Case study provided by The Brand Council.
Manumission is about freeing people from the slavery of their everyday lives and taking them into a world of pure pleasure. In fact, the name itself is derived from the Latin meaning "freedom from slavery". Manumission has done this and revolutionised the party scene in the process. Rather than focusing simply on music, its inspiration is drawn from further afield and elements of cabaret, theatre and the arts are incorporated in the 16 events that are held in Ibiza each summer.
Manumission was created by brothers Andy and Mike McKay in Manchester in 1994 with the vision of being a straight and gay friendly night that they would have liked to go to themselves but couldn't find in the club scene at that time. Violence then began to flare in the Manchester club scene, so when the brothers went on holiday to Ibiza, they were struck by how the paradise island reflected Manumission's mind set of freedom and expression. They then decided to take Manumission to this island of extremes.
Producing flyers and posters that simply said "Manumission is coming", the opening night brought many more people than could fit into the venue and by the time the fifth party was held, 6,000 people were turning up -- a far cry from the brothers nights at the 400-capacity club in Manchester. Manumission's reputation continued to grow not only through that season, but when it returned the following year. Its success subsequently led to the superclubs, such as Ministry of Sound, opening in Ibiza.
Manumission rewrote the rule book by introducing door fees of 拢30. Previously admission to clubs had been free with club owners making money through the sale of drinks. Rivals thought a fee would drive customers away but the income meant that the McKays could transform the level of entertainment on offer.
A full theatrical management team was employed and a cast of up to 200 people now performs at each event. In the early days live sex shows were introduced at the club, gaining worldwide notoriety. But when rivals began to follow suit, Manumission moved on. It is constantly evolving and no two summers are ever the same. Past years themes have included Manumission the Movie, The Good Ship Manumission, Manumission the World Series and in 2002, Manumission Ibithan Myths. The sets are designed by Mark Fisher, who has produced shows for many of
the world's leading bands, such as U2.
Unlike other clubs, Manumission fiercely protects its brand. Three years ago, it took the decision to stop promoting superstar DJs, recognising that at rival clubs the DJs were becoming more famous than the clubs that created them. It's a move that has paid off. Manumission's customers are more interested in the party atmosphere than who is on the decks.
Manumission doesn't advertise in the press because they believe that the best form of advertising is word of mouth. Instead, the parties are promoted using street processions, beach parades and guerrilla marketing techniques. The money saved on campaigns is ploughed back into making the events even more spectacular.
Manumission, which is still a small family-owned business run by Andy, Mike and their partners Dawn Hindle and Claire Davies, has resisted the temptation to tour or return to the UK. It limits the number of parties it holds and spends all year preparing for them. While other club brands have expanded into other areas such as records and festivals, Manumission focuses on its core activity and continues to attract 8,000 hedonists a week. The Manumission team does however run Bar M -- the most successful pre-club bar in Ibiza.
Such is its success that, according to the Guinness Book of Records, Manumission is now the biggest party in the world.
漏 2002 The Brand Council
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