Apr 10, 2020
When Cirque de Soleil files for bankruptcy protection you realize how fast the sun has set on the event business. To find out what it will take to stage a comeback I chat with brothers David and Stephen Shaw , who are Canadian born, and have become global thought leaders in different segments of the event business.
David Shaw is the Senior Vice President, International and Content at UFC. David talks about the importance of being first.
Stephen Shaw is the co-founder of Round Room, his resume includes producing for the Rolling Stones, Oprah, Broadway Productions and major touring exhibits like Jurassic Park. Stephen talks about how the concept of immersive experiences will change because of COVID and through technology.
In this exclusive I chat with the Shaw Brothers about their upbringing, I seek their insights into the world of entertainment and putting smiles on people’s faces, and ideas on how Canada can stop the drain of talent like these two.
What advice can
you give parents to kind of bring up and raise the kids?
(01:07)
- Kids need to understand the value of the dollar and the value of
hard work
- Respect and not only respect for your contemporaries and your
peers, but respect for people of all ages, races and
ethnicities
What is
considered exceptional in the experience economy?
(02:29)
- Creating a balance between your audience, the content and
accessibility
- Incorporating experiences that appeal to your fans, both the
hardcore and casual fans
- Diversifying the content experience with traditional elements and
immersive experiences
- Accessibility is key, providing multiple customer journeys that
appeal across all age groups and geographic markets
How David
scaled the UFC brand (03:30)
- Be first is a key maxim that drives the brand forward. A decade
ago UFC was one of the sports franchises to live stream live
events, on Facebook.
- Unable to secure favourable pay-per-view deals, they adopted
social media to connect with their audience and disseminate
information and to market their product.
- They created a sports product that transcends language, it
transcends borders and geography and it transcends ethnicity and
religion.
The role
technology will play in the future of entertainment
(04:50)
- Technology enables the UFC to connect their product with a
customer, wherever they are via whatever medium or platform they
wish, be it satellite, cable, Facebook, etc
- VR and AR has heightened the content experience and online
ticketing has enabled greater accessibility
How will the
experience economy come back from the COVID pandemic?
(06:27)
- Until there is a vaccine it will be a long road to recovery
- A slue of strict health and safety protocols and measure will be
implemented
- One needs to look to new revenue streams, particularly in digital
media
- Develop new sponsorship assets
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Links and
References
Stephen Shaw, Founder, Round Room Live
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-shaw-98170019/
Website - https://roundroomlive.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/roundroomlive/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/round_room_live/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/RoundRoomLive
@RoundRoomLive
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/round-room-live/
David Shaw, SVP International and Content, UFC
https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-shaw-47393228/
Website - https://www.ufc.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/UFCCanada/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ufc_ca
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ufc/
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