Cirque de Soleil
Case:
“Cirque Du Soleil,” HBS #5-403-006.
1. What is Cirque’s product and its strategy?
Cirque du Soleil came from the street and now it provides mainly a circus without animals. In 1999, Cirque released its first feature film and its first television special. In 2000, Cirque created and IMAX large-format film. Also, Cirque keeps diversifying its commercial activities in publishing and merchandising. In 1998, Cirque opened its first store on the property of Walt Disney world Resort in Florida.
2. How has Cirque structured and supported its casts to deliver superior performances?
Cirque structured its show by combination of fine recruiting strategy and strong culture of community and family. Cirque tried to find out and recruit the right artists. Its recruitment strategy involves getting new people on board and selection of the best talent available world-wide. Many of its artists are former gymnasts or acrobats. Cirque helps artists to grow. Cirque is structured to support its casts to deliver superior performances. Cirque created an atmosphere of a family. This encourages the huge diversity among the employees. Also, it is very supportive of its employees doing everything possible to improve their performances. An artist told that she felt Cirque did everything that make working conditions better for the artists.
3. What are the challenges to Cirque’s continued growth and/or diversification?
* To expand and develop its market, the Cirque’s management team had tried to decentralization, dividing its team into three parts-North America, Asia, and Europe. However, in Asia, Cirque couldn’t make satisfactory results because of low seat occupancy rate, high cost and currency problems. There was widespread dissatisfaction on Asian market. * In the North American market, saturation was an impending concern. In terms of diversification into other types of products such as complex cirques, spas and so on, Gagnon (management team) mentioned
“Cirque Du Soleil,” HBS #5-403-006.
1. What is Cirque’s product and its strategy?
Cirque du Soleil came from the street and now it provides mainly a circus without animals. In 1999, Cirque released its first feature film and its first television special. In 2000, Cirque created and IMAX large-format film. Also, Cirque keeps diversifying its commercial activities in publishing and merchandising. In 1998, Cirque opened its first store on the property of Walt Disney world Resort in Florida.
2. How has Cirque structured and supported its casts to deliver superior performances?
Cirque structured its show by combination of fine recruiting strategy and strong culture of community and family. Cirque tried to find out and recruit the right artists. Its recruitment strategy involves getting new people on board and selection of the best talent available world-wide. Many of its artists are former gymnasts or acrobats. Cirque helps artists to grow. Cirque is structured to support its casts to deliver superior performances. Cirque created an atmosphere of a family. This encourages the huge diversity among the employees. Also, it is very supportive of its employees doing everything possible to improve their performances. An artist told that she felt Cirque did everything that make working conditions better for the artists.
3. What are the challenges to Cirque’s continued growth and/or diversification?
* To expand and develop its market, the Cirque’s management team had tried to decentralization, dividing its team into three parts-North America, Asia, and Europe. However, in Asia, Cirque couldn’t make satisfactory results because of low seat occupancy rate, high cost and currency problems. There was widespread dissatisfaction on Asian market. * In the North American market, saturation was an impending concern. In terms of diversification into other types of products such as complex cirques, spas and so on, Gagnon (management team) mentioned