We've never done that before. African Americans and Latinos both responded to messages that linked the programming with their own culture. But, Obalil points out, that can be a two-edged sword. Even people who read English like to see Spanish in the ad. But others won't respond or might be put off.
Different markets require different approaches.
It might be that you just can't market every event to every audience. On the other hand, the research suggested that people across the board respond to the power of dance. If you can communicate that, people will come. The group is using such lessons in planning for its 1997-98 season. Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music has used insights from similar research a few years ago to adapt its programming and marketing to minority audiences, and the efforts have paid off.