Overview

Pop-up Globe, the brainchild of Dr Miles Gregory, was the world’s first full scale working replica of Shakespeare’s second Globe Theatre. Originally launched in Auckland’s CBD, the theatre later established a semi permanent home at Ellerslie Racecourse, expanded into a national tour, and eventually popped up internationally in Melbourne, Sydney, and Perth.

Over its lifespan, nearly 750,000 audience members experienced multiple seasons of Shakespeare’s works, culminating in a contemporary finale: Emilia, a reimagining of the historically erased story of Emillia Bassano, potentially the “Dark Lady” of the sonnets. The theatre and company were sadly closed in March 2020 due to the pandemic.

This case study spotlights a particularly memorable moment: Valentine’s Day 2020, when we filled the 700-seat theatre on a Tuesday night with a bespoke, emotionally-driven campaign built for one unforgettable evening.

Challenge

Historically, mid week performances were a tough sell, often drawing only half to three-quarters of capacity.
Valentine’s Day 2020, falling on a Tuesday late in the season, presented a real challenge.

For the first time in Pop-up Globe history, a play with love as it’s central theme was scheduled to perform on Valentines day Romeo and Juliet. With much of the potential audience already having seen the show earlier in the run, and the impending switch to Emilia, we couldn't rely on standard seasonal promotion to fill the house.

To make this night a true event, and fill every one of the 700 seats, in the playhouse we needed something special: a bold idea that would break through.

Strategy

Our approach was to turn Valentine’s Day into a story first, emotion led experience, one that blended Shakespearean romance with modern-day magic and an unforgettable experience.

With strong season wide awareness already in place, thanks to standout PR surrounding the international future of the companhy, high impact formats, including billboards, busses and front page wraps on National titles alongside favourable reviews, we focused on a mini-campaign tailored specifically to Feb 14.

The heart of the idea: “Pop the Question at Pop-up Globe.”

Key elements:

• MediaWorks partnership: Leveraged our strong media relationship to create a competition on The Breeze, offering one lucky listener the chance to propose live on stage before the show.

• Integrated promotion: The competition featured across The Breeze’s radio editorial, commercial spots, Accurate Traffic, social media, and website content.

• Sponsorship integration: Partnered with Diamonds on Richmond, who contributed a stunning engagement ring in exchange for inclusion in the media plan.

• Owned platforms : Pop-up Globe’s own social platforms concentrated organic content pushing to the Breeze competition page, alongside paid content marketing the title on that date.

The grand prize included:

• A stage proposal ahead of the performance

• A complimentary private box for the couple and their families

• A bespoke Pop-up Globe prologue rewritten by our cast to introduce the couple

• The engagement ring — of course!

Execution

The promotion ran in the three weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day, supported by:

• Organic and paid social posts from Pop-up Globe and The Breeze

• On-air editorial across key time slots

• Co-branded creative amplifying the romance and theatricality of the experience

Behind the scenes, we worked closely with the cast to rehearse the custom prologue and planned a seamless moment on the night.

Come February 14th, the playhouse was sold to full capacity. The performance opened as normal, before shifting into a surprise twist: the prologue invited our lucky winner, onto the stage. As bubbles floated down from the ceiling, he proposed in front of 700 cheering theatre goers and of course, she said yes.

Results & Impact

• 100% sold-out theatre on an otherwise tough midweek date

• High audience engagement and emotional connection with the event

• Outstanding promotional content for both Pop-up Globe and The Breeze

• Shared social storytelling captured on the night and repurposed for ongoing reach

• A once-in-a-lifetime moment delivered for a real couple — complete with cheers, bubbles, and standing ovations

This campaign exemplified the power of creative partnerships, emotional storytelling, and a willingness to go beyond traditional ticket-selling tactics to create something truly memorable.

Reflections

Sometimes, the best campaigns aren’t about selling a show, they’re about creating a moment. This one delivered magic on and off the stage, brought joy to a packed house, and gave our media partner, audience and winners a story they’ll never forget.