Laugh or ROI: The Creek & the Cave Story
“We have worked with 2 different companies prior to 8AM and there really is no comparison. They have helped our business grow and sustain. They’re results oriented, very responsive, and they have a great team my staff enjoys working with.”
This case study has appeared in MarketingSherpa’s Content-Driven Success Stories.
It’s safe to say we all could have used a few more laughs these past few years. Owners of The Creek & the Cave were no exception: Opening a comedy club in downtown Austin in the middle of a pandemic is a high-stress proposition. After a slow first year, they came to us to boost ticket sales and make them stand out in a city of copious live entertainment.
In the short term we consistently increased ticket sales with ads on Facebook and Instagram.
For the long run we established the Creek as a reliable good time and increased their email list so we can lower advertising costs.
Prologue:
Leaving the Apathy Agency
In early 2021, The Creek & the Cave had an agency. They ran ads on Facebook and Instagram’s network. Those ads consisted of…
A poster graphic provided by the client.
No targeting whatsoever.
Zero results to speak of.
The Creek owners determined it was time to find a new agency. After reaching out to us, we determined we needed to figure out how to…
Increase sales immediately with digital ads.
Build long-term brand loyalty.
Lower the cost per ticket sale over time by expanding the email list.
First Off:
Branding the Experience
Before you spend a penny on ads, you need to be sure your brand is going to resonate with the right people. The Creek had a brand, but was not properly expressing a distinct vibe. A lot of comedy clubs have the ambience of a laser tag lobby. The Creek is chill, with two bars, a backyard area, and food truck.
So the first step was developing a visual library and overall voice. This gives the impression that this is a happening place worth visiting any night of the week, no matter who’s on stage.
Next Up:
Digital Ads
There are only so many people who want to go to comedy shows. But they’re all different kinds of people. That means we needed to create a series of niche, hyper-targeted audiences. For different types of comedians, we created different target groups based on politics, interests, profession, or age.
Serving these highly selective groups with our fine-tuned ad creative, we got results.
Over the last three months (August-Oct, 2022) the return on ads has gone from 2.85 up to 5.31.
This is huge, especially considering some of the tickets go for as little as $10.
The Email Long Game
Every time we captured a lead or got a ticket purchase, we expanded the email list. The automated drip emails we built and their regular newsletter continue to garner purchases every week, amplifying the lifetime value of our digital ads.
So What’s the Takeaway?
We are thoughtful about strategy and mindful of our clients’ resources. Against all odds, if anyone can get the results a company needs, it’s us.