Interview: Meet Serino/Coyne's New CEO, Angelo Desimini

As BroadwayWorld reported last week, Serino/Coyne, one of Broadway's biggest live-entertainment marketing agencies, announced that Angelo Desimini, currently chief operating officer, would assume the role of CEO.

Desimini joined Serino/Coyne in 1999 as an account executive, quickly being promoted to group director, then director of account management, all while guiding a diverse set of clients, from Disney Theatrical Productions to the Nederlander Organization, overseeing Tony winners, blockbusters, and groundbreaking successes. He became chief operating officer in 2010.

BroadwayWorld just chatted with Desimini about his new role in the company, and you can check out the full interview below!

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Let's talk a bit about your background first. You joined in 1999?

Yes, before that I was at a marketing company called Forefront Marketing with Evan Shapiro, who led that company. We did marketing for big brands, small brands and Broadway shows. It was a marketing and promotions company. That's how I got connected to Broadway directly. I worked on BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, RAGTIME, FOSSE... and that's how I got connected to Serino/Coyne, because they were the ad agency for those shows.

Were you a theatre geek growing up? Did you ever perform?

I did! Actually all throughout high school. I was a very eclectic guy. I was into sports and theatre. So... it was a very odd mix in high school. I performed starting with my sophomore year in every play and every musical we did through senior year. It has always been in my blood. I went to college at Syracuse University and I have a degree in Marketing and Theater. It's something I'm very involved in and very proud of. It's a passion of mine and I'm glad that I have the opportunity to work in the business.

Serino/Coyne has a long history. As you take over, what are you looking at as being next for the company?

We are really focused on, "What are the things that drive our clients' businesses. What are the ways in which audiences want to interact with live entertainment- Broadway in particular?"

Digital is a huge focus of ours. Content is a huge focus. The world used to revolve around broadcast television, even just a few years ago. Broadcast is still very important, but now it's all about, "How do we actually get it out there digitally as well?" We want to get our content in front of consumers in a way that they want to absorb it, at the time they want to absorb it. That's a huge focus. One of our big clients is the Tony Awards. With Jim Glaub's leadership there, we've been spearheading the Second Screen Experience (which won a Webby Award). It's how people are interacting now. It's something we are very, very focused on.

We have to constantly reinvent the way we communicate with people. And, how we interact with them, when they're open to it. At the end of the day, what we do is entertainment. We have to entertain within our actual advertising as well. It's something we are very proud of.

What's the balance with producers these days? Are you driving them forward when it comes to embracing these new technologies or is the world driving everyone forward?

The world is constantly changing. One minute one thing is important and the next, it's irrelevant. I think it's a combination. We are certainly driving our clients and encouraging our clients to push forward into this world and into these new outlets as much as we can. At the same time, we always have an eye on the fact that Broadway as a whole is an older demographic, so we have to make sure we balance that all at the same time.

But, a lot of our clients now, and the industry as a whole, are really awakening to this whole movement. Even just a couple of years ago, it was a world where you were always pushing about even why we would have to be on Facebook. That was a discussion. Now clients are very open, very receptive, and they're actually participating.

How do you try to strike that balance? If there is something new and hip like Snapchat or Periscope that no one is sure yet if it actually does drive ticket sales or if it's just 200 engaged fans?

For us it's always about managing expectations with our clients. And, knowing that we always have to try new things and see where they take us. We were the first agency to use Periscope in regards to AN AMERICAN IN PARIS this year on opening night. It's all about how you balance that conversation with the client. You always have to try new things and be in the forefront. Be there where consumers are and interact with them in a way that they want to receive the information. The only way to do that is to constantly participate and constantly try new things. Knowing that at the end of the day, it's about getting our message out there and getting our shows in front of consumers, it's a touch-point for them. We all have television and are on our phones and tablets and computers throughout the day. It's all about each of those touch points adding up to someone actually activating and making a sale. So for us, we are very focused on what is next and how do we use those new outlets. And, we want to be very upfront with our clients that it's all about this becoming a ticket sale tomorrow. It's about continuously getting our shows in front of them in a way they want to receive the information.

What do think makes Serino/Coyne different from other agencies?

I think that at the end of the day we have mastered the ability of great storytelling and creating advertising that doesn't just give you a flavor of the show, but it's actually entertaining in its own right. We are very proud of the fact that the shows that we work on have very long runs and really become brands in their own right. Look at THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, MAMMA MIA!, WICKED, THE LION KING, even ALADDIN and BEAUTIFUL... these are shows that we're really proud of. They're not only are great entertainment and great Broadway shows, but they've become global brands. It's something we are really proud of and very focused on.

When a show succeeds or fails, how much of that do you think is a part of the advertising. Or is it one of the many ingredients?

I think there are certainly marketing successes and failures. But, the show is the most important thing. The thing that's up on that stage, audiences have to love. It's our job to give you a flavor of what that is. We find that word of mouth continues to be the driving force for ticket sales. Someone you relate to telling you that this is something you should see is still the most important thing. We are very proud that we consider ourselves partners to our clients, and we engage with them in that way. It's a world where you really have to have a partnership. It's not a vendor-client relationship. You have to be entrenched in their business and have a shorthand with them in regards to understanding their show and their goals.

Does that become more of a challenge as shows have more and more producers?

Not really. It all comes down to communication. I think we have done a very good job of making everyone feel included. In the world we live in, ideas come from anywhere, and you need to be able to listen to your staff and clients. Yes, more people in the room has actually been positive from my perspective. There's a lot of work to be done, and if everyone can take a small piece and run with it, the better. As long as we're all working off the same strategy and understanding what our marching orders are, it's been positive.

How do you balance the analytics with the old-fashioned gut feelings of things that might not be quantifiable, but will have a result?

As an agency, we are really focused on data. We have an insight department that we developed about two years ago and that we continue to invest in heavily- not just with talent, but also technology. It's a very important part of our business as a whole and our clients' business. You're right when you say that the industry has been built on gut reactions, but there is SO much data, from ticket sales to socially on the street, to how audiences are reacting from a research perspective. We are really delving in on data and not just walking into meetings saying, "I think this is how this is gonna be." But, "This is what has worked in the past. This is what the numbers say." I think that sometimes people come in with so much data to prove how much they know, by showing numbers. It's not about that. It's about the insights you can learn from those numbers. We are really excited about what we are doing in that area.

Entering the new theatre season, what are you most excited about?

From a show perspective, I'm so excited about the diversity we're seeing on stage. I think that we're reflective as a business now of the population of the city. Shows like HAMILTON and ALLEGIANCE and ON YOUR FEET... I think it's fantastic that we are bringing new audiences into Broadway and that Broadway has opened up into inviting new audiences and putting things onstage that are reflective of who they are.