Bringing the Public to Your Garden:

Bringing the Public
to Your Garden:
Programming the Pros & Pitfalls
June 24, 2015
Case Study: Descanso Gardens & MPI Productions
RISE of the Jack o’ Lanterns
RISE of the Jack o’ Lanterns: What is it?
 An afterhours walk along a 1/2-mile trail of
jack o’ lanterns
 5,000 hand-carved jack o’ lanterns
 Carving demonstrations
 Family-friendly (i.e., nothing scary)
 4-week event during the month of October
 Ran 5 days a week in 2014, 4 days a week in
2015
Opening Night: October 3, 2014
Opening Night: 5,000 People
Opening Night: 5 Million Smiles
Descanso Gardens: Why do it?
 Membership base increase
 Increase in media exposure to the greater Los
Angeles area
 Sales increase for the Descanso Gardens Gift
Shop
 Rentals increase for the Special Events Office
We aren’t wizards –
but THE RISE worked magic
2013-2014 Memberships
(August to October)
Membership sales through MPI site: 1,105
Number of new memberships: 853 (MPI site)
Number of renewal memberships: 252 (MPI site)
Membership sales in total increased 103% (1,445 memberships
sold in 2013 to 2,935 in 2014)
 Sales of new memberships increased 212%, from 411 to 1,284
 Renewals increased 61%, from 1,010 to 1,623
 Of the 853 new memberships sold through the MPI site, as of
June 1, 38% have come back to visit at least once. (11% twice, 4%
three times, 4% four times, 4% five times, and 5% have come back
6 or more times)
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Media Exposure: Print & On Air
Publication
Date
Brief-Story-Clip
ABC TV
10/19/2014
Eye on LA
KCAL
10/27/2014
San Diego 6 TV
10/27/2014
TV news
KCAL
10/27/2014
Tom Olton interview
https://screen.yahoo.com/cbs-local/rise-jackolanterns-illuminates-descanso-200400127.html
On Air
Story/photo gallery
http://www.dailynews.com/lifestyle/20140929/ri
se-of-the-jack-olanterns-to-light-up-descansogardens-in-west-coast-debut
Print
Story/photo gallery
http://www.presstelegram.com/lifestyle/201409
29/rise-of-the-jack-olanterns-to-light-updescanso-gardens-in-west-coast-debut/1
Print
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/lifestyle/201
40929/rise-of-the-jack-olanterns-to-light-updescanso-gardens-in-west-coast-debut
Print
Los Angeles Daily News
Long Beach Press-Telegram
9/29/2014
9/29/2014
Pasadena Star-News
9/29/2014
Story/photo gallery
Westways
10/1/2014
Five Worth the Drive
listing
Subscribers
58,876
Link
http://abc7.com/society/eye-on-la-spookyla/355425/
http://www.msn.com/en-us/video/watch/jack-olanterns-illuminate-descanso-gardens/vpBBb46jR
http://www.sandiego6.com/san-diegoliving/The-Rise-of-Jack-OLantern-Carving280547822.html
1,000,000
Notes
On Air
On Air
On Air
Print
Los Angeles Daily News
10/16/2014
Event roundup
http://www.dailynews.com/lifestyle/20141015/e
vents-in-the-los-angeles-san-fernando-valleyarea-oct-17-24-2014
Baltimore Sun
10/23/2014
Photo gallery
http://darkroom.baltimoresun.com/2014/10/enj
oying-a-jack-o-lantern-exhibit/#1
Los Angeles Magazine
10/1/2014
Calendar Item
Print
Print
Print/Online
Media Exposure: Online
Publication
Date
Conejo Valley Guide
Pasadena NOW
Kids Guide Magazine
Pasadena Views
USA News
NBC SoCal
Monsters and Critics
La Canada Valley Sun
10/11/2014
9/11/2014
9/29/2014
9/29/2014
9/29/2014
10/1/2014
10/1/2014
10/2/2014
CBS Los Angeles
Discover LA
Radar Online
Zoe Hewitt Hosting/Youtube
Macaroni Kid-Arcadia
Pasadena Convention Bureau
Mom Angeles
Pasadena Star-News
LCF Patch
Mellzah
The New Paper (Asia One)
imagecollect.com -- David Edwards
photos
Wire Image
Other Images Press
Avoiding Regret
K-Earth 101/CBC Local
Yahoo Movies
Larry Siegel Kizoa slideshow
10/3/2014
10/3/2014
10/4/2014
10/6/2014
10/10/2014
10/14/2014
10/14/2014
10/22/2014
10/23/2014
10/24/2014
10/31/2014
10/4/2014
10/5/2014
10/6/2014
10/6/2014
10/7/2014
10/21/2014
10/31/2014
Brief-Story-Clip
Subscrib
ers
Link
http://www.conejovalleyguide.com/welcome/rise-of-the-jack-olanterns-at-descanso-gardens-in-la-caada-t.html
story/photo
Event listing on web
story
online
Story
Event listing on web
Story/photo
Story Best Halloween
for Kids
Event listing on web
Photos
Web newscast
Canned story
Event listing on web
Event listing on web
Halloween roundup
http://kidsguidemagazine.com/rise-of-the-jack-olanterns-at-descanso-gardens-10-25-2014/10014862017
http://www.dailynewsen.com/life-style
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/entertainment/the-scene/Weekend-CicLAvias-Tenth-Roll-277969751.html
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/descanso-gardens-rise-of-the-jack-olanterns-los-angeles-premiere-oct-4/
http://www.lacanadaonline.com/news/tn-vsl-me-jack-o-lanterns-take-over-descanso-gardens-20141002,0,1528951.story
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/top-lists/best-2014-halloween-events-for-kids-in-los-angeles/
http://radaronline.com/photos/bridget-marquardt-attends-rise-of-the-jack-olanterns-los-angeles-premiere-at-descanso-gardens/photo/798595/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNFGCKRADAY&feature=youtu.be
http://arcadiaca.macaronikid.com/article/822905/rise-of-the-jack-olanterns-descanso-gardens
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/lifestyle/20141022/halloween-2014-costume-parades-haunted-houses-and-more-things-to-do-this-season
http://patch.com/california/lacanadaflintridge/illuminated-pumpkins-displayed-la-canada-flintridge
online
Story
124
http://www.mellzah.com/index.php/i-tromped-through-the-pumpkin-patch-rise-of-the-jack-o-lanterns-at-descanso-gardens/
152,428 http://news.asiaone.com/news/world/5000-pumpkins-used-halloween-exhibition
Celebrity photo gallery
Celebrity photo gallery
Celebrity photo gallery
Photo gallery
Photo gallery
Photo gallery
http://www.wireimage.com/search/#events?q=descanso%20gardens/[516201303]&ep=1/60/1&s=3
66
http://www.avoidingregret.com/2014/10/photo-essay-rise-of-jack-o-lanterns.html
http://kearth101.cbslocal.com/photo-galleries/2014/10/07/k-earth-101-at-rise-of-the-jack-olanterns/
https://www.yahoo.com/movies/happy-hollywoodween-it-s-the-c1413841104218.html
http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d14239491k3346715o1/rise-2014
Notes
Online/Calendar
Online/Story
Online/Story
Online/Story
Online/Story
Online/Story
Online/Story
Online/Story
Online/Story
Online/Story
Online/Story
Online/Story
Online/Story
Online/Story
Online/Story
Online/Story
Online/Story
Online/Story
Online/Story
Photo Gallery
Photo Gallery
Photo Gallery
Photo Gallery
Photo Gallery
Photo Gallery
Photo Gallery
Social Media & Blogs
Shares Comments
Notes
Social Media
Date
Description
Followers
Impressions
Facebook
9/23/2014
Mayim Bialik
299,014
7,822
460
107
RISE
photo
Instagram
9/23/2014
Mayim Bialik
551,374
36,400
0
21
RISE
photo
Twitter
9/23/2014
Mayim Bialik
394,127
94
24
5
RISE
photo
Twitter
10/6/2014
Ali Landry
59,783
3
Twitter
10/5/2014
Benjamin Stockham
5,306
5
0
0
2 tweets
Instagram
10/5/2014
Benjamin Stockham
1,749
453
0
12
4 photos
Twitter
10/4/2014
Rico Rodriguez
304,763
40
12
1
Tweet
Twitter
10/5/2014
Ming-Na Wen
451,935
423
145
40
2 Tweet
pics
Twitter
10/4/2014
Amy Anderson
8,241
16
5
2
4 tweets
Instagram
10/4/2014
Amy Anderson
31,824
6,400
0
27
5 photos
Twitter
10/6/2014
August Maturo
24,667
56
11
3
Rise
photo
Tweet
Publication
NBC SoCal
Parent Pic
Just Jared Jr.
TOURific Escapes
Hollywood Gothique
Much & House PR
Los angeles Times
Park Journey
Startdust Fallout
Travel Dreamscapes
MiceChat
Mike the Fan Boy
News Global
Learning to Use a Leice
The Actor's Diet
Jill Weinlein
Whistle While We Blog
Psychophancy
Date
10/3/2014
10/3/2014
10/6/2014
10/10/2014
10/11/2014
10/13/2014
10/13/2014
10/13/2014
10/14/2014
10/17/2014
10/20/2014
10/20/2014
10/24/2014
10/24/2014
10/25/2014
10/30/2014
10/31/2014
10/31/2014
Brief-Story-Clip
Blog posting
Blog posting
Blog posting
Blog posting
blog
Blog
Newspaper blog
blog
blog
Blog
blog
blog
News blog
Blog
Blog
Blog
Blog
Blog
Subscribers
24
361
558
5,640
16
20
Link
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/entertainment/thehttp://blog.parentpick.com/halloween-events-for-ki
http://www.justjaredjr.com/2014/10/06/rico-raini-ro
http://www.tourificescapes.com/rise-jack-olanterns
http://www.hollywoodgothique.com/2014/10/rise-o
https://twitter.com/MuchandHousePR/status/52183
http://www.latimes.com/local/moments/la-me-scm
http://www.parkjourney.com/beyond-the-parks/rise
http://stardustfallout.com/photos-rise-jack-olantern
https://traveldreamscapes.wordpress.com/2014/10
http://micechat.com/forums/other-destinations/198
http://www.mikethefanboy.com/rise-of-the-jack-ola
http://newsglobal.us/news/5000-carved-pumpkinshttps://learningtousealeica.wordpress.com/tag/des
http://theactorsdiet.com/2014/10/25/rise-jack-olan
http://jillweinlein.hubpages.com/hub/The-Rise-of-t
http://1937fan.blogspot.com/2014/10/happy-hallow
http://psychophancy.wtf/post/101562501436/rise-o
Notes
Blog
Blog
Blog
Blog
Blog
Blog
Blog
Blog
Blog
Blog
Blog
Blog
Blog
Blog
Blog
Blog
Blog
Blog
Descanso Gardens Website
descansogardens.org
Another Metric: Sessions per Month
on Descanso Gardens Website
 Average monthly session (2013): 28,000
 Average monthly session (January 2014September 2014): 38,000
 October 2014 number of sessions: 89,000
 Average monthly sessions (November 2014May 2015): 43,000
 13% increase from 2014, 53% increase from
2013
Gift Shop
 2013 October Sales = $32,000 Gross
 2014 October Budgeted Sales = $50,000 Gross
 2014 October Actual Sales = $132,367 Gross
2014 Concerns & Questions
 Did goals of MPI and Descanso Gardens completely align?
 Did Descanso Gardens effectively manage member and
visitor disappointment about a 2-month garden closure?
 Descanso Gardens Gift Shop area was too small for the
number of visitors.
 Descanso Gardens was not in charge of customer service.
 Descanso Gardens was not in charge of displays (the
Kardashians).
 VDK Courtyard area looked less than optimal during October.
 Patina would prefer weddings/better sales.
Concerns & Questions:
How to address in 2015
 Alignment of MPI and Descanso Gardens goals: The truth is that
MPI and DG goals will never truly align perfectly. The goal of
MPI is to have as many ticketed visitors come through the show
as possible affecting visitor experience & Descanso’s goals with
visitor’s in general is the opposite — come a stay awhile.
 Member and visitor concerns about 2-month Rose Garden
closure: Descanso is attempting to deal with this at the member
level. There are some members-only events planned in the Rose
Garden in September prior to closing the area.
 Descanso Gardens Gift Shop area too small: Create a satellite
location.
Concerns & Questions:
How addressed in 2015
 Descanso Gardens not in charge of customer service: Descanso
Gardens still not in charge of service, however MPI has completely
overhauled the refunds/exchange policy, so we believe this will no
longer be a concern
 Descanso Gardens not in charge of displays: MPI only has
family- friendly displays planned in 2015.
 VDK Courtyard area looked less than optimal during October.
Descanso is working with Patina to scale back to food service so it is
less intrusive.
 Patina would prefer weddings/better sales. This issue is not currently
resolved.
Descanso Gardens & MPI are looking
forward to October!