Abstract
The paper discusses the creativity of an entertainment show; Melbourne Show according to the diversity of programmes, design and the assessment of visitors’ experience. The manner in which the organisers are arranging live shows, agricultural exhibitions as well as art shows in a creative manner finds place in the paper. In addition to that, the ticketing system that encourages the people to come with families instead of individuals has been appreciated as a creative idea that attracts more visitors. Finally, the assessment of experiences of visitors regarding diversified programs of the show also finds place in analysis. The facts are compared with relevant event management literature to strengthen the aspects mentioned in the paper.
Introduction
Organisations opine that hosting an event is a way to communicate with the people. The event may be of many types. It can bring a cause to limelight, can raise the funds, attract partners or maybe a celebration. Everything mentioned above will be a success with good event management. The event management needs a diverse team for assembling the activities. The reason is that, the event managers should have relevant experience regarding customer service. Organizing capabilities as well as graphic designing are part of the additional qualifications necessary for event managers, along with the activity of planning. However, in the course of entertainment event management like Melbourne Show, the organisers should establish their goal and number of activities like venue selection, materials, and live shows as well as other exhibitions and speakers in making it a success. Moreover, it is important to identify the audience and have to arrange the programs accordingly. The arrangements of programs need assembling of ingredients before the planning as well as hosting the event. Before that organisers have to think creatively to present the occasion as it develops a flavour (Vanguard Communications, 2006). 1
Hence event managers have to recognise that creativity is a continuous process and has to express creativity in every aspect of event management. Hence, it is important to visit one art gallery every month and to attend live performances. Moreover, interest and knowledge about music, dance, literature, visual arts, acting can add to the creativity of an event manager. A creative event manager needs to be a caterer, marketer, writer, entertainment manager, musical contractor, graphic artist and decorator. Hence, the events like Melbourne show can be a good example for the event managers who are expressing the above-mentioned skills for organising a creative event (Joe Jeff Goldblatt, 2005, pp. 49-50).2
Melbourne Show
The event that finds analyzed in this paper is Melbourne show, which is a pure entertainment event for the people of all ages. The creativity in this show can be understood, when we know that it was started in 1848 as ploughing competition. One can understand that the ploughing competition can be termed as innovative in those days and year by year, the programs and exhibitions in the show has been increased displaying creativity in expression. The creative events that are added to the event made it to expand to 11 days with non-stop entertainment. The creative events in the show are diversified from agriculture to rural lifestyle and from leisure activities to entertainment and from food, wine to horticulture as well as rides and more. The creativity lies in the aspect that the event managers sought to give a glimpse of rural lifestyle to city folk. Moreover, the show supports excellence in agriculture as well as the entertainment. As a result, the show encourages the industry with rewards and showcasing the best Victorian produce. One can find competitions and associations in agricultural and rural communities as part of the show. However, the creativity does not end here. Contrast to the agricultural and rural lifestyle, the
Beer awards and wine show as well as the horse show add glamour and glitter to the event. As a result, the Melbourne Show is regarded as the largest and most versatile indoor/outdoor exhibition and event venue in Australia. The reason is that it offers space as well as flexibility staging exhibitions, trade shows, film production, concerts and other events to attract people from all walks of life (Royalshow.com, 2009).3 Hence, creativity in an entertainment event management like Melbourne Show is the one that innovatively entertains the visitors and attracts them in large number.
Nature and Organisation of Show
While discussing about the nature and organisation of entertainment show like Melbourne Show, the ticketing system is important. The individual ticket is $28 and the family ticket that allows 2 adults and 2 children is $65, which sends a message to the customers that families are allowed at a discount rate than the individuals. Hence, instead of coming individually, people prefer to come with family to avail the discount offered by the organisers. This results in more visitors for the show as each family comprises of four members and thus the business inside the show also flourishes in the same manner (Royalshow.com, 2009). 4
In the above context, Graham Berridge, (2007) opines that the management of experiences is important and should be carefully constructed in the form of approach to the provision of services, activities and programmes. In the context mentioned above, the organisers are successful in attracting customers in the form of families in order to have visitors of all kinds to fulfil the needs of all the exhibitions in the show (Graham Berridge, 2007 pp. 70-71).5
Design of the Event
After making the large number of people to take the ticket the design of the show lays a major role to attract more people by mouth publicity by visitors and to increase the visitors next year. In addition to that inviting celebrities to the show for a particular event to attract more people can be termed as a creative aspect in the design of programmes in the show. Regarding food programs, the organisers invited popular reality cooking show Master Chef Chris Badenoch for food tasting and Victorian Premier John Brumby for inauguration on September 17th this year. In addition to that the sky-high rides and fireworks entertain youth and activities like painting fibreglass cows attract school children. However, enabling the visitors to check out the animals, art and craft as well as live entertainment during the 11 day event indicates that the design of the show is to attract the people of all walks of life and of all ages (Herald Sun, 2009).6
Hence, the above design comes under leisure management of the event organisers and that expresses the leisure as experimental encounter. In the above context, Graham Berridge, (2007) opines that leisure experience is a thing in which the consumer motives can be translated into outcomes or benefits through a consumer process. In the above context, Graham quotes Buswell (2004, p.3), which states that the consumer process involves interaction between three key factors; time, flow and expression. As the organisers are making the visitors engaging in feely chosen activities, the Melbourne show influences the experience of visitors by limiting the availability of time or providing a limitless period of time. In the above context, flow of visitors is associated with the feelings people have at different stages within any experience. Hence, in the above terms Melbourne Show is an event that interacts with people with the design of programs and providing them leisure experience that limits the availability of time with a number of programmes (Graham Berridge, 2007, pp. 69-71). 7
Assessment of Visitors’ Experience
The next and last stage is the assessment of visitors’ experience in jam-packed full of free live shows and entertainment. As the visitors certainly stop in free live shows as well as feature entertainment, the turnout of visitors for all the 11 days of the show can be an assessment for the visitors’ experience. If the turnout increases from the day one to day 11, the experience can be assessed as excellent. The experiences of visitors need to be assessed for diversified activities as the programmes range from racing of pings via fireworks display to the Bush Games that demonstrate skills, strengths and traditions of Australia. If the live shows like racing of pigs and fireworks display assess the experience of visitors who enjoy seeing an adventure or a spectacular event, the programmes lie Bush Games assess the experience of visitors who are keen on exhibiting or testing their skills. Moreover, there is no dearth for art lovers also as the organisers provided live music, which is an eclectic mix of live music. In addition to that the Sunday sessions provide relaxation from the hustle, bustle and noise of the show for the busy visitors. Hence, similar to the diversity of programs in the show, the experiences are also diversified as visitors are from all walks of life and from all lifestyles (Royal Show.com, 2009).8
Thus the event management in Melbourne Show could be seen as a combination of number of strategies that destinations managers used to overcome the challenges. Particularly the managers concentrated on high yield of visitors as well as repeating them to the show within the 11 days period of time. The return of the visitors within the 11 days time is enhancement of Melbourne Show’s competitive position that generated increased rate of visitors. The above aspect assesses the visitors experiences as the ones that make them come to the show repeatedly and substantial part of the number of visitors to wait for the show in the next year for the same experience. The positive experiences of visitors are due to the striving for excellence in the events in the show in all aspects and delivering the performance that is consistent. That is the reason for the existence and flourishing of the Melbourne Show from 1848 till now (Dimitri Tassiopoulos, 2005, pp. 2-6).9
List of References
Dimitri Tassiopoulos, 2005, Event Management: A Professional and Developmental Approach, Zambia: Juta and Company Limited.
Graham Berridge, (2007), Events Design and Experience, Oxford, UK: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Herald Sun, (2009), Royal Melbourne Show to Open. Web.
Joe Jeff Goldblatt, (2005) Special Events: Event Leadership for a new World, Hoboken, US: Wiley and Sons.
Royalshow.com, (2009), Services and Information. Web.
Royalshow.com, (2009), Tickets and Packages. Web.
Royal Show.com, (2009) Live Shows and Entertainment. Web.
Vanguard Communications, (2006), Preparation and Creativity Make Event Planning a Cakewalk. Web.
Footnotes
- Vanguard Communications, (2006), Preparation and Creativity Make Event Planning a Cakewalk. Web.
- Joe Jeff Goldblatt, (2005) Special Events: Event Leadership for a new World, Hoboken, US: Wiley and Sons.
- Royalshow.com, (2009), Services and Information. Web.
- Royalshow.com, (2009), Tickets and Packages. Web.
- Graham Berridge, (2007), Events Design and Experience, Oxford, UK: Butterworth-Heinemann.
- Herald Sun, (2009), Royal Melbourne Show to Open. Web.
- Graham Berridge, (2007), Events Design and Experience, Oxford, UK: Butterworth-Heinemann.
- Royal Show.com, (2009) Live Shows and Entertainment. Web.
- Dimitri Tassiopoulos, 2005, Event Management: A Professional and Developmental Approach, Zambia: Juta and Company Limited.