• RenM in general
• international research
• our expertise
• our core markets
• contact
• customer login

• brands-and-products
• finance
• communication and transport
• government and policy
• culture and recreation
• media

Culture and recreation

The cultural sector has not been open  to the contribution of market research as an instrument for policy and vision until recently. Particularly where artistic aspirations form part of the reason for a theatre company or a theatre to exist, marketing laws seem to be incompatible with artistic freedom and integrity. Marketing is defined as "looking through the eyes of the customer" and the taste of the general public does not always match the quality requirements that cultural trend-setters aim at.

Gradually however, it is becoming clear in the cultural sector that the results of marketing research are very necessary. Apart from the wishes of the public, there are other factors to be taken into account, of which the wishes of the producer or the performer are certainly not the least important. Getting acquainted with the attitude and the appreciation of the public can do no harm. And there are probably other matters other than artistic quality that qualify for improvement (communication, accommodation, ticket-service, coffee during the break, opening times etc).

Particularly for the recreational branch, the taste of the general public plays a leading role. Tourist attractions depend on high attendance, particularly when their attractiveness is seasonal. Still, the definitions of general interest questions for serious and popular culture are growing towards each other during the few years.

Contrary to the serious culture sector, where the realisation is growing that attention to the wishes of the public does not need to diminish the quality of the product, the recreational sector is realising increasingly that "the general public" does not exist. Even for the popular recreational programmes, room is being made for attractions meant for selective target groups. It's being realised more and more that the greatest common denominator does not always guarantee success.

In its culture and recreation research R&M | Matrix deals very carefully with the different interests that come together in the combined action between supply and demand. Research in this sector is almost always tailor-made, in which detailed tuning of the aims and the range of the research form a necessary first step.

Please contact Bert Brounts for more information.