A 24-hour play with a 24-hour queue

In some ways The Second Woman was a marketers’ dream; a one-off, must-see arts experience starring Ruth Wilson. But it was a 24-hour performance and the dead hours of the late night/early morning were naturally going to be a harder sell. The Second Woman took place at the Young Vic in May 2023. Working together with the venue we developed and ran a press and marketing campaign that generated 70 pieces of coverage across print, radio, digital and TV, and a queue that lasted 24-hours, becoming an essential part of the art. #TheQueue (a genius idea from Florence at the Young Vic) trended on Twitter. We produced social media coverage around the clock, creating a parallel digital experience that reached approximately 2,600,000 people. The challenge for LIFT was making sure audiences knew The Second Woman was also a LIFT show, when it took place at Young Vic and tickets were bought through their website. I collaborated and negotiated with the team at the venue to get the maximum possible exposure for LIFT, while also working to make sure we sold out tickets for the show.

Key skills:

• Communications strategy

• Brand management

• Audience analysis and development

Photos: The Second Woman starring Ruth Wilsons. Captured by Helen Murray and Beatrice Debney.