Dunedin Fringe Festival 2023

Overview

The Dunedin Fringe Festival is an annual event attracting artists from across Aotearoa and overseas, featuring a mix of established and emerging talent. In 2023, I worked as the Marketing & Publicity Manager on a 5-month contract, overseeing all aspects of the festival’s marketing and communications. Despite an incredibly tight timeline (only 2 months instead of the usual 4), we saw fantastic results, with over 5,000 tickets sold and NZ$90,000 raised for the artists.

Marketing Goals

The primary objectives were to:

• Increase ticket sales and audience engagement.

• Raise brand visibility for the festival, ensuring a strong online presence.

• Promote the diversity and inclusivity of the festival, highlighting both emerging and established artists.

Strategic Approach

1. Digital Marketing Expertise: Utilised social media platforms and email marketing (EDMs) to drive engagement, increase ticket sales, and raise awareness.

2. Community Engagement: Focused on highlighting the diverse nature of the festival and fostering a sense of community between artists and audiences.

3. Brand Messaging: Emphasised the festival’s mission to provide an inclusive, accessible platform for artists, amplifying their voices and creating a space for experimentation.

Results

• 5,000 tickets sold, with NZ$90,000 raised for the artists—the most successful year to date for the festival.

• A highly visible online presence that directly translated into strong audience numbers.

• The festival received positive feedback from both participants and attendees, particularly for its innovative marketing approach under tight deadlines.

“Geni was amazing to work with! She managed all aspects of Dunedin Fringe Festival 2023’s marketing and communications under an incredibly tight timeframe (2 months instead of 4!), which was really too much to ask of anyone. She approached an impossible task with good humour, patience, grace, and persistence, and we saw fantastic results thanks to her hard work and dedication. She brought her digital marketing expertise to the table, ensuring Dunedin Fringe had a highly visible online presence that translated into strong audience numbers. Thank you, Geni, for bringing your many talents to our Dunedin Fringe Dream Team!”

— Ruth Harvey (Co-Director of Dunedin Fringe)