EUREKYS

EUREKYS is the REGISTERED  TRADE MARK of 

RAY WILLIAMS MA MPhil MBA DIPM
Business Adviser, Composer, Songwriter, Author

CREATING A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE

ANOTHER LANDMARK FOR EUREKYS MUSIC

A World Class successful singer is interested in recording some of my songs. I have given her first option. A very exciting new development.

NEW LANDMARK FOR EUREKYS MUSIC

As at the 1st September 2014 more than 40.000 people have listened to my music compositions across the World on Digital Radio Stations and on YouTube - in one year.
Thank you everyone.

My Slideshow

THE VISION OF 1961

SCHOLARSHIP TO THE USA 1961
A Study of American Marketing Developments

I can look back for more than 50 years on my first visit to the USA as a Travelling Scholar of what is now called The Chartered Institute of Marketing. I had won this award by obtaining the highest marks in the UK in the Diploma examinations in the subjects Marketing and Market Research.as well as writing a winning article on The Future of Marketing.
As a result of my 3 months stay in the USA during which I spent 4 weeks with Remington Univac   and Doyle Dane and Bernbach a leading Advertising Agency in New York, Johnson and Johnson in New Jersey, North American Philips in the USA and Canada - I completed a Report entitles -
Trends in American Marketing.

Here is s summary of the visionary trends that I noted from my research and as stated in my article.

SUPERSONIC TRAVEL
I suggested in my essay to the Scholarship selection committee that in the future British Airways would have flights to New York that would take only 3 hours.
This was many years before Concorde took to the skies.

DEVELOPMENT OF COLOUR TELEVISION
My study involved work with NBC - National Broadcasting Corporation and RCA -  Radio Corporation of America in New York and some of the leading TV channels in the USA. Colour Television was still in its infancy and it was unknown in the UK. I outlined in my Report some of the technological problems as well as the scope for Marketing in colour.

NOCTURNAL SHOPPING
Another trend that I studied - unknown in the UK at the time, was Nocturnal Shopping.
Today, Shopping Centres like ASDA, Tesco, Morrisons are open sometimes all night.

MARKETING SPECIALISM
In the UK in 1961, Advertising Agencies did not have separate Marketing Departments. In the USA, agencies such as Doyle Dane and Bernbach had well developed specialist Marketing Departments. They had also developed a stronger appreciation of Consumer Research and Customer Profiling.

MARKETING AS A PROFESSION
In 1961 in the UK the emphasis in Business was on Production and Selling in that order. Marketing as a prime driving force was not developed. In the USA Marketing as a professional tool was well developed.
I attended New York University classes on Marketing which made me realise the full potential of Marketing being a very important concept which the UK should embrace.

SIX YEARS ON 1967
I was fortunate in 1967 to be selected with some 40 other Senior British and American Executives to study at Harvard Business School. I remember listening to Professor Theodore Levitt talk about Marketing in depth - he wrote the famous book Marketing Myopia.  I also studied under Professor Ladendorf and Professor Ed Burske ( Editor of the Harvard Business Revue ). In 1967 thanks to the work of The Institute
of Marketing in the UK, the role of Marketing was becoming accepted by the business community It took a few more years before Marketing was recognised a s a profession.. I also remember the Professors predicting the Information Age - when computers would dominate communications and the spread of the Knowledge Society. How right they were.
As Chief Executive of Ofrex Limited, we had already installed an IBM 360 series computer - mainly for payroll work

THE NEXT 50 YEARS
What will be the trends over the next 50 years to 2064 ?
Perhaps you have the vision to predict the future just like my studies in the USA a long time ago.

STRATEGY FOR NEW MUSICALS

Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh dominate the world of the Musical Theatre.

Lloyd Webber also dominates ownership of some of London's major theatres such as The London Palladium and Drury Lane Theatre.

In 2013 it is estimated that more than 8.5 million people will have seen West End musicals with a turnover of some £350 millions. So, Musical Theatre is big money - and big losses in some cases.

If you are a budding composer and creator of musical theatre you need to be realistic in your Strategy if you want to break into this highly competitive market. So, what is my advice ?

Firstly, understand that you need a large amount of funding - risk capital - even if you have a brilliant musical score and a great script. This first step will be very difficult. The dominant players will attract capital due to their reputation and contacts. It is doubtful if you an unknown will be able to do so !

Musicals are normally collaborative productions. You will find it difficult to attract collaborators or partners - so do not waste you time and effort trying to do so. I have found that we live in a Noreply Society - if you do try to contact prospects, they will almost certainly ignore you. 
Success makes them aloof, selfish and unavailable - unless you are in their magic circle of like Prima Donas !

So, you must be realistic and modest in your expectations. What should you do then ?

STRATEGY FOR NEW MUSICALS

• Your musical must be tailored to a low cost flexible production such as - use effective lighting to maximize the appearance of sets. Do not suggest high cost stage scenery. Use lighting changes on simple sets
• Keep cast numbers within about 12 people to reduce artists costs with some multi roles for each member of the cast except the principal players.
• It goes without saying that your musical score and script must be original and very creative for a 2 hours long musical with a 20 minutes interval
• Make sure that the choreography is lively and appealing.
• Make sure that the cast wardrobes are colourful and low cost productions. 
• Use recordings for your musical numbers - ie the themes and do not use costly musicians except where there is an amateur production.

KEY OBJECTIVES

In Stage 1 ignore any attempt to launch your musical onto the London Stage or any international musical theatre stages. You will fail !

Realise that the Market for Musical Theatre is in general as follows -

• Capital Theatres such as London and New York
• Major Provincial Cities Theatres and Groups.
• Minor Cities and Towns Theatres
• Suburban small theatres stages
• NODA - National Operatic and Dramatic Association Theatre Groups
• Amateur Theatres Production Groups
• Schools and Collages Theatre Groups
• Stage School Productions
• Online Internet Exposure and Downloads.

Your best option is to promote your new musical vis the NODA Members list and the Amateur Theatre Groups. If you succeed, you will gain considerable valuable experience at low financial risk. You can then tackle some of the other Market Segments as listed above.
At present there is a tendency fro productions to be The Golden Oldies - such as South Pacific, The King and I,  42nd Street, West Side Story and so on.

I believe that it is time to see on stage some new refreshing 21st Century Musicals. In order to create and encourage new talent in Britain for the benefit of the Arts in general, I also believe that it is good to break the dominance of the Big Two Composers.

PROMOTING THE NEW MUSICAL

If you have a low budget, I suggest that you concentrate your efforts on the main segments which I have listed as Stage 1 Priorities. You can use Direct Mail on a selective basis as well as the Internet - place a Video and Music on YouTube. Also invest in  iTunes - Google Play - Virgin - Spotify and other Social Media sites. See my article The Online Digital Music Revolution 2013 for further helpful,hints.

If you are lucky, find a Champion who is impressed with your work and who will open doors for you in the Musical Theatre World.

BEST OF LUCK TO YOU.

Everytime

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