On Sunday, Sept. 12, fans attending the annual Broadway on Broadway® performance in Times Square can earn the coveted “Super Swarm” badge from Foursquare when at least 250 people check-in during the event.
TheaterAdvisor.com, the only website devoted exclusively to reviews and ratings from real theatergoers, is coordinating the attempt to “unlock” the badge, working with Foursquare and The Broadway League, producer of Broadway on Broadway®.
Broadway on Broadway® is a free outdoor concert in Times Square that kicks off the Broadway season each September. The event starts at 11:30 a.m. and features star performances from new shows and long-running favorites, accompanied by a live 30-piece orchestra. This year’s host is Kelsey Grammer, the five-time Emmy Award winning actor who’s currently starring on Broadway in La Cage aux Folles. Participating shows in the concert include The Addams Family, Memphis, Next to Normal, Mamma Mia, In the Heights, Million Dollar Quartet and more. For more info visit broadwayonbroadway.com.
The “Super Swarm” badge is among the toughest to earn on Foursquare, a fast growing mobile phone-based appplication that uses game mechanics to reward people for seeking out new experiences with points and badges.
The “Super Swarm” badge will be awarded when at least 250 people check-in simultaneously during Broadway on Broadway®. As a bonus for those who tweet their check-in and mention TheaterAdvisor on Twitter, TheaterAdvisor.com will randomly award a Broadway prize package to one participant.
“What better place than the opening act to the Broadway season for the industry to truly connect with theater fans in a new and exciting way,“ said TheaterAdvisor.com founder Andrew Asnes, who’s also a Broadway producer and entrepreneur. “Our industry is finding new ways to reach fans and keep them connected to the wonderful experiences they have in the theater. With more and more people using mobile technology to connect to the internet and connect to their social networks we need to stay on top how our fans want to connect to what we do. Right now, Foursquare is the hottest mobile application and we are excited to be using it to engage and excite theatergoers.”
On Aug. 31, TheaterAdvisor.com sponsored the first ever “Broadway swarm.” Theater fans gathered at the historic Sardi’s restaurant and checked-in to Foursquare to earn the first “swarm badge” awarded at a Broadway event. The event was a great success and we unlocked the “swarm badge” within 13 minutes of the start time when over 50 people checked-in to our location, “Broadway Swarm by TheaterAdvisor.com”
Details of the Super Swarm are available on broadwayswarm.com and to Twitter followers of @broadwayswarm.
Information also is available to TheaterAdvisor’s Twitter followers at http://twitter.com/theateradvisor and its Facebook fans at http://facebook.com/theateradvisor.
TheaterAdvisor, Foursquare and The Broadway League are teaming to promote the Super Swarm through the social Web using Twitter and Facebook posts by all three partners. Attendees at Broadway on Broadway® will be encouraged to check-in through messages displayed on high-tech giant video screens throughout the Times Square neighborhood, by old-fashioned street team handouts and encouragement from event host Kelsey Grammer.
TheaterAdvisor’s promotional efforts for the “swarm” badge event in August reached more than 540,000 followers on Twitter and more than 500,000 Facebook users.
Foursquare has rapidly become the most talked-about social media platform and now has over 3 million users worldwide. Founded in 2009, Foursquare uses location-based smartphones to combine friend finder functionality with social city guide elements. It’s free to use Foursquare and users can check-in using any phone that allows Web browsing or text messaging. Visit http://foursquare.com for more information.
Broadway on Broadway is produced by The Broadway League and the Times Square Alliance. The 19th annual Broadway on Broadway® also kicks off this year's Back2Broadway Month. Back2Broadway Month celebrates Broadway, highlights the new season and hosts free events, talkbacks, concerts, interactive activities and more. More information on The Broadway League can be found at http://www.broadwayleague.com.
TheaterAdvisor.com debuted “in previews” in late May and will officially launch this fall. The site is dedicated to fan-written reviews of Broadway, off-Broadway and national touring shows. TheaterAdvisor.com allows users write reviews of shows they’ve seen, read what audiences are saying about shows they are interested in seeing or learning about, search reviews and filter results that are relevant to the user, and let TheaterAdvisor.com recommend shows the user is likely to enjoy. It’s the only site dedicated to leveraging online word-of-mouth to promote theater and help consumers find shows they are likely to enjoy.