Base Entertainment Asia calls for media pitch

Base Entertainment Asia said that the pitch is being held to give agencies an opportunity to pitch for the account. MARKETING-INTERACTIVE understands that Havas Media was the incumbent and it has declined to pitch for the account this time. During its appointment, Havas Media has worked with Base Entertainment Asia to create and deliver campaigns for musicals such as Disney’s Aladdin The Musical, The Phantom of the Opera and CATS, among others.

The tender will close on 28 February, following which shortlisted agencies will be invited to deliver their pitches. The pitch will be handled in-house by Base Entertainment Asia. 

According to Base Entertainment Asia, the appointed agency will be responsible for media planning and buying across different channels, including digital, TV and radio, print and OOH. The agency will also be involved in the conceptualisation of creative campaign activations for all live entertainment productions that Base Entertainment Asia will be presenting.

The appointed agency is expected to have a strong understanding of post-pandemic consumer behaviour, particularly across media and entertainment. The agency should also be able to provide 360-degree support across traditional media and digital buying, as well as in creative campaign execution. It must also be "motivated, passionate and have the drive to develop award-winning campaigns" with Base Entertainment Asia.

Base Entertainment Asia presents live entertainment across Asia Pacific with offices in Kuala Lumpur and its regional headquarters in Singapore. It is also the resident developer, producer, programmer and manager of the Sands Theatre at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. To date, the company has presented over 200 shows, including musicals, stage magic, circuses, live concerts and corporate events, among others. The company has a marketing team of five employees. In addition to You Must Believe in Spring – Joanna Dong Lunar New Year Concert, and RE:BIRTH - Alfred Sim and Tay Kewei 'Live' in Concert, this year fans can also look forward to Queen: It’s a Kinda Magic - the first international concert in 2022.

On its marketing plans this year, Base Entertainment Asia's spokesperson said that it will focus on digital media and growing its social platforms including TikTok and Telegram. "Since 2019, we have been allocating the same weightage across both digital and traditional and OOH media. To reach a diverse audience, especially the affluent and PMEs, we will also continue to invest in complementing media including radio and outdoor, which are important channels for us to bring greater awareness to our content," the spokesperson added.

In light of the pandemic, Base Entertainment Asia said that it's audiences will only be able to sit in pairs with a meter's distance between each pair - akin to the seating arrangement adopted in cinemas. It will also operate at half capacity and adhere to all other regulations as implemented by the government. Furthermore, while there is a "strong demand for live entertainment" Base Entertainment Asia's spokesperson said that what it will be able to present remains highly dependent on the COVID-19 situation locally and in other countries; international acts are subject to the situations in other territories, VTL and entry into Singapore arrangements, production touring schedules and being able to perform to larger capacities. 

"In 2021, we were able to reopen the theatre and presented many Singaporean based artistes and productions to smaller audience capacities. Now in 2022, our industry is still recovering and we look forward to being able to open up to full house capacities and to present International productions again," the spokesperson said.