Spain's theatres were hit hard in 2013 when the government decided to raise taxes on theatrical performances from eight percent to 21%, but as creatives do, the Teatreneu was able to bounce back by thinking outside of the box with its pay with a smile initiative.
The Pay Per Laugh campaign involved letting people into the theatre for free and having them sit in front of facial recognition software that would keep track of every smile and laugh.
You can never be sure what you're going to get when you purchase a ticket to a comedy show, but this way, you're only charged if you truly enjoyed the show. Each smile or laugh was priced at $0.30 and was capped at 80 smiles, so that people didn't end up paying more than $24 per ticket.
Smile Currency Campaigns
Teatreneu's Pay with a Smile Only Charges for Laughs at a Comedy Show
Trend Themes
1. Facial Recognition Payment - Facial recognition payment systems that charge based on emotions and facial expressions.
2. Engagement-based Pricing - Pricing models that charge customers based on their level of emotional engagement with a product or service.
3. Experience-based Pricing - Pricing models based on the quality of the customer experience rather than the quantity of products purchased.
Industry Implications
1. Entertainment - The entertainment industry can adopt facial recognition payment systems and engagement-based pricing models to attract customers and increase revenue.
2. Retail - Experience-based pricing models can help retailers enhance customer experience and foster loyalty.
3. Hospitality - Facial recognition payment systems and engagement-based pricing models can help hotels and restaurants enhance customer experience and satisfaction.