Motives of circus attendees in South Africans: the case of Cirque du Soleil Dralion
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to determine the motives of attendees
to Cirque du Soleil’s Dralion production in a developing country. The
results revealed five key motives, namely uniqueness, enchantment
and aesthetics, fun and entertainment, socialisation and social status
and act affiliation. Clustering based on these motives revealed three
distinct clusters namely Enthusiasts, Novices and Observers. These
clusters show that attendees are not homogeneous in terms of their
socio-demographic and behavioural profiles. While the Enthusiasts and
Observers displayed similar characteristics to other clusters found in
previous research, this research made a clear contribution in identifying
Novices as a new emerging segment and suggesting the implications of
retaining and expanding this market. The findings of this research can
greatly assist marketers of these types of production to expand interest
in the arts and increase accessibility to a larger audience.