18:34:07
David

Good evening, Mr Hart. My name is David

18:34:16
Alex

good evening

18:34:38
Jess

and my name is Jess. Today, we are pitching our new product, Urban Zoo.

18:34:53
David

Urban Zoo is an exceptional new toy aimed at children of both sexes, between the ages of 5 and 11. It is is a multifunctional product that works in two main ways – firstly as an interactive physical game of sorts, whereby the player can create their dream zoo with our fabulous game base mat and figures, and secondly through an aesthetically pleasing and versatile set of accompanying cards.

18:35:11
David

Here on Team Reflections, we’re extremely proud of Urban Zoo, and would like to take a moment to explain the product in more detail to you. At the heart of Urban Zoo is the physical zoo itself, which manifests itself in our durable, easily cleaned, portable mat, which is approximately 0.9 metres square, and made from sturdy yet malleable PVC.

18:35:27
David

The mat is printed with zoo themed areas – grasslands, icy caverns, forested areas – all of which provide the habitat for the animals, which are small, collectable figures. The enclosures are to be built with reinforced, coloured cardboard, which comes with our starter packs, and can be assembled to varying levels of difficulty.

18:35:43
David

The second strand of our product is our set of animal printed cards, which can be used for a variety of classic games – ranging from simple games of Snap, to more complex games of Cheat(/Bullshit) to wherever else your imagination takes you – the sky really is the limit.

18:36:00
David

In the past, card sets like Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh have really changed the world our children live in – so there is no reason that the next massive fad for children is Urban Zoo cards. Fun, simple, playful, creative are just some of the words we are linking our cards with.

18:36:25
Jess

Here is the logo design – the real forefront to the Urban Zoo brand. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/809/urbanzoo.jpg/

18:36:37
Jess

Children, as we all know, are growing up faster than ever and a consequence of our consumer driven lives is that children as young as 5 are developing an increasing brand awareness.

18:36:46
Jess

We feel that our brand is a huge part of the magic of Urban Zoo, and will appeal to our target demographic. Our simple, clean logo is instantly recognizable, and easily customised, while our mantra throughout the design process was quality, simplicity and playfulness – think of Urban Zoo as the Innocent Smoothie of the toy world.

18:36:59
Jess

Nothing is overcomplicated, quality is not sacrificed. A back story of an overgrown and derelict inner city plot of land being transformed into a zoo subtly plants an environmentally educational seed into the children’s minds – we want Urban Zoo to be seen as a responsible brand parents will be thrilled to be associated with. As you can see on the logo, the key theme is animals and wildlife-

18:37:10
Jess

a theme which is often represented by green, as nature is renowned for its mass array of greens, especially in spring and summer.

18:37:29
Jess

As an example, we have already created five example cards – these will all be the most common cards that will come in the start packs with the board and the first exhibits. Here they are: http://s1108.photobucket.com/albums/...%20Apprentice/

18:37:45
Jess

We feel that the designs we have produced for the cards are successful for the brand and the product. The images on the cards have been selected as they successfully portray a child’s perception of the animals. The simplistic font gives the card a more child-friendly edge which is exactly what we are aiming for whilst the images have been individually selected because of their use of colour.

18:37:57
Jess

Colour attracts children and that is also why the starter board (with future extensions explained later on in the pitch) is full of colours. Unfortunately, none of Team Reflections are full on graphical artists so I hope you stay with us as we give you the very basic, first drawing of the starter board.http://imageshack.us/f/252/boards.jpg/

18:38:11
Jess

The start board is divided up in to 9 different areas, each area divided by pathway and big enough to cater for multiple exhibits – we hope you like the look of the first designs for our product.

18:38:40
David

So now you know about our product, here’s some more information about Urban Zoo to help you make up your mind. As Urban Zoo contains small parts, we’ve decided to place a recommended age of 5+ on it, but the market we’re focusing upon is the pre-teen market of children between 5 and 11 years of age. Urban Zoo provides a great way for parents and children to flex their creative muscles, fashioning

18:39:00
David

structures and enclosures for their animals, learning about the various different habitats animals need, and settling those all important arguments, like who really would win in a fight between a penguin and a monkey. Urban Zoo really is fun for children and parents alike, and its PVC based mat makes the physical game extremely durable and easily maintained.

18:39:16
David

Cost-wise, Urban Zoo makes a lot of sense too. We believe that our toy is a rarity in it being at heart a niche product, brought to life with fun features lending it mass-market appeal. We firmly believe Urban Zoo would be an asset to any retailer, with a recommended retail price of £15 for our starter packs, our product is below the average price of competition

18:39:34
David

and provide excellent scope for margins. Should you be interested in purchasing orders of Urban Zoo, the starting cost price for you, negotiable depending on orders, of £10 provides a 52% gross profit margin for you, substantially above the standard rate for a toy such as ours. Urban Zoo is a solid investment.

18:39:53
Jess

A very important factor to Urban Zoo is the room it leaves for expansion. Similar to train sets, ‘Hot Wheels’ car sets and even dolls such as Barbie & Action Man – the collection can continue to grow and grow. Everything is very easily adjustable and part of the fun is the ability for the child’s creative side to really come out.

18:40:07
Jess

They can have the animals in their zoo that they want – they can decide the stories, what animals will be friends; will there be fighting amongst the wildlife and most importantly how large their Urban Zoo will be.

18:40:19
Jess

Although Urban Zoo’s main product of a starter pack and mat, which we are pitching to you today, is all that is needed for children – and parents – to design and manage their zoo to their hearts’ content.

18:40:37
Jess

We also think that some budding zoo tycoons may wish to expand their range of species further. We have proposed that there will also be several themed expansion packs released at a later date, each coming with four lots of two animal figures and matching cards.

18:40:57
Jess

The wonder of these expansion packs is that ultimately there is almost a never-ending amount of expansion packs that can be released meaning that the child’s Urban Zoo is fully customisable.

18:41:09
David

Here are some examples of expansion packs: African Savannah – Warthog, Rhinoceros, Gazelle, Cheetah Australia – Kangaroo, Koala, Dingo, Emu Americas – Jaguar, Tapir, Moose, Galapagos Tortoise

18:41:15
Jess

These packs will bring in more money and can be continuously released, increasing the profits and eventually allowing us to move into other countries such as Germany, the USA and the Netherlands, where Zoos and Wildlife Parks are massively popular. Children don’t necessarily have a lot of their own money except the often depleted pocket money supplies.

18:41:30
Jess

We’ve thought about this and that is precisely why we are making the expansion packs quite cheap, at a retail price of about £2.99. Having the packs affordable is a massive part of our aim to help Urban Zoo become a success.

18:41:48
Jess

Parents spend so much money on their children, thousands and thousands of pounds, that by setting the expansion card & animal packs and the slightly more expensive £3.99 extension area boards are child-friendly and allowing them to have a reason to save up their pocket money to be able to buy more features for their Urban Zoo.

18:41:57
Jess

Even with the cheaper prices of expansions, the margins of profit are still exceptional, with a potential margin of between 38% and 48% for your company.

18:42:13
David

One area of our market research was the critically acclaimed ‘Moshi Monsters’ brand. Ultimately, Urban Zoo is effectively a more realistic edition. ‘Moshi Monsters’ has revolutionised the market for children and proven to be incredibly successful. Starting off as a small game designed for young children in roughly the same age bracket, recently it has skyrocketed in success.

18:42:29
David

The proven success of the brand ‘Moshi Monsters’ has left a massive gap in the market for something interactive, animal-friendly and most importantly fun. The creativity that it has sparked is just one reason why you should invest in Urban Zoo as it becomes the zoo game children across both the country and potentially, in the future, across the world will be desperate to buy and play with.

18:42:52
David

Thank you for listening to our pitch on Urban Zoo. We feel that a huge memory of many kids is going to the zoo, and has been for a long time. The idea of bringing this to children's homes is just extraordinary, and we feel the card game element is certainly helpful, as card games such as Top Trumps have sold in their millions for decades.

18:43:07
David

It is great fun to take elements like this and combine them with the fun of the animals and the zoo. Once again, thank you for listening and we are now welcoming any questions or queries about the design & concept that you may have.

18:43:20
Jess

Thank you for your time!

18:44:32
Alex

Thank you for your pitch David and Jess

18:44:37
Alex

I have a few questions for you

18:45:25
Alex

Firstly, what do you think make this game more appealing than, say, zoo tycoon, where childen can do everything you've mentioned, but on the computer?

18:46:36
David

Zoo Tycoon is a brilliant game for the PC. I myself have actually relished in playing it. It's really enjoyable and I can totally understand the potential similarities. One thing that 'Urban Zoo' does in order to set itself away from that is the free reign it gives the children.

18:47:50
David

'Zoo Tycoon' could, at times, be quite a confusing game. That was one of the main complaints many people had it on it on online review sites. 'Urban Zoo' is literally the sandbox mode brought to life and able to be explored just that little bit more. Studies have proven that although computer games can be a lot of fun, children of today in the age range we're targetting of 5-11 still have a LOT of

18:48:36
David

physical toys that they can lay out in their rooms - for example as mentioned train sets. This is the train set for animal lovers, so to speak. The physical side to it and the ease of it's use is what would allow Urban Zoo to be a lot more appealing to younger children.

18:50:14
Alex

yes, on that note, your logo is appealing, as are the card designs you've created. However, I wonder whether you've really thought about your target age range. 5 - 11 is a massive scope. These designs definitely seem to be aimed at key stage 1. Why would an 11 year old want to play with this?

18:53:17
Jess

One of the advantages of this product is that it has many purposes, as a child progresses through life, they will become more aware of the challenges people and animals face in their lives. They will see designing a suitable structur as a challenge, as it is probable as they mature they will begin to think about the types of animals availabe and how they would interact with each other.

18:54:24
Jess

The structures have always proved to be a huge turn on, as 'Lego' has proved. The concept of building something, only then to knock it down or rearrange is mystifying for a child of any age.

18:55:48
Jess

And, with regards to the age barrier, studies such as 'Pokemon' and more recently 'Doctor Who' trading cards have been a huge success, and perhaps in time, the cards included would become more advanced, so every age group can relate towards them.

18:57:27
Alex

there's something that these very popular card games have in common; a fantasy element. Your designs include quite generic animals that I don't see appealing to the more mature end of your age spectrum; why didn't you aim for more unusual animals, or endangered species for instance?

18:59:09
David

The starter ideas are definitely pretty generic but in the same way - most zoo animals are pretty generic in the sense that you'll have your elephants, your giraffes, your lions, your polar bears. We're setting ourselves up in a market full of animal lovers & the realistic edge that we have over our competitors is what sets us up.

19:00:13
David

As mentioned in the pitch, there is definitely room for improvement regarding the different types of animals and an 'endangered species' expansion pack could be a brilliant idea. Like - really. The number of expansion packs possible are pretty endless and that is another benefit to Urban Zoo. The capabilities.

19:01:46
Alex

but there are quite a few different subspecies of the species you mentioned; would it not fulfil your educational objectives by including more detail about them?

19:02:52
Alex

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._sequences.png something like this is what i mean, in that it would appeal to children in years 5 and 6 as well as the younger ages

19:04:58
Jess

One idea that has been disussed is that when the 'Urban Zoo' brand is established, and we have found a niche with the project, we will expand further, perhaps even releasing a series of books. These books would be designed to educate, and inform the child, without patronising them. As after all, playtime is playtime!

19:05:53
David

Also, just to expand on that quickly

19:06:28
David

I don't think that going in to as much detail as different mitochondria in DNA has on the animals is necessarily what will be in the books.

19:06:56
David

That sort of thing is studied in Year 11 of Secondary School, KS4.

19:07:36
David

So I think that going in to that much detail could come across as quite confusing for the young children we are targetting. HOWEVER, Jess is completely correct in the sense that educational books with information on the species would definitely be something possible

19:07:43
David

when the brand is more established and recognised.

(cont.)

(part 2)

19:08:01
Alex

ok so moving on to your profit estimates

19:08:10
Alex

how is your gross profit margin accurate?

19:08:55
Alex

explain to me how a product i buy for £10 and sell for £15 is giving me a 52% gpm

19:11:32
David

I'll be taking this question haha

19:11:33
David

Okay

19:11:47
David

The RRP minus the cost price

19:11:51
David

divided once again by the cost price

19:12:21
David

gets you a profit of 50%

19:12:41
David

However - what we are proposing is that if you order a certain amount

19:12:54
David

we can negotiate the product at a lower price from the transition from us to you

19:13:07
David

meaning that your margin of income would surplus even 52%.

19:14:00
David

Regardless - it is certain that no matter what the margin is

19:14:13
David

the profit that your company will receive from the product bought would be an astonishing amount.

19:14:27
Alex

i see

19:14:51
Alex

one other thing; what do you think the implications are regarding health and safety

19:15:06
Alex

how will you prevent the product from being easily damaged from overuse for instance

19:15:51
Alex

and how will you prevent choking hazards from the figures you mentioned

19:18:59
Jess

As with all products of a similar stature, the best thing we can do in order to protect children, is to make the product available to only those who are 3+. As well as producing an information leaflet, which will give parents ideas for keeping their child safe. Also, in our advertising scheme, we would recommend that all activities on the board are overlooked by a parent or guardian.

19:21:52
David

In regards to overuse - overuse can definitely be a problem for the majority of products with PVC boards & plastic figures - however our aim as the provider is to give you our guarantee that, as mentioned in the pitch, the materials we're using, PVC for the board for example, are more than suitable to withstand a lot of tampering.

19:22:17
Alex

ok great the material was going to be my next question

19:22:37
Alex

would you be open to an exclusivity agreement?

19:23:45
David

Haha.

19:23:45
David

Um.

19:24:20
David

We would be happy to consider an exclusivity agreement if other elements are in place.

19:24:52
David

The sum of orders would be the main thing we would want assurance with before we could sign any form of exclusivity agreement.

19:26:27
David

If you are willing to get behind 'Urban Zoo' with an incredibly large quantity then we would be happy to offer exclusivity to you and your brilliant company - but i'm afraid it'd depend fully on the number of purchases your company would be willing to buy as well as your continued business regarding expansion sets and packs.

19:27:45
Alex

i see

19:28:10
Alex

ok lastly, tell me the most imporant aspect of your product, in one sentence

19:29:49
David

Enhancing childrens creativity through playfulness and having fun.

19:30:47
Alex

ok thank you david and jess

19:30:50
Alex

i'll be in touch

19:31:01
Jess

Thanks for your time

19:31:07
David

Thank you very much for the interest in to the product.

19:31:33
David

We can definitely discuss exclusivity later on if you are still interested in pursueing something along those lines.

19:31:36
Alex

one last thing

19:31:40
David

Yes?

19:31:50
Alex

you probably shouldn't mention bullshit in a product aimed at 5 year olds

19:32:09
Jess

We would use its alternative name!

19:32:18
David

We presented the alternative name, 'Cheat'.

19:32:22
David

Which is much more child friendly

19:32:28
Alex

ok great

19:32:33
David

however to get the point across in a way which you would understand if you were unaware of what 'Cheat' was

19:32:51
David

we had to just get across that 'Cheat' is a child-equivalent name to Bullshit a very popular card game.

19:33:00
David

Sorry for any offense caused.

19:33:19
Alex

thank you for clarifying

19:33:32
Jess

No, thank you for enquiring!

19:34:38
Alex



19:34:51
Alex

*returns to company*

19:34:59
David

-endpitch-

Kevin says:
*I'm going to let Gav and Jess sit in on the conversation incase your computer happens to shut down again
Jess says:
*Hello Kevin!
Kevin says:
*Hello Jess
*I'm not sure if Harry is here or not, would one of you be able to continue the pitch? He had stopped at: 'Colour attracts children and that is also why the starter board (with future extensions explained later on in the pitch) is full of colours.'

Jess says:
*I could do that, give me a second to find my material please!
Kevin says:
*okay
Harry says:
*Sorry, back - computer 'fainted' again
*Should I carry on?
Kevin says:
*if you wish yes
Jess says:
*I'm here just in case, Harry!
Harry says:
*Unfortunately, none of Team Reflections are full on graphical artists so I hope you stay with us as we give you the very basic, first drawing of the starter board.
http://imageshack.us/f/252/boards.jpg/
*As you can see, the start board is divided up in to nine different areas, which are divided by pathways and are large enough to cater for multiple exhibits or larger, mixed-species exhibits – we hope you like the look of the first designs for our product.
*So now you know about our product, here’s some more information about Urban Zoo to help you make up your mind. As Urban Zoo contains small parts, we’ve decided to place a recommended age of 5+ on it, and the market we’re focusing upon, as aforementioned, is the pre-teen market of children between five and eleven years of age.
*Urban Zoo provides an opportunity for parents and children to flex their creative muscles, fashioning structures and enclosures for their animals, learning about the various different habitats animals need, and settling those all important arguments, like who really would win in a fight between a lion and a tiger.
*Urban Zoo is enjoyable for children and parents alike, and its PVC based mat makes the physical game durable and easily maintained.
*Cost-wise, Urban Zoo makes a lot of sense too.
*We believe that our toy is a rarity in it being at heart a niche product, brought to life with fun features lending it mass-market appeal.
*We firmly believe Urban Zoo would be an asset to any retailer, with a recommended retail price of £15 for our starter packs, our product is below the average price of competition, and provide excellent scope for margins.
*Should you be interested in purchasing orders of Urban Zoo, the starting cost price for you, negotiable depending on orders, of £10 provide a 50% gross profit margin for you, substantially above the standard rate for a toy such as this. Urban Zoo is a solid investment.
*A very important factor to Urban Zoo is the room it leaves for expansion.
*Similar to train sets, ‘Hot Wheels’ car sets and even dolls such as Barbie & Action Man – the collection can continue to grow and grow.
*Everything is very easily adjustable and part of the fun comes from the product allowing the child’s creative side to really come out.
*They can have the animals in their zoo that they want – they can decide the stories: Will animals will be friends? Will they fight?
*Most importantly of all, they can decide how large their Urban Zoo will be.
*Although Urban Zoo’s main product of a starter pack and mat, which we are pitching to you today, is all that is needed for children – and parents – to design and manage their zoo to their hearts’ content, we also think that some budding zoo tycoons may wish to expand their range of species further.
*We have proposed that there will also be several themed expansion packs released at a later date, each coming with four lots of two animal figures and matching cards.
*The wonder of these expansion packs is that ultimately there is almost a never-ending amount that can be released, meaning that the child’s Urban Zoo is fully customisable.
*Here are some examples of expansion packs:
African Savannah – Warthog, Rhinoceros, Gazelle, Cheetah
Australia – Kangaroo, Koala, Dingo, Emu
Americas – Jaguar, Tapir, Moose, Galapagos Tortoise

*These packs will bring in more money and can be continuously released, increasing the profits and eventually allowing us to move into other countries such as Germany, the USA and the Netherlands, where Zoos and Wildlife Parks are massively popular.
*Children don’t necessarily have a lot of their own money other than the often depleted pocket money supplies.
*We’ve thought about this and that is precisely why we are making the expansion packs quite cheap, at a retail price of about £2.99.
*Board expansions will also be sold at a price of £3.99, which is slightly more expensive yet still affordable and gives children something to save their pocket money for: having the packs affordable is a massive part of our aim to help Urban Zoo become a success.
*Even with the cheaper prices of expansions, the margins of profit are still exceptional, with a potential margin of between 38% and 48% for your company.
*One area of our market research was the critically acclaimed ‘Moshi Monsters’ brand.
*Ultimately, Urban Zoo is effectively a more realistic edition. ‘Moshi Monsters’ has revolutionised the market for children and proven to be incredibly successful.
*Starting off as a small game designed for young children in roughly the same age bracket, recently it has skyrocketed in success.
*The proven success of the brand ‘Moshi Monsters’ has left a massive gap in the market for something interactive, animal-friendly and most importantly fun.
*The creativity that it has sparked is just one reason why you should invest in Urban Zoo as it becomes the zoo game children across both the country and potentially, in the future, across the world will be desperate to buy and play with.
*Thank you for listening to our - albeit problem stricken - pitch on Urban Zoo. We feel that a huge memory of many kids is going to the zoo, and has been for a long time.
*The idea of bringing this to children's homes is just extraordinary, and we feel the card game element is certainly helpful, as card games such as Top Trumps have sold in their millions for decades. It is great fun to take elements like this and combine them with the fun of the animals and the zoo.
*Once again, thank you for your listening and patience, we are now welcoming any questions or queries about the design & concept that you may have.
*Any questions?
Kevin says:
*Sorry about that the questions weren't coming through
*Okay, firstly, with relation to the name, the name Urban Zoo conjures up ideas of a definition of modern society almost rather than of a children's game. This has been explained by the backstory but do you not think such an elaborate backstory is overcomplicating what should be a simplistic toy for children?
Jess says:
*I think Harry may be experiencing issues, so I'll step in?
*or Gav will, as we are willing to help out our team!
Harry says:
*Well, I think the Urban Zoo name is something very different to what we would see on the average toy.
*(Sorry, wasn't sure where to post :/)
Kevin says:
*here is fine
*Okay, can you elaborate please? Surely creating an elaborate story behind the product is slightly sophistocated for 5 year olds?
*harry?
Gavin says:
*I think Harry is having a few technical problems, but I'd be happy to step in
Kevin says:
*okay sure
Gavin says:
*Urban Zoo as a concept has many strands - firstly, the back story is simple in allowing children to visualise what their zoo could look like in real life.
*Secondly, and more importantly in our eyes, the message of Urban Zoo is important in subtly sowing the seeds of environmentalism - it's a great way to introduce the concept of recycling to children of a young age, demonstrating what can be created from a neglected area of waste.
Harry says:
*Sorry, back now - PC is not playing ball tonight.
Gavin says:
*Finally, from the perspective of expansion, Urban Zoo has a number of possiblities that could be explored outside of the zoo area.
*sorry Harry, back to you!
Kevin says:
*Okay, thank you, with relation to the younger market, in terms of appeal, do you not think that having an age range that stretches throughout the primary school ages is too wide? Do you honestly see 11 year olds wanting to play the same toy as 5 year olds?
Harry says:
*I think the freedom that Urban Zoo gives the user means that this can be possible - older children may want to take this more seriously, they may want to learn, they may want to be creative. I remember that when I was younger, I'd come home from the zoo filled with inspiration, wanting to make my own version, and Urban Zoo is a reliable way of being able to do so.
Kevin says:
*Yes but do you not think that the idea of animal snap is simplistic for 11 year olds? The majority of people in that age group who I know are more into videogames or action toys such as Beyblade and Bakugan than zoo animal figures or simplistic card games?
Harry says:
*Well, the card games give a lot of freedom. Older children may want to play more complicated card games, which the cards in Urban Zoo should still enable them to do.
Kevin says:
*As far as I can see, the cards are plain pictures of animals, can you suggest more complicated games?
Harry says:
*'Cheat' was mentioned in the pitch, I remember that when revising for SAT tests, my maths had us playing a game where we had a set of standard playing cards, and each card was assigned a number. We split the deck in two, picked a card from each and had to add, multiply or find the difference between the numbers.
Kevin says:
*this brings me onto another concern
*it feels like you are marketing two different products, are there any games that enable the cards and the figures to be used together in an engaging manner?
*
* Gavin has left the conversation.
*
Harry says:
*No - but the aim of this task was to bring something unique and new to the market, and we feel this does that. A lot of toys sold nowadays do feature multiple games in one toy - people want value in the current economic climate.
Kevin says:
*Of course but what does this product offer that you couldn't get from purchasing a pack of animal snap cards and a playmat and figurines?
Harry says:
*Collectables nowadays often feature a figure and corresponding card - and all collectables will have a starter pack, which is the main product of the Urban Zoo brand.
Kevin says:
*yes but what is the advantage of this if the card and figure have no use together?
Harry says:
*Some players may well use them together - whilst working on the product, I thought the cards would work well as signage on the exhibits - although the product is marketed as two games in one, it is really up to the user as to how they are used.
Kevin says:
*considering the users are children, do you not think that they could get easily bored with cards and figurines with no real gameplay? For example, Moshi Monsters uses online interaction and games like Bakugan have trading card facilities as well as action figures, is this an oversight on your team's part?
*harry?
Harry says:
*I think that it a risk with any toy - but the likes of Hot Wheels, Barbie and Action Man have proven that this is not always the case, and this toy is a similar concept - figures are as popular as ever, and are accessible to people who may not have access to (fully functional) PCs, or to trading days.
Kevin says:
*yes but a lot of the appeal of what you have mentioned is quite a diversity, the animals shown are all quite standard zoo animals, were you not tempted to go for a more fantasy based range similar to moshi monsters but still based around zoo animals?
Harry says:
*The reason why we went for these species is that it's something that kids can relate to, kids love the zoo and having something real also enables there to be an educational element.
Kevin says:
*Okay.
*In terms of the current toy market, apart from Moshi Monsters, what other products do you see as being competitors in the same field as Urban Zoo?
Harry says:
*Hot Wheels and Hex Bugs are both popular collectable toys that we could provide competition for.
Kevin says:
*okay, what does Fantasy Zoo offer over these two products in particular?
Harry says:
*Urban Zoo offers something that children can relate too, something educational, and something that really allows them to be creative.
Kevin says:
*That appears to be a very standard answer, specifically, name features of the product that give it an advantage over the others and why
Harry says:
*OK, we've mentioned the 'magic of the zoo' - something that has been experienced by children for many, many years, and hopefully for many, many years to come. Often, parents don't really understand what children's toys are about. Urban Zoo is something that allows parents to join in with playtime, something very important for children that may not be as easily achieved with games such as
*Moshi Monsters and 'Hex Bugs', which are based around fantasy, almost random concepts that parents will struggle to relate to, be less willing to buy for their children. Urban Zoo can be played alone, with friends or with family, which online games and fantasy games do not always offer.
Kevin says:
*With regards to the 'magic of the zoo', you can get plenty of card games at zoos, small animal figures too, why would a parent be willing to shell out £15 for something that isn't any different to that? And, more importantly, how would the product stand out on my shelves along with bigger, more popular brands like Moshi Monsters and Littlest Pet Shop?
Harry says:
*Parents would be more willing to shell out because this is more complex: it's not a case of just walking a plastic giraffe around on the carpet, it's about finding the right habitat, designing the exhibit. It goes a step further.
*Your product would stand out on the shelves because it's about something real. Kids won't learn from Moshi Monsters, or Littlest Pet Shop, they won't be designing, they won't be able to play it with their parents. Parents want toys that help their children develop, which Urban Zoo does a lot more than rivals in the market.
*Sorry, our product.
Kevin says:
*in terms of the material, why have you chosen PVC. PVC is fairly well known to be a material used mainly in play mats for babies and infants and not for older children, why did you choose this material?
*In fact, it's reccommended not to use PVC for play mats for older children
*This strikes me as a fairly obvious error, no?
Harry says:
*Because of its properties, in that it's easily folded, it's easily cleaned, and it's unlikely to break. Although older children may not need these properties so much, the broad target market of our product means that it needs to be durable.
Kevin says:
*is the fact that it's reccommended not to be used for older children not something that worries you?
Harry says:
*Despite the question marks over the environmental suitability of PVC, there are no alternatives yet that are of a suitable price for our target market.
Kevin says:
*okay
*Right, well I have one final question for you. Now, in your pitch, you mentioned kids and parents solving questions such as who would win in a fight, a lion or a tiger, considering the toy is based around a zoo, is this not a fairly irresponsible message to be sending out to children? Considering the charm of the zoo, does suggesting that you figure out who would win in a fight between two animals
*not give a sinister quality to your product?
*Especially in terms of the wide age bracket, is this idea not one that would spark concern from a parents' perspective?
Harry says:
*Yes, I very much appreciate your concern, but fighting between animals can be a very real thing - some species are very territorial, and will have conflict. Hunting and food chains are also a very real part of nature. The product won't have violence as one of its main selling points, but it will have freedom as one - the children can decide whether animals get on or not.
Kevin says:
*Yes but the setting is a zoo, does this not give off the impression that zoos basically allow animals law of the land?
Harry says:
*Sometimes debates such as Lion vs Tiger can stimulate children's minds, and get them thinking about how species are adapted.
*Introducing animals together and mixing species is an important part of how zoos work as well. Sometimes animals don't get on and have to be separated.
Kevin says:
*Of course but for a product aimed at children as young as 5, is this appropriate? Do you think you may have wrongly age bracketed the product? For me, the message this sends out and the simplicity of the idea doesn't seem to go together
Harry says:
*I think we have aimed the product correctly, what we have to remember tis that different children of different ages will do things differently. Younger children would be more interested in 'happy families' games or Disney style storylines with an antagonist but an ultimate positive outcome.
*Whilst older children may want to design a 'proper' zoo.
Kevin says:
*Okay, Team Reflection, I think I have heard all that I need to hear. Many thanks for pitching to me today and best of luck in the boardroom
Harry says:
*Thank you very much for your time.

There was a fair bit of pitch before that - unfortunately my PC crashed twice so there were problems.

Bumping for the task

Team Reflections proudly present to you The Broken Record Tour – headlined by the UK’s exciting crossover dance act, the fantastic Katy B and featuring supporting performances by Cassie, and a variety of special guests! Katy B is a phenomenally exciting act, managing to fuse genres as exciting and diverse as dubstep, pop, grime, funky house, trance & R&B, mixing them together in a truly unique fashion, creating a fundamentally British sound that we feel has near universal appeal. Earning herself a MTV Europe Music Awards Nomination, a NME Award, two MOBO nominations, four UK top 40 singles as well as a UK number two album, Katy has truly conquered the UK, and has gathered a huge critical buzz worldwide. We really do feel that there is no better time for Katy to embark on an extensive tour for a number of factors – she’s began breaking into the worldwide charts, her summer on the European festival circuit honed her performance skills and her limited tour of North America and Canada proved to be a critically acclaimed, sold out success. There really is a market for Katy B out there – she’s the kind of pop act the cool kids think it’s okay to like, meaning the type of crowd she’d pull in would be diverse – hipsters, fans of pop and urban music alike would all feel welcomed at a Katy gig. Across the world, she has the underground, just breaking out edge to her, something we feel primes her excellently for exploring the world’s most interesting venues throughout The Broken Record Tour.

‘Broken Record’ is one of Katy’s most popular and critically acclaimed hits, and we felt it very important to channel this into a theme, leading to ‘Broken Record’ being the main thrust of our tour. The theme manifests itself in a number of ways – firstly through the performances of the actual music. As Katy is, by and large, a dance-pop act, many of her performances featuring a DJ providing the backing to the performances, however, on The Broken Record Tour, we feel it’d be more interesting if Katy’s reliance on the DJ was minimal with the music largely being provided by a live band, adding a new layer to Katy’s already complex music. Performance wise, Katy is a relatively unassuming artist, averse to big, tacky productions, so we feel that an almost post-apocalyptic layout on stage would be preferable – subtle wind machines, industrial style lights, leaflets strewn on stage alongside limited, vintage-feeling props – a very retro elevator, classic looking instruments. Finally, we feel that the main motivation for someone coming to a Katy B concert is to drink, dance and generally have fun – our theme enhances that experience, plus provides a new layer of visual enjoyment.

Broken Record tour poster: http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1334488396

Support Acts

As with every tour, we feel that the choice of support acts enhance the headliner, and the range of supporting performers we’ve selected for Katy B reflect her diverse musical tastes, each representing a different genre Katy embodies. Alongside Katy B, artists such as Cassie, 2NE1, Frankmusik, Jamie Woon, Far East Movement & Donkeyboy will be enthralling the crowds worldwide, turning The Broken Record Tour into the ultimate party.

Cassie

For our permanent supporting act across all five legs of the tour, we have selected the American singer and rapper Cassie. Having released her first album in 2005, Cassie instantly became famous for her distinctive, neutral voice fused with a number of influences – from pop, hip hop, r&b, electronic and dance – Cassie mixes genres as effortlessly as Katy herself. With hits such as King Of Hearts, Me & U, Long Way To Go and Official Girl under her belt, Cassie has just the right edge of familiarity, especially having attracted an almost cult-like dedicated following, with magazines ans blogs across genres, most notably hipster bible Pitchfork Media, singing her praises, even seven years after her last album release. Due to release a new album this year, Cassie has the level of success and acclaim that would make her a fantastic addition to the tour – she’s familiar and critically successful, but with an uncommercial edge that makes her live performances exciting and unpredictable.

Far East Movement

American electro hop group Far East Movement are the act we have chosen to support Katy B on the South American/Australian leg of her tour. Far East Movement are again another act that sample diverse genres on their records, borrowing heavily from dubstep, pop, electronic and hip hop styles, all fused together in a unique way. Signed to Cherrytree Records, alongside the support act we have selected for North America Frankmusik, Far East Movement have achieved limited success across the world, however, we feel their ready for the dancefloor anthems, energy and credibility make them the perfect support act for the party-centric South American and Australian venues.

Jamie Woon

The secondary support act for the first European leg will be Jamie Woon- a personal friend of Katy’s whose music is that of a similar style. He released his debut album ‘Mirrorwriting’ in 2011, and surprisingly, despite the heavily mainstream influenced charts these days, his album reached number 15 on the charts- an incredible feat for a lesser known artist.

The reason behind our choice to put Jamie Woon forward for the tour, is because London is a notorious hub for talent, and with many artists failing to break through the barriers of fame, there are a few, such as Jamie Woon, which do so successfully. The European leg of the tour will help people recognise how good some of the talent in the UK is- which will hopefully lead to overseas publicity in this Jubilee/Olympics year.

This reason we have stood by this choice, is because it is reasonable, Jamie has released varying genres of music, with. He is an act who would reasonably perform in the slot he has been presented, for the passion he has for music, not for the fame and royalties which would come along with it.

Donkeyboy

The act we have chosen to be the secondary support in the second European leg of the ‘Broken Record’ tour is Donkeyboy, who is a Norwegian pop star who has has reasonable success in his home country of Norway. His first album ‘Caught in a Life’ was a number one hit in Norway, and his most recent album ‘Silver Moon’ reached number two.

The reason behind our choice is that Donkeyboy is known both in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark, and definitely attracts a Euro-pop market, who would then come along to see Katy, as she could open up new musical tastes for the Euro-pop industry.

2NE1

The act which will perform as the secondary support throughout the Asia leg of the tour is South Korean four-piece 2NE1, who have released different classifications of albums, depending on the country the plan to release in. We have heard that 2NE1 are very popular, and would therefore be a good choice to represent their country whilst supporting Katy B!

With their extensive fan club, as well as the popularity we believe they have, 2NE1 seem the perfect choice to perform alongside Katy B, and the dance-pop vibe they display will ensure everyone leaves the show excited and content!

Frankmusik
Frankmusik is an awesome performer who will be joining Katy B & Cassie as the special guest of the North American leg (Leg Two). He’s had a number of hits with songs such as ‘Better Off As Two’ and ‘Confusion Girl’ and really provides the electric style that is the theme for the tour.

We chose Frankmusik because he’s another British electropop artist who is hoping to break in to the US market and his appearances on Katy’s world tour will help give him the publicity he would need to be able to break in to their charts.

The Broken Record Tour is a global tour, covering five continents, with 71 separate dates across a six month period. The tour largely focuses on urbanized areas, reflecting the urban nature of Katy’s music, largely centring around the areas with the largest concentrations of young, fashionable hipster type people who will appreciate Katy’s brand of dance pop fusion music. We feel an act like Katy could carry a world tour in small to mid-sized venues, playing to packed out crowds – an arena tour would be inappropriate for an act of Katy’s size, the eclectic set of venues we have selected really does fulfil our aim of creating the ultimate party road show.

The opening leg of the tour beings in Katy’s home territory of Western Europe, covering the major cities of the UK and Ireland, with added dates in some of France, Spain & Portugal’s biggest cities. From Western Europe, Katy will travel to North America, where she will tour extensively, covering the major metropolitan areas, again, with more of a focus on the Northern and Coastal cities, where Katy is viewed as an underground act with mainstream potential, and is likely to attract an internet savvy, urbanite crowd. South America, Asia & Australia all provide emerging markets for Katy, where she has attracted some attention, but isn’t the star she is in Europe, allowing her scope for new fans, as she fits in brilliantly with the party-centric atmospheres of these areas. Finally, Katy’s homecoming leg is across Northern and Eastern Europe, where Katy has already made a name for herself through her summer on the festival set in 2011, topped off with a fantastically big homecoming performance in London.


LEG ONE – Western Europe – 16 dates
Support: Cassie & Jamie Woon

Glasgow, Scotland – Thursday May 17th
Edinburgh, Scotland – Friday May 18th
Manchester, England – Saturday May 20th
Birmingham, England – Tuesday May 22nd
London, England – Wednesday May 23rd
London, England – Thursday May 24th
Bristol, England – Friday May 25th
Cardiff, Wales – Saturday May 27th
Dublin, Ireland – Tuesday May 29th
Belfast, Northern Ireland – Wednesday May 30th
Brussels, Belgium – Friday June 1st
Paris, France – Saturday June 2nd
Marseilles, France – Monday June 4th
Madrid, Spain – Wednesday June 6th
Barcelona, Spain – Thursday June 7th
Lisbon, Portugal – Friday June 8th

LEG TWO – North America – 28 dates
Support: Cassie & Frankmusik

New York City, NY – USA – Wednesday June 20th
New York City, NY – USA – Thursday June 21st
Charlotte, NC – USA – Saturday June 23rd
Nashville, TN – USA – Sunday June 24th
Memphis, TN – USA – Tuesday June 26th
Atlanta, GA – USA – Thursday June 28th
Miami, FL – USA – Friday June 29th
New Orleans, LA – USA – Monday July 2nd
Houston, TX – USA – Wednesday July 4th
Dallas, TX – USA – Sunday July 8th
Oklahoma City, OK – USA – Tuesday July 10th
St. Louis, MO – USA – Thursday July 12th
Chicago, IL – USA – Friday July 13th
Detroit, MI – USA – Sunday July 15th
Toronto – Canada – Tuesday July 17th
Montreal – Canada – Wednesday July 18th
Quebec – Canada – Thursday July 19th
Milwaukee, WI – USA – Saturday July 21st
Minneapolis, MN – USA – Sunday July 22nd
Seattle, WA – USA – Monday July 23rd
Portland, OR – USA – Wednesday July 24th
Salt Lake City, UT – USA – Thursday July 25th
Denver, CO – USA – Saturday July 27th
Las Vegas, NV – USA – Monday July 29th
Phoenix, AZ – USA – Tuesday July 30th
San Francisco, CA – USA – Friday August 3rd
Los Angeles, CA – USA – Sunday August 5th
Mexico City – Mexico – Wednesday August 8th

LEG THREE - S. America & Oceania – 12 dates
Supports – Cassie & The Far East Movement

Rio de Janeiro – Brazil – Friday August 10th
Sao Paulo – Brazil – Tuesday August 14th
Buenos Aires – Argentina – Thursday August 16th
Auckland – New Zealand – Sunday August 19th
Wellington – New Zealand – Monday August 20th
Sydney – Australia – Wednesday August 22nd
Sydney – Australia – Thursday August 23rd
Melbourne – Australia – Friday August 24th
Adelaide – Australia – Saturday August 25th
Perth – Australia – Monday August 27th
Darwin – Australia – Wednesday August 29th
Brisbane – Australia – Friday August 31st

LEG FOUR – Asia – 12 dates
Supports – Cassie & 2NE1

Bangkok - Thailand – Saturday September 15th
Manila – Philippines – Monday September 17th
Hong Kong – Thursday September 20th
Osaka - Japan – Saturday September 22nd
Tokyo – Japan – Tuesday September 25th
Tokyo – Japan – Thursday September 27th
Seoul – South Korea – Saturday September 29th
Singapore, Singapore – Monday October 1st
Shanghai – China – Tuesday October 2nd
Dubai – UAE – Friday October 5th
Tel Aviv – Israel – Sunday October 7th
Istanbul – Turkey – Tuesday October 9th
Moscow – Russia – Thursday October 11th

LEG FIVE – Northern & Eastern Europe – 13 dates
Supports – Cassie & Donkeyboy

Rome – Italy – Monday October 23rd
Athens – Greece – Wednesday October 25th
Budapest – Hungary – Friday October 27th
Warsaw – Poland – Sunday October 28th
Riga – Latvia – Tuesday October 30th
Copenhagen – Denmark – Friday November 2nd
Stockholm – Sweden – Saturday November 3rd
Oslo, Norway – Sunday November 4th
Hamburg – Germany – Monday November 5th
Berlin – Germany – Tuesday November 6th
Munich – Germany – Wednesday November 7th
Prague – Czech Republic – Thursday November 8th
London, England – Friday November 9th

We have selected ten specific venues to demonstrate the range we want to focus on throughout our 72 dates.

Overall we decided to go for small to mid sized venues, with capacities from 500 to 3000 people.
Although we all love Katy, we want to stress the realism we placed on the type of venue Katy could sell out, and besides, a gig like Katy’s works best in a relatively intimate setting. We wanted to go for unusual and eclectic venues rather than the typical 02 Academies or arenas. We wanted the tour to be memorable, with it being Katy’s first world tour its important people firstly have a great night, and secondly, remember Katy afterwards.

LONDON:
Bush Hall –
Victorian Dance Hall
http://www.bushhallmusic.co.uk/
This is one of our bigger venues. It’s rather simple but we think it does have an edge comparing it to other halls. Katy has a lot of London fans, so we think a large venue should be necessary, we feel the Bush Hall is the perfect choice. The juxtaposition between the formality of the Victorian hall, and the urban, current vibe from Katy’s music is particularly enjoyable.

BIRMINGHAM:
The Custard Factory
Abandoned Warehouse turned bar
http://www.custardfactory.co.uk/
This is another very interesting venue. It holds around 1000 people. People can still see signs of the warehouse, it’s an historic venue and it’s very creative. The venue will make people remember their experience. It’s a popular bar and venue in Birmingham, famed for it’s dubstep and drum & bass nights, somewhere Katy will really feel at home.

EDINBURGH:
The Caves
Smaller Venue, intimate but has played host to big names.
Although not the biggest venue we feel it’s very atmospheric and truly original. It’s a very interesting venue and we think Katy fans will really enjoy the whole atmosphere.

SYDNEY:
Oxford Art Factory
Hipstery cool art space/bar
http://www.au.timeout.com/sydney/bar...rd-art-factory
Very cool venue. We chose it because we feel it sort of suits Katy, it’s not so big but it’s not small. It's a unique venue which is good for the tour. The bar’s dual function as an art exhibition space furthers Katy’s credible vibe, and we feel it would appeal to the type of crowd we’d target.

NEW YORK:
Brooklyn Academy of Music
Hipster, grand, avant-garde (acts like Radiohead played there)
http://nymag.com/listings/attraction...demy_of_music/
One of our biggest venues, it’s not the most unique venue, but it’s very big and we thought it is very important to make it big as Katy has many fans in New York, so we want as many people to experience her performing as possible. Set in Hipster-central Brooklyn, the building has a great pedigree, plus the grand setting again juxtaposes the current music.

LA
The Roxy
Sunset Strip – edgy, credible, history to it
http://theroxyonsunset.com/
This venue is one of the most cool, edgy venues in L.,Ssome of the most credible and famous artists have performed there, as well as exciting up and coming acts. It’s an older venue – concert goers will really feel the heritage, which we feel adds to the experience.

RIO
Copacabana Beach
Rio is a fun party city, famed for it’s beautiful weather, long stretches of beach, and hedonistic atmosphere. We feel it’d be a missed opportunity not to construct a venue on the beach, as other artists have done before, making the most of this exciting city.

TOKYO
Super Deluxe
Art gallery, located in the red light district, grimy/seedy but cool
https://www.super-deluxe.com/
http://www.cnngo.com/tokyo/play/rock...-houses-558326
A mid sized venue, it’s considered a prestigious venue in Tokyo, set in a really seedy area, it draws an eclectic crowd that Katy would really appeal to.

ROME
Sinister Noise
An underground club
http://www.sinisternoise.com/
The club is 60‘s/vintage which sort of fits with our theme of the whole tour. It’s an exreamly original club, which will attract many people. This is an experience no one will forget.

SINGAPORE:
Orgo
http://www.orgo.sg/
This is one of our smaller venues but it’s very modern with a wonderful view. Orgo is a very famous venue in Singapore, and it’s a great one for Katy to sing in.

SETLIST
1. Broken Record - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oES929aenGc - The name of the tour is the ‘Broken Record’ tour; so because of that it makes sense for her to open with this song.

2. Easy Please Me - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXzMPd9pib0 - Katy’s signature opener and a good mix to Broken Record.
3. Why You Always Here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Hn2ScHLzuU - One of Katy’s most infectious songs. Gets the crowd dancing and allows her to have fun on stage & let go a bit – get in to it.
4. Louder - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1Ynf2ScKiA - An unreleased single that proved popular with fans as it still charted and sets the mood for the rest of the night
5. Perfect Stranger - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_ZftrTodU0 - Instead of the original; it’ll be a remixed version with a woodwind instrument orchestra being played along with the dubstep beat by Magnetic Man.
6. Don’t Let Go (cover – original by En Vogue) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8jdyIcHDJw - It’s important for a pretty new artist like Katy to appeal to different varieties of fans. Florence Welch did a fantastic cover of this and Katys cover would be similar to this. A different style of song to separate up the more electronic numbers.
7. Hard To Get - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n5k5PVQbU8 - One of the longest songs, ever. The official closing song on her album, Katy hopes to wow the crowd with this electro smash & it ends the first half of the concert.
--- INTERLUDE WITH DANCERS ON STAGE PERFORMING----
8. Katy On A Mission - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6tHw4yIDok - Kicking off the second half of the concert, Katy wows with one of her biggest singles given a stunning military-themed performance on the stage.

9. Movement - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFwGeW2HmcA - Katy's exciting beats and sultry vocals on this song can definitely wow our underground crowds!
10. Go Away - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1K_LvHj2Ek - The polar opposite of Movement. A slow and smooth album track which mixes up the feel to the concert.
11. Witches Brew - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkmET8y-RiM - Another of Katy’s popular singles. A good follow up to a slow tune with an exciting beat whilst still being a very lyrical song.
12. Drunk On Love (cover – original by Rihanna) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waGkmPv_NSo - A second cover. A Rihanna song, which is generally brilliant and very Katy in styling. She’d rock out the urban essence the song demands.
13. Power on Me - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuxEArZhY_s - Power on Me is a beautiful album track which shows Katy to be a powerful & independent woman – a good track as the night comes to a close
14. Disappear - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P5v3B72pwM - Another album track which sets
15. Anywhere In The World - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ylB2Sm1qB8 - A fantastic ending to a world tour. The message in the song is brilliant and really reflects the mood.

ENCORE:
1. Lights On - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NNQxN448Tk - Her biggest hit single, the part of Ms Dynamite will be performed by Cassie.

2. Let Me Go (cover – original by Maverick Sabre) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbY_jYGtH0Y - An absolutely brilliant song which Katy can really perform perhaps with a duet appearance by Maverick Sabre on the dates with him on the tour.

3. Something New - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuvPKoMbmhE - The final song performed in the encore. Katy will seriously send out her message with this song. She IS something new & that is why it is a great way to end the tour. She’s telling the fans watching that she is here to stay.

The Broken Record Tour is, in essence, a party tour, aimed at younger, music-savvy, internet aware people of both sexes to enjoy a few drinks, dance, appreciate some good music amongst like minded people – something we feel our tour is set to achieve. The theme, which fuses an excitingly modern frugality on stage with vintage, retro charm alongside live-band backed renditions of some of Katy’s biggest songs really provides an exciting visual and aural for concert goers to enjoy, whilst not detracting from the central reason why people would come to see Katy B on tour – to dance and have a good time. With our staging, song selection and costuming, we feel that we’ve managed to keep the true essence of Katy, the fame-averse, all about the music, unassuming performer, while enhancing her to perform a spectacle in her own unique way, perfectly appropriate for the small/mid-sized venues we’ve selected.

In a year with decidedly British events such as the Queen’s Jubilee and the London 2012 Olympics bringing the UK to the forefront of international attention, Katy B really could be the next UK export to take the world by storm. Ultimately, our tour has two aims – to promote Katy B and expand her popularity on a global level, as well as to provide an excellent night out for attendees. We feel we’ve succeeded on both levels.

We will now open it up for any questions you have.Thank you for listening

Good Afternoon Team Reflections!

Well, what with my age and all, I think I'm fairly knowledgeable about the teen 'cool' market, and unfortunately, despite her number two album and award nominations, I've never heard of Katy B - and when I first saw the list of support artists, I thought they were DS members!

So, my question is, realistically, how are you going to publicise this tour and the artists so the tour doesn't turn out to be a "number two" itself?

Hey Team Reflections, this here was a great pitch I just have a question regarding the notoriety of Katy B. Katy has only had song chart in 2 countries, and I am quite sure that not many people (including myself) outside of the UK will even know who she is. Coupled with the fact that she only has one album, I was wondering if someone could touch on how you plan to sell out shows in the Americas and Asia where Katy is much less well known than some other artists people would rather spend money on?

Hello all, I thought this was a great pitch so congratulations. I'm not quite sure if we're allowed to post on the other team's thread but since Amroussi has, then I think I'll go ahead and do it too.


I feel it's wise for you to say that Katy B would never sell out arenas, and probably true. However, I was wondering how you find Katy in a small, "intimate" (as you call it) setting more memorable than that of a large arena?


I also understand that you went for an artist who hasn't done anything particularly 'massive' in her career yet as she has had a single that managed to reach number five in the UK & an album that managed to peak at number two, also in the UK. Do you feel she has the success to sell out the entirety of the 72 dates as you have suggested and how do these four top 40 singles (which top 40 hasn't particularly been recognised as an achievement anymore) be considered as 'conquering in the UK'? Also, looking at Wikipedia now (and I understand it may not be the most reliable source), but it suggests that Katy has only won the one award which is the NME 2012 award (which you explained) and has solely been nominated for the other MTV award?

Thanks Justin for the question - we feel that Katy is an emerging singer, she's had pretty widespread success accross the UK, and while she isn't a household name, her appearences accross European festivals has certainly put her on the map in Europe - she's a seasoned performer and a talented addition to any festival set. Within the US, she's already embarked on a limited tour of a small number of dates, each being sold out and acclaimed critically - we feel that her target demographic - internet savvy young adults who are very into Katy's brand of music are likely to have a vague idea of who she is - even people looking for a great night out with friends could be targeted. In Asia and South America, we feel that Katy's type of music fits in brilliantly with the party-centric, hedonist atmospheres - and the reason we selected small/mid-sized venues was to add an air of exclusivity and excitement - Katy would have no trouble selling out a 500 person capacity venue in Singapore, for example. So while I understand she's not a household name by any stretch of the imagination, I do feel she'd sell tickets.

Hi Harry.

We chose our supporting acts regarding where they will sing. For example: Lets say we chose a Japanese artist who you have never heard of, in Japan people would have heard of them. The only one who goes through the whole tour is Cassie and we believe as a team she is big enough, we didn't want to over spend over a support act, and get someone too famous.

And I think your 'number two' question should be answered in Gav's answer to Jag's question. If not please say so.

I hope I answered your supporting act query and if you have any other questions please feel free!

I personally, believe that 'Lights On' was a huge hit, ''I keep on moving with the lights on' was heard in clubs everywhere for a distinct period of 6 months, and everyone I know was talking about it! Katy appeals to a very urban market, and whilst she may not be to your taste, I would say she appeals to lots of people elsewhere!

The was we will publicise the 'Broken Record' tour is by taking advantage of social media, such as Twitter and Facebook. These sites have been known to cause an online buzz, and will definitely bring our cause to the attention of socially adapted people. The internet is the quickest way to get the message across, and I believe that using these systems to our advantage will make the tour an absolute smash!

Thank you for the response, Gav, but I have one more question. I, for example, would consider myself to be a member of the "internet savvy young adults who are very into Katy's brand of music" group, yet I have no clue who she is. Also, you mentioned that:


What incentive would people who are randomly looking for a good night out have to buy a ticket to such an "acclaimed" world tour for an artist they have no idea exists in advance. Like, when I am looking for something to do on a night, my first idea isn't "let's find tickets to a concert that's tonight!" - especially when this concert is a world tour that might be relatively expensive and already be sold out. Could you maybe touch on this appeal more?

Thanks for the quick reply, I would like a bit more detail RE: Publicity though - I'd be interested to know where and how you're going to advertise this, considering you have suggested your tour works on a low budget.

EDIT: Sorry, didn't see Jess's post.

I think this was a great pitch. But I have never heard a song by Katy B (until I searched her on Youtube following this pitch) and had never even heard of the name. And even when I listened to her, I didn't think that she was anything special.

So my question to you is why would an artist who is only just emerging go on tour now instead of in a few years when she is an established artist?

I, like many people, find large scale arena tours quite impersonal - you don't really connect to the artist in the way you do when the crowds are smaller. Some of our UK venues hold up to 3,000 people - which is by no means small, however, we're confident Katy B has the fanbase to sell out venues such as this. Katy likes singing about 'the club', her music is all about decent beats that everyone can dance to - the scale of our venues really is perfect, and realistic, for our act.


Katy did win the NME Award, yes, but she has been nominated for a number of presitious awards such as MOBO awards - one of the best European prizes for Urban influenced music, as well as gaining a Mercury Prize nomination - a huge piece of critical acclaim that draws a huge spotlight on Katy. While she isn't a megastar, she's a widely recognized name that has potential to break out - seemingly like someone like Ellie Goulding, who toured Asia & the US before she had a breakout hit. Of the 72 dates, the majority are in Europe, where she has a fanbase, and the US, where touring, alongside promotion, is the key to success. One of the tours aims is to raise Katy's profile globally, and we feel that it really will achieve this.

Hi Em thank you very much for your question!

I think for a well established artist like Rhianna or Beyonce they would sell out arena's or even stadiums which hold 50000+ people. Katy's venues are really ranging from 500-3000 people so I don't think it should be a problem to do a world tour now with not so un realistic venues.

I hope this answers your question, if you have any others please say so!

Thanks for the question, and to follow on from Amroussi, one of the ways in which an artist can achieve buzz about them and gain new fans is through touring - we feel that a world tour now would establish a new fanbase in areas where she's less widely known, as well as exciting fans in places where she's more popular.

This actually raises another question for me - if you are only getting 500-3000 people per venue, how will you generate enough profit to run a full fledged 72 stop tour? Most tours of this size are in large arenas with huge name acts, at least from the ones I have seen.