10 Things Carl Joshua Ncube Is actually doing as head of marketing for Bangkok Comedy Fringe

Ok so this has been my orientation week in Bangkok as the new Communications and Branding Strategy guy for the Festival happening this November from the 9th to the 18th. I am especially excited because not only am I a part of an international fringe festival team but I also get to produce some shows as well. I have been asked by some press at home, friends and fans what exactly I will be doing at the festival so I have decided to write down a few things I hope to achieve from the Bangkok Comedy Fringe.

Strategy
My experience in running an advertising agency in Zimbabwe has never been tested like this before. Having to develop a marketing and branding strategy in a new country is certainly going to get my braincells going again. Scheming, devising and concocting a marketing blueprint for an international festival is such an incredible opportunity and just being here a week has given me some awesome ideas.

Building a fanbase
Being in Bangkok doing a run of shows now is allowing me to get people to know a little about me so that I am then able to market a 10 day comedy program later in the festival. Knowing the landscape and vibe a little allows me to effectively sell the idea of a Carl Joshua Ncube 10 day run at the festival.

Producing other shows
The idea of me being able to curate shows which is choosing lineups for comedy shows started a while ago when we brought the Goliaths to Zimbabwe. I have always wanted to be able to produce shows for other comics and festivals and so Bangkok Comedy Fringe will be perfect for me as I get to work with international comedians to build their shows from a branding and marketing perspective. I also intend on trying to come and mobilise partnerships and sponsors to develop an African Experience for the festival where I bring down 3 or 4 comedians from Africa to do a run of shows in Bangkok.

One Man Show
I am feeling at this time that I need to start working on a concept for a one man show that I will take to festivals around the world next year. A one man show is like a memoire a stand up comedian produces after having performed a number of years or are getting to a point where they know their voice. For me I feel I have struck a certain narrative that is working for me internationally and it will be good to build on this exciting path by developing my 1hr of comedy.

Setting Up Pop Up Clubs
Everyone might know of a project I wanted to start that was nicknamed BUILD THE DOME, a comedy club in Victoria Falls. I tried to do some fundraising but raised only $400. I was discouraged at first but then realised that around the world people have setup pop up comedy clubs first before they became a fully fledged venue. Even my friends Jason, Donovan and Nicholas Goliath ran AWEDNESDAYS, THE BOX etc before actually getting the opportunity to own and run the GOLIATH COMEDY CLUB. So following a similar trajectory being in Bangkok is allowing me to learn more about the pop up comedy scene here and I am also implementing that in Zimbabwe at the Volt on Samora Machel in Harare.

Running Festival Shows
Festivals often provide venues at a discounted rate with equipment and its up to the comic to finance the process of marketing their shows to get the numbers to pay their bills. If I am to take any shows internationally I am going to have to learn how to get into a foreign country and be able to sell out a Carl Joshua Ncube show. In Bangkok this will be the first times I have ever had to try and sell out a CJN show outside of Africa.

Multiple Venue Logistics
There will be multiple venues to the Bangkok Comedy Fringe and I will have to learn how marketing collateral and advertising is done in multiple locations and how to make sure all the shows are well attended. HIFA was really good training ground for me this year because we had multiple comedians in multiple venues and great attendance in all the shows having only marketed them while I was in another country altogether.

Managing International Comics
The Bangkok Comedy Fringe will attract comedians from so many countries internationally and will give me the awesome opportunity to introduce them to the work that my advertising agency Kickass Advertising can do for their careers. So far I have been able to do work for comedians like Aidan Killian (Ireland), Dana Alexander (Canada), Daliso Chaponda (Malawi), Salvado (Uganda) and so I will be hoping to build on that portfolio by exclusively handling the media and production for a few more international comedians at this point.

Manage Sponsors Expectations
Bangkok Comedy Fringe has some sponsors but needs more and the idea will be to be able to convince brands to buy into our ideology and vision as a festival and deliver on their expectations when it comes to giving them visibility. This is also a great opportunity to make brands understand that we intend on generating so much online content as well to reach a much wider spectrum regarding audiences.

Social Media
I will be managing the social media accounts for the Bangkok Comedy Fringe. Developing assets and content to grow the reach of the page and interaction with fans as well as managing the online database and build mailing lists of tourists and locals who enjoy comedy in Bangkok. It will be especially interesting for me to learn what makes audiences interact with content and how to develop content that suits this market. What an exciting time to be doing this!!!

So feel free to follow this awesome new experience in my life and checkout the work we will be doing for Bangkok Comedy Fringe