This "Variant" of Live Events is Still Spreading...

Like a certain virus that I won’t name, live events evolve.

Not on their own, of course. As the world changes, show creators change too. They try new things, observe what works and do more of it. Cirque du Soleil was a strange and unexpected variant of the Circus concept. Once it proved popular, interpretations and remixes of Cirque’s shtick appeared. Some of them worked and some didn’t, of course. But the evolution continues to this day.

I want to talk about a very powerful “variant” of live events that is poised to be more and more dominant in the next decade. Whether you’re competing against this variant directly as a show creator or marketer or not, there’s plenty to learn here.?

Starting in the middle of the 2010s or so, I started to notice a lot of interest in a new kind of event. These were events that often came out of nowhere and could sell tens or even hundreds of thousands of tickets in a matter of weeks. They had a broad appeal, didn’t rely on existing IP or brand, and made money.

I describe these as Low Barrier events. Some examples would be seasonal walk-through lights events that happen at Christmas and Halloween and they involve elaborate displays of jack o’lanterns, holiday themed lights, or illuminated inflatables. Other examples include things like the Museum of Ice Cream or Immersive Van Gogh.

As an event type, these have captured a lot of mindshare that may once have belonged to things like theatre, concerts and movies. Things like this have always existed, but it’s only in the last decade that they’ve proliferated. That’s why I think of them as a “variant” on a live event.

Here are eight advantages built into the DNA of these Low Barrier events:

The customer sets the pace. Most of these events are built to walk through. If there’s something you like, you can stop and dwell on it, and if not, you can keep moving.

It’s picturesque and multi-sensory. The emphasis is on dazzling you with the view, but there’s also sound and, in many cases, taste! Many of these events either include or allow eating. Given the explosion in food interest and media, this is a big, big evolutionary advantage.

It’s social. You go there with other people. You walk and talk. It’s a great thing to do with people, and it can just as easily be a multi-generational night out or a hot date.?

It’s parasocial (i.e., you can take pictures and post them to Instagram). Start by acknowledging that the fabric of life for Millennials and younger cohorts is digital. A 2 hour “blackout” during a play, for example, might discourage some people. It’s not insurmountable, but it matters.

It’s slightly shorter than traditional live events. The Immersive Van Gogh show runs on a 35 minute loop. I personally get around most holiday lights shows in an hour or so. Everyone’s different, but not many people stick around the Museum of Ice Cream for the running time of a Broadway show.?

It’s easy to explain and market. At Night of the Jack, you walk around a beautiful estate and see thousands of intricately carved jack o’lanterns and other Halloween decorations, while munching on corn on the cob and drinking a beer. You already get it.

They can do immense volume, which keeps price moderate. Capacity can be massive because of the nature of the event itself. Especially the outdoors ones. That means prices rarely go too high.

The quality is…good enough. I don’t mean anything bad when I say this, but these events do what they need to do when it comes to quality. You don’t leave disappointed because expectations are set properly. You will have a good time, and if it doesn’t change your life, you can live with that.?

When it comes to competing for dollars and time with traditional live events, Low Barrier events have some major advantages built right into their DNA. Let’s imagine an event with the opposite of these characteristics:

The event starts and ends at the same time for everyone.

It’s not really a multi-sensory experience, or it’s just sight and sound.

You can’t talk to anyone during the event.

You can’t post during the show or even use your phone.

It’s usually 2 to 3 hours long.

It’s hard to explain what the show is, which means that it’s easiest to sell when people are familiar with it before they come.

The number of people who can come is strictly limited, which tends to drive up price.

The effort that goes into the show is extraordinary, which makes it special, but also makes it very, very expensive to deliver.

What does this sound like to you?

There’s a place for High Barrier events too of course. Nobody loves them more than me, whether it’s theatre, Cirque, concerts or opera.?

But the Low Barrier variant was already taking over when Covid hit, and the pandemic accelerated its growth. More of this is coming.?

For creators and sellers of High Barrier events, it’s important to understand this trend, of course. But more than that, it’s also important to find ways to lower any unnecessary barriers you possibly can. ?In the past, maybe you could get away with making the purchase difficult, for example, or strictly banning food or drinks from inside the venue. You can still do those things, but they’ll come at more of a cost.?

Because the Low Barrier variant is out there, and the rising generation of patrons likes what it’s bringing to the party.