Owing to the occurrence of a commercialized circumstance in the 21st century society, performing arts have been increasingly confronted with challenges from all consume industries. Out of various reasons, performers or performing troupes will choose different objectives or missions for their performance, which leads to the unique brand of each performing troupe. Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, the first professional modern dance company in Taiwan, is just a perfect brand among other peers.
Different from mere marketing and media public relations, brand management has its own focus on long-term plans and sustainable development. Moreover, in performing arts industry, their production or service is communicated to their audiences by means of sensational feeling and yet every audience will have his or her own perspective of appreciation or feeling, which becomes another difference from other consume or service industries. It is a crucial step in cultural management for choreographer Lin Hwai-min to establish the brand of Cloud Gate with the core of culture.
Both the strong recognition from audiences and the main revenue from Cloud Gate management lie in the brand quality of more than 30 years. In this sense, it has become the backbone of the brand to keep “international, professional” level as a modern dance company.
As to the affiliated industry of Cloud Gate, the independent Cloud Gate Dance Class not only enlightens children by dance as expansion of dance presentation in society, but also popularizes the professional dance training among those women and youngsters who appreciate the brand of Cloud Gate, the latter of which gradually becomes its focus. The audio-video products of Cloud Gate masterpieces are issued as an effort to surpass the particular appreciation style and transitory aesthetics, which makes dance art collection possible as well as promotes its own brand.
Ever since 1975 when the first overseas tour performance was realized, Cloud Gate has been fostering its art brand image of professional and best quality through media, poster and critics. The core of their management is invariably professional quality as distinction from others. In face of art fans both at home and abroad, the brand position of international professional modern dance company has won advantages in publicity and marketing beforehand.
Cloud Gate, is also the most important representative in external communications. His character of literary dancer endows Cloud Gate with a feature of cultural connotation, artistic accomplishment, abundant learning and profound significance. His rich experience in world tour performance also leads to first-class, mainstream, international and globalized feature in Cloud Gate brand.
Audience or consumer may believe that his participation in performing events of an international leading dance company will help realize his identity and his expectation for interest, and eventually manifest his own value in such aspects as advanced cultural accomplishment, global recognition and professionalism. No doubt, all above arise from his character of literary dancer. In the meanwhile, a brand is a symbol of a kind of culture. Cultural elements in dance art constitute the culture in Cloud Gate dance, which is a local culture in Taiwan, a Chinese or even oriental culture represented in Lin Hwai-min’s dance aesthetics and choreographing philosophy.
In this way, this brand has its unique character, a different character from other consuming goods. Obviously, Lin Hwai-min expects the audiences for Cloud Gate to be cultivated and refined. When those audiences need to choose their cultural consumption, they will naturally recognize Cloud Gate as their brand and through consumption obtain self-experience in dance art. In a word, it is just the brand position that becomes the “high-definition” distinction of Cloud Gate.
A series of brand effects makes Cloud Gate consumption a daily habit and spread its influence everywhere. Cloud Gate is just your next-door neighbor.
