Herding Cat Fans

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Herding Cats? Try Herding People to Cat Shows

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By ANDREW ADAM NEWMAN
Published: October 3, 2005
Promoters for the Moscow Cats Theater, in which 20 cats perform
acrobatic feats, faced a challenge: the show, currently halfway through
a six-week run at the TriBeCa Performing Arts Center, is an impressive
ensemble piece, sure, but not likely to draw the same
single-malt-sipping theatergoer as, say, the new David Mamet.

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Yuri Kuklachev, the impresario behind the Moscow Cat Theater, with one
of his 20 performers. More Photos



From Russia With Fur "As with any show, we try to find the audience
that would be interested," said Hugh Hysell, owner of HHC Marketing,
which is promoting the show. So, Mr. Hysell identified veterinarians
not as mere ringworm treaters, but as cultural power brokers. He said
his firm sent tickets - and stacks of fliers - to more than 50
Manhattan veterinarians in the hope that they would ultimately make
small talk during Fluffy's bloodwork, like, "I saw a cat like yours in
the show. Does your cat do tricks?"

This is not the first time that Mr. Hysell, who teaches a course on
theatrical promotions at Columbia University, has appealed to the
medical community. He has also sent free tickets to pediatricians for
shows oriented toward children, including this one.

The firm is also promoting the show to the Friskies set with a
fund-raising performance (that has yet to be scheduled) for the North
Shore Animal League, and ticket giveaways with Have a Heart Adopt a Pet
Foundation, petfinder.com and petaholics.com. Along with raising the
performance's profile with pet lovers, the partnerships also may serve
to mollify would-be protestors, who may construe a cat walking upside
down on a tightrope as animal abuse.

Mr. Hysell said that promoting through both nonprofit and commercial
concerns was easy when his client was putting on a show. "Theater is
the No. 1 attraction in New York City, so by aligning with a popular
entertainment, they're raising the level of excitement about their
brand. If I was pushing Michelin tires or Pamprin, it would harder to
get people excited."

Of course Mr. Hysell's ingenuity is born in part by puny marketing
budgets for many productions. "If I was working in tires, we'd be
getting a pretty penny," said Mr. Hysell, who was able to recall
without checking that each ticket-and-fliers shipment to a veterinarian
cost exactly $3.75 in postage.

"We can make money at this," he said, "but we don't have houses in the
Hamptons."

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