Introducing Others to Drum Corps

[LoveKathyG]

I'm just curious... I often read posts from fans who state that they have exposed friends or family to drum corps for the first time and that these newbies are blown away...totally mesmerized...completely taken with the experience. The prevailing sentiment seems to be that if you can get people there they will become enthusiastic fans.

I have not had this experience...

Over the last three decades, I've brought dozens of friends and family members to various corps shows and to finals. While everyone has indicated that they appreciated the experience, I would estimate that around two-thirds of them seem to have kind of the same response I have when I go see my cousin's bagpipe group. They appreciate it. They understand the commitment and see the high performance level. But ultimately they are only marginally interested in it. I would say the vast majority of these friends have been able to pick out one or two corps that they genuinely seemed to enjoy but overall had a flat though not unfavorable response to the experience. Not surprisingly, none of these people have ever returned for another drum corps show.

Most of the other 1/3 have had a pretty enthusiastic response, and quite a few still talk about the experience. However, my sense is that drum corps, for them, is kind of like most people's response to a musical or play. You liked it on Broadway. You'll remember it forever. You may even buy the CD. But you probably aren't going to go see it again and again.

Of all the people who I've brought to drum corps shows...again, dozens of people and probably more like 50+ over the years...only four have ever returned for a second show. My mom. My sister, who eventually marched after I did. And my brother-in-law and nephew, who come because my sister insists.

All to say... I'm genuinely curious... Are other people really seeing their newbie friends be excited and become repeat attendees after their initial drum corps exposure?

[fourouttheforty]

I think very very few high school kids (the target for DCI, apparently) stay interested in drum corps in and after college, unless they end up marching corps.

The Finals broadcast used to be the best exposure we got, but if someone were to get interested in going to a show, the season's over. What if you showed last year's Finals on TV in June, along with a preview of the upcoming season and show information? Then someone watching for the first time would actually want to and get to go check it out.

Edited August 20, 2009 by fourouttheforty

[glory]

Of all the people who I've brought to drum corps shows...again, dozens of people and probably more like 50+ over the years...only four have ever returned for a second show. My mom. My sister, who eventually marched after I did. And my brother-in-law and nephew, who come because my sister insists.

All to say... I'm genuinely curious... Are other people really seeing their newbie friends be excited and become repeat attendees after their initial drum corps exposure?

An 8% yield isn't awful in marketing terms. So don't be too disappointed.

Let's face it. We have a niche activity with limited appeal to the mass audience. We do. Though we might dream of baptizing our critical colleagues in the BD horn arc to convert them forever, we know real life isn't so simple. On the other hand, we know drum corps infects some of us at the core. We know there are those who can't help but love it and return to it each season because it affects us somewhere inside where the simple explanations just aren't sufficient.

I'd say that we're more likely to find converts in certain sorts of people. Those who have some significant musical background (that is, those who play more than the radio) are better, though not certain, candidates. Those who have an affinity for outsized spectacles such as Broadway musicals or even the ballet are candidates too. Even among high school marching bands, I'd bet more than half the kids aren't fully committed to the activity; maybe fewer than one in four is likely to love drum corps into his or her adulthood.

Drum corps once was a community activity. When the communities gave up their corps (and sometimes themselves), the corps needed something more to attract fan, not to mention members, volunteers and supporters. I'm not suprised that 90% of your sample hasn't returned to a show. It's the other 10% that I'm interested in. They're the ones I want to sit next to anyway.

HH