CIRQUE DE SOLEIL Presented by Strong Man Consultants

CIRQUE DE SOLEIL Presented by Strong Man Consultants Sarah Henkind, Mara Hilmy, Wes Treiber, Vijay Bidnurmath

AGENDA History of the Circus State of the Circus Alternatives Recommendations Questions

HISTORY OF THE CIRCUS Started as a “Freak Show” • Bearded lady, strong man • Clowns • Trained animals • Took advantage of these people • Started travelling with them • Generic “circus” moves

CIRQUE DE SOLEIL VERSUS THE CIRCUS Cirque de Soleil Traditional Circus • Variety of acts • Exclusivity • Focus on quality rather than quantity • Story telling • Traveled city to city • Similar acts • Focus on volume of attendance • Tricks versus artistry

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE Direct Indire ct Traditional circus acts like PT Barnum Movie theatres, traditional theatres Local carnivals or state fairs Sports events, concerts

CUSTOMER PROFILE Families • Parents looking for affordable entertainment for their children • Have a nostalgic view of the circus Thrill seekers • Individual who want different and exciting experiences • Looking to view life on the edge Couples on dates • Unique dating experience • Alternatives to traditional entertainment

HOW DO PEOPLE SEE THE CIRCUS Cirque de Soleil Traditional Circus Quality Carnivals Price

INDUSTRY REACTION Circus expectations transformed Reactive- there was no competing with cirque de soleil. Many independent circuses were forced to shut down Only big names were able to survive

HOW TO REVAMP THE CIRCUS Focus on Seasonality: Pros Circus’ would focus on creating demand by focusing on creating acts related to the seasonality and culture of the region they are performing in • Would offer fresh and exclusive reasons for people to attend • Creates repeat customers for specific seasons Cons For example haunted houses during Halloween, romance focused experiences around valentines day, or Santa themed during Christmas • Production costs • Variability in predicting revenues

HOW TO REVAMP THE CIRCUS Pivot to educational alternatives: Caters back to the child or family customer target Would be based on STEM education principles such as large science experiments Pros • No animal cruelty • Could be booked with school or other educational entities Cons • Not applicable to a wide variety of audiences • Potential lack of variety

HOW TO REVAMP THE CIRCUS Bring in high profile entertainers: Goal would be to bring in big name entertainers building off of their name to drive ticket sales Pros • Easy way to establish brand value • Guaranteed sales Cons • Large bookings fees • Cannibalizing the current brand

Cirque De Soleil 3. 5 times Higher Revenues REVENUE COMPARISON:

PROFIT COMPARISON: Cirque De Soleil 8 times Higher Profits!!

DECLINE OF CIRCUSES In 5 years profits are almost half!!

RECOMMENDATION Do not try and copy Cirque de Soliel Focus on seasonal performances Seasonal is preferable allows them to maintain their niche while also attracting new customers High likelihood of repeat customers