A recent market research survey was set up to investigate current theatregoing trends. It makes interesting reading for businesses looking at promoting their services to discerning audiences. See the survey's data and graphs
The data, derived from interviews with over 30,000 adults nationwide, shows that nearly 36% of the population (that's nearly 16m people!) go to the theatre, and over 6% (nearly 2.5m people) go at least 4 times a year!
Theatregoers tend to come from the professional classes - making up more than 60% of all audiences.
Theatre programme advertising is a cost-effective way of advertising to a highly sophisticated market. Data shows that theatre audiences - the people that buy and read theatre programmes - are more often from the age group 25-54, without children at home and with a high disposable income.
As well as ascertaining an audience profile, the survey investigated the media habits of theatregoers. They tend to be significantly lighter TV viewers than the national average, but more frequent visitors to the cinema.
Preferred reading materials include evening newspapers, broadsheets and quality tabloids (Mail, Express, Times, Telegraph, Guardian, Independent, FT), glossy magazines (Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, GQ, etc.). Theatregoers also read special interest magazines, covering such subjects as politics & current affairs, cars, hi-fi, computers, travel, antiques, photography and DIY.
