like a cleaner managing a building contractor (maybe that's where The Smiler's ground works went wrong
). They have no understanding of one another. It only works if you have someone who's open to new ideas and doesn't interfere too much... like Morwenna.
Bring back Morwenna!
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
We all wanted her out? I'm not so sure about that, I certainly didn't. I was very sad when she left, she did a brilliant job overall. I don't think anyone who would like her back wanted her to go in the first place.
James
TS Founding Member
I didn't want her out either.
I know a lot of people slate her for the Th13teen hype, although she had no control over how to market that. The PR stunts, well it's a common thing in marketing, certainly not unique to Towers. Many companies create weird stories and stunts to grab the interest of the public.
You've just got to compare 2007 to 2010 to see just how much Morwenna changed the place. For once there was a consistent brand when Morwenna took over, we had events back, fireworks back, proper attractions being added. There are some flaws between the lines, especially with Th13teen, although on the whole Morwenna knew what she was doing and she did it pretty well.
I know a lot of people slate her for the Th13teen hype, although she had no control over how to market that. The PR stunts, well it's a common thing in marketing, certainly not unique to Towers. Many companies create weird stories and stunts to grab the interest of the public.
You've just got to compare 2007 to 2010 to see just how much Morwenna changed the place. For once there was a consistent brand when Morwenna took over, we had events back, fireworks back, proper attractions being added. There are some flaws between the lines, especially with Th13teen, although on the whole Morwenna knew what she was doing and she did it pretty well.
CGM
TS Member
I thoroughly disliked the opportunistic publicity stunts and I wouldn't want to see Alton go back in that direction. They may have been effective at generating footfall in the short term but I feel that over time they cheapened the Alton brand. It was a technique that assumed no intelligence of the consumer. Most of the news articles and advertising campaigns were just flat out lies.
Let's not start getting misty eyed about the mid to late 2000s. It was a terrible era for the park!
Don't fall into the trap of confusing marketing with advertising. Marketing is a much broader area than that. It covers everything from a customer first finding out about a product to the consumption of that product. We were taught to think of it as the process of delivering value. In that respect, all parts of Alton's operation are part of a large marketing exercise.
Let's not start getting misty eyed about the mid to late 2000s. It was a terrible era for the park!
Don't fall into the trap of confusing marketing with advertising. Marketing is a much broader area than that. It covers everything from a customer first finding out about a product to the consumption of that product. We were taught to think of it as the process of delivering value. In that respect, all parts of Alton's operation are part of a large marketing exercise.
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TheMan
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- NemiLerVion
Sorry, since when do Marketing run companies?
I am not saying people with marketing backgrounds cannot successfully run a company, but marketing can sometimes have a tendency to write cheques with its mouth that its ass can't cash.
LOGIC: Budget goes here: Creative development team uses said budget. Engineers etc involved to help spec out said attraction. Finance involved etc to negotiate prices - at the end of all that, they give said product to marketing who MARKET IT.
WHEN exactly did marketing begin to precede all of those?
(I am not saying either, that Market research is not relevant and a brief set, but do you think JW was run by marketers? Working with, yes of course, everything should be cohesive, but BY marketers? Really?)
I am not saying people with marketing backgrounds cannot successfully run a company, but marketing can sometimes have a tendency to write cheques with its mouth that its ass can't cash.
LOGIC: Budget goes here: Creative development team uses said budget. Engineers etc involved to help spec out said attraction. Finance involved etc to negotiate prices - at the end of all that, they give said product to marketing who MARKET IT.
WHEN exactly did marketing begin to precede all of those?
(I am not saying either, that Market research is not relevant and a brief set, but do you think JW was run by marketers? Working with, yes of course, everything should be cohesive, but BY marketers? Really?)
Marketing will be heavily involved in what type of attractions etc are added though, they will be the ones who decided that they needed a thrill coaster for 2013 and that they needed a IP family area for 2014. Marketing is much more than just advertising/marketing a final product (or ride/attraction in this case). This is similar across many industries.
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
Marketing is not just the advertising of a new ride/product. One of the most important aspects of any successful business, theme parks included, is brand and brand image. And which department are key to this? Marketing. Everything the park does needs to fit in with the brand otherwise the brand will not be strong. So everything naturally has to go through marketing.
The marketing director is key to the success of any business. That's why it does worry me that we have not heard of a new marketing director at Towers since Justin's promotion.
The marketing director is key to the success of any business. That's why it does worry me that we have not heard of a new marketing director at Towers since Justin's promotion.
TheMan
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- NemiLerVion
You know what that reminds me of?
Marketing people telling musicians what music to make.
Does a musician do market research to find out what creative things people might like? No*. They're creative. I am not saying things should not run alongside Marketing, that's essential, but being run BY marketing? No way.
(Unless you are Simon Cowell etc and using cookie cutter pop music tripe)
Marketing people telling musicians what music to make.
Does a musician do market research to find out what creative things people might like? No*. They're creative. I am not saying things should not run alongside Marketing, that's essential, but being run BY marketing? No way.
(Unless you are Simon Cowell etc and using cookie cutter pop music tripe)