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Organisers blame low ticket sales on poor marketing strategy

The City of Culture has suffered from a poor marketing strategy, its organisers admitted yesterday.But ticket sales are still on course to exceed their targets, they said.A funding shortfall has almost been halved and those behind the 12-month-long celebration in Derry insist that the extensive programme of drama, dance and music will not have to be cut."I would be the first to admit I don't think the marketing has been perfect. I think it has been fraught with difficulties," Shona McCarthy, chief executive of Culture Company 2013, said adding that community buy-in was just as important as ringing box office tills."Things like advertising campaigns - above the line marketing - were too slow to be developed. That is a criticism that we should take on the chin. But, hopefully we are getting there."