Entertainment marketing agency

Canada Create™ is an entertainment marketing agency for live venues, promoters, festivals, theatre and comedy producers, film and series releases, music artists and labels, talent agencies and family entertainment businesses across Canada. We sell tickets, fill rooms and build audiences that come back, through launch planning, websites and event pages that convert, search, social and short video, creators, email and SMS, and paid media timed to every on sale, all measured by tickets, bookings and revenue rather than views.

Entertainment marketing is marketing against a clock. Every show, release and season has a date, and unsold seats or unwatched premieres do not come back. That makes the discipline different from most industries: campaigns have phases, audiences must be built before they are needed, and the first days of an on sale often decide the result.

• How entertainment marketing works
• Audiences you own
• Launch and on sale planning
• Websites, event pages and ticketing
• Search and discovery
• Social media and short video
• Paid media and channel choice
• Advertising rules for entertainment
• Budgets and measurement
• Entertainment advertising by sector
• Choosing an entertainment marketing agency

How entertainment marketing works

Entertainment marketing creates demand for an experience people cannot fully preview: a concert, a play, a comedy set, a festival weekend, a film, an escape room. The buyer is deciding with their emotions and their calendar at once. They need to feel the experience is worth their evening, believe their friends will enjoy it, and find it easy to buy at a clear total price.

Most campaigns move through four stages: announce (make the right people aware and capture interest), on sale (convert built up demand fast), sustain (keep selling through the middle of the campaign with fresh content and offers) and final push (urgency in the last days, often the strongest sales period after the on sale). Each stage needs different messages, channels and budgets.

Sports and entertainment marketing

Sports and entertainment marketing shares the same mechanics: season tickets and memberships, single game sales, group sales, sponsorship and fan engagement. Teams, leagues, tournaments and sports venues use the same audience building, launch timing and paid media principles described here, with sponsorship activation as an extra revenue line.

Audiences you own

The most valuable asset in entertainment is an audience you can reach without paying a platform every time: an email list, an SMS list, app users, members, subscribers and past buyers. A venue with a strong list can sell a large share of a show to people who already trust its programming before spending on ads. A promoter or artist with fans who opted in can run presales that reward loyalty and create early momentum.

Every channel should collect consent where possible: ticket checkout, presale signups, waitlists, contests run within the rules, and website popups. Segment by genre, past purchase, location and spend, so a jazz fan hears about jazz and a family hears about family shows. Every commercial email and text must follow CASL: consent, clear identification and a working unsubscribe. Our email marketing team builds these lists and flows.

Launch and on sale planning

A strong on sale is planned weeks before the announcement. The plan sets the dates (announce, presales, general on sale, key content moments, final week), the audiences (existing fans, lookalike audiences, local interest audiences, groups), the creative (trailers, clips, artist or cast content, reviews and quotes where permitted) and the budget split by phase.

Presales are powerful when used well: an artist presale for fans, a venue or promoter presale for subscribers, a partner presale for sponsors or card members. Each needs a signup page, a clear time and a code process that works on a phone. Waitlists and “notify me” pages capture people who missed out and help decide whether to add a date.

Group and corporate sales

Groups (schools, community organizations, companies, tour operators) fill large blocks early. A group sales page, a simple enquiry form and outreach to past group buyers months ahead can lift results without discounting single tickets.

Websites, event pages and ticketing

Your website is where interest becomes a ticket. Each show, release or attraction needs its own page with the essentials above the fold: what it is, when, where, the price range, accessibility information, age restrictions and a clear buy button. A short video, photos, line up or cast details and frequently asked questions (parking, doors, bag policy, food and drink) answer the questions that stop a purchase.

The handoff to ticketing must be smooth. Every extra click and every surprise fee at checkout loses buyers. Connect your ticketing platform to analytics so you can see which sources produce sales, not just traffic. Our website design and UX and UI design teams build venue, festival and production sites around the purchase path.

Search and discovery

People search for things to do: “comedy shows Toronto this weekend”, “concerts in Vancouver tonight”, “family activities Ottawa”, “escape room near me”, the name of an artist plus your city, or the title of a show. Event pages with structured event data can appear in Google’s event results, and venues and attractions need a complete Google Business Profile with accurate hours, photos and upcoming events. Evergreen pages (the venue guide, seating chart, accessibility and visitor information) attract steady search all year. AI assistants now answer “what should I do this weekend” questions too; our AI search optimization work helps your events and venue appear in those answers. SEO starts at CAD 1,500 a month through our SEO services.

Social media and short video

Entertainment is the most natural fit for social media. Short video on Instagram Reels, TikTok and YouTube Shorts lets audiences see and hear the experience: a clip from last night’s show, a rehearsal moment, a comedian’s best line, a festival crowd, a trailer cut for vertical screens. Behind the scenes content builds affinity; countdowns and line up reveals build anticipation.

Creators and influencers can carry a launch further, especially when they genuinely fit the audience. Every paid, gifted or ticketed relationship needs clear disclosure, and the brand is responsible for making sure creators disclose. Music used in social content and ads needs the right licences, and anyone identifiable in photos and video needs permission. See our social media management, influencer marketing and videography services.

Planning a season, tour, festival or release? Tell us your dates and goals and we will send a written plan and a quote within one business day. Request a proposal.

Paid media and channel choice

Paid media turns an announcement into sales. The right mix depends on the stage of the campaign and the audience. This comparison shows how the main channels are usually used.

Budgets usually weight the on sale and the final week, with a lighter sustain phase in between. Retargeting people who viewed the event page but did not buy is often the most efficient spend. See Google Ads management and social media advertising.

Advertising rules for entertainment

A few rules affect almost every entertainment campaign in Canada:

• Total price. Mandatory fees belong in the advertised price. The Competition Act addresses drip pricing, where fees appear only at checkout, and provincial consumer protection laws can add ticketing rules.
• Accurate claims. “Sold out”, “final shows” or “limited seats” must be true. Quotes from reviews must be accurate and used with permission where required.
• Disclosure. Creator, influencer and partner posts must clearly disclose material connections.
• Alcohol. Venues promoting drinks or licensed events follow provincial alcohol advertising standards and platform age targeting rules.
• Contests. Ticket giveaways in Canada need proper rules, and many require a skill testing question; check current requirements before launching.
• Accessibility. Ontario organizations have AODA obligations; accessible websites and clear accessibility information help every audience.
• Quebec. Commercial communications for Quebec audiences have French language requirements.

This is general information, not legal advice; check current rules with your advisor.

Budgets and measurement

Entertainment marketing budgets are usually set per show, release or season, as a share of the expected gross or a fixed amount per date, then split by phase and channel. Fees for our work are quoted in writing; ad spend is paid directly to the platforms. The measurement that matters is simple: tickets or bookings sold by source, revenue, cost per sale, return on ad spend, list growth and repeat buyers. We connect ticketing, analytics and ad platforms so every phase can be judged on sales, and so the next campaign starts with real numbers.

Entertainment advertising by sector

Live music venues and promoters

Programming varies every week, so the venue brand and the list do the heavy lifting, with show level campaigns layered on top. Artist co marketing and shared assets help every on sale.

Theatre and performing arts

Subscriptions, single tickets and groups each need their own path. Reviews, rehearsal content and audience reactions sustain longer runs. Nonprofit companies may qualify for Google Ad Grants.

Comedy clubs and touring comedians

Short clips sell comedy better than any description. Weekly line ups, email to regulars and local paid social keep rooms full.

Festivals and large events

Long campaigns with early bird phases, line up reveals, accommodation and travel information, and a final push. Sponsorship activation adds content and reach.

Film, series and streaming releases

Trailers, clips and talent content lead the campaign; screenings, festival runs and release windows set the timing. Canadian productions can work with distributors and broadcasters on co marketing.

Music artists, labels and talent agencies

Release campaigns, tour announcements, fan lists and creator collaborations. Talent agencies and entertainers selling bookings need a professional site, media kit and outreach to event buyers. Music schools can see our music school marketing service.

Family entertainment and attractions

Escape rooms, trampoline parks, bowling, arcades, mini golf and attractions sell to families, birthday parties, school groups and corporate teams. Local search, booking pages and seasonal campaigns matter most.

Related guide: creator economy statistics.

Choosing an entertainment marketing agency

Look for an agency that plans by campaign phase, understands ticketing and launch timing, can produce short video quickly, and reports on tickets and revenue rather than reach. Ask who will run your campaigns day to day, how fast they can turn around creative during an on sale, how they handle creator disclosure and music licensing, and who owns the accounts. The answer to the last question should be simple: you do. Your ad accounts, pixels, lists and analytics stay in your name.

Canada Create has helped businesses across Canada and the United States since 2008, is BBB Accredited with an A+ rating and answers its toll free line 24/7 at +1 (800) 808-9235. Start with a free marketing review of your next season, tour or release, and get a written plan with every fee in writing. Our marketing strategy and fractional CMO service can also lead your marketing planning across a full season.