The Wilmington Arts and Entertainment Marketing Initiative: A Campaign by Mobius New Media to Promote Arts, Entertainment, Dining, Nightlife and Shopping in the City

An arts and entertainment revolution happening right in your backyard… Are you in?

by Bob Yearick • photos by Joe del Tufo and Matt Urban, Mobius New Media Published August 11, 2011 at 04:31 PM

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“Organizations had been largely operating in silos,” says Urban, “communicating with only their own patrons. Now, I think they understand that helping promote their neighbor helps promote themselves.” He adds that the advisory board is encouraging collaborative events that include several organizations.

Says John Rago, who has worked for city government for 11 years, “Growing the arts will help the city’s retail business, restaurants—everything that’s happening in Wilmington. The organizations are finally coming together and understanding the power of pooling resources. And now the new branding campaign has the social networking piece and media exposure that was needed. The new Web site is something we had always dreamed about, with information on parking and restaurants, and the various city neighborhoods. Before, we had individual neighborhoods doing their own thing. Now, we’re marketing the entire city.”

So far, some 75 organizations are represented on the Web site. The sheer numbers and diversity of the events listed on the site are astounding.

Urban says the campaign has generated “strong results,” adding, “visits to the Web site are increasing quickly, along with ticket sales and link-outs to other organizations. And with the large advertising campaign we are driving them to the Web site in increasing numbers.”

He says he’s encouraged by the crowds he’s seen at recent events, especially in these tough economic times. “I think we may be past the hurdle of people being afraid to spend their discretionary dollars on entertainment,” he says. “Plus, we’re helping to showcase that there are a lot of low-cost and free events going on, including Wilmington’s first Friday art loops, things like the DuPont Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, and other free events throughout the city. People are realizing there are more interesting things to do around here than go to a movie.”