This year in January, Clay Paky signed Production Resource Group, LLC (PRG) as the exclusive distributor of Clay Paky top products in the US, English-speaking Canada and Japan (see our press release).
On the Japanese market, PRG ASIA immediately started planning a series of sales and marketing initiatives to promote the Clay Paky brand and products wide-scale.
Clay Paky – PRG Open House in Tokyo
The first step was to organise a 3-day seminar (April 22 – 24, 2008) at the Tokyo Design Center Gallery Hall for all Rental, Theatre and TV operators exclusively focusing on the new partnership with the Italian firm.
On this occasion, an in-depth analysis of the Japanese market, considered vital for both brands, was presented. Speakers for PRG ASIA included Managing Director KOBAYASHI-SAN, Senior Division Manager HISAO TANABE, Sales manager TANAKA-SAN, Marketing Manager MIKI SASAKI and Vice President JOHN R. SWAIN. On hand for Clay Paky were the Japan and America Sales and Marketing Manager FRANCESCO ROMAGNOLI and Project Support Manager Giovanni Zucchinali.
A large part of the seminar focused on the technical aspects of Clay Paky’s current core business, the Alpha moving body projectors. Giovanni Zucchinali put on a live demonstration to highlight each product’s features starting with the widespread and popular Alpha Profile 1200, Alpha Spot HPE and Alpha Wash 1200 to end with the new 300 W “compact” versions that are generating high interest on the world market.
The Alpha Beam 300, not just an innovative product but a new “concept” highly anticipated by Lighting Designers, thrilled participants. It is a Moving Light Beam exclusively introduced by Clay Paky, that produces a super-concentrated parallel light beam and is used like a Par64 ACL but with highly superior and innovative features: broad and fast movement on two axes, peerless brightness (three times that of an ordinary 1200W Wash), graphic effects, full color mixing (CMY + color wheel), patented frost, electronic ballast.
The seminars were a smashing success and participants complimented the two companies on their professionalism, organization and synergy.
Cirque du Soleil in Tokyo
The Japanese market applauded Clay Paky’s new range and PRG Asia’s ability to penetrate the market led to a deal with one of the most important references this year. We’re talking about Cirque du Soleil which produced its first Japanese exclusive show at the new Tokyo Cirque du Soleil Theatre built inside the enormous Disney Resort Center.
The new show is called ZED and is based on Heaven and Earth, two seemingly incompatible worlds that the Cirque artists will successfully bring together in their spectacular performances. A few Preview Performances are planned for the weeks leading up to the show’s debut on October 1, 2008.
During the Open House, PRG illustrated some of the technical details employed for this show. The highlight was Clay Paky’s impressive lighting equipment with Alpha Profile 1200, Alpha Spot HPE 300 and V.I.P. 300 with optical fibres, products specifically requested by Lighting Designer David Finn for their high technological and innovative content. “I’m overjoyed by the Clay Paky mobile heads: they offer numerous different graphic solutions and perfectly interpret the “Cirque du Soleil spirit”.During the Open House, PRG illustrated some of the technical details employed for this show. The highlight was Clay Paky’s impressive lighting equipment with Alpha Profile 1200, Alpha Spot HPE 300 and V.I.P. 300 with optical fibres, products specifically requested by Lighting Designer David Finn for their high technological and innovative content. “I’m overjoyed by the Clay Paky mobile heads: they offer numerous different graphic solutions and perfectly interpret the “Cirque du Soleil spirit”.
It should also be mentioned that the LD assistant, Alexandre Picotte, attended a technical training course at Clay Paky specific to these products in order to best exploit all their features. “I wanted to learn about every single aspect of the Alphas and believe that these are the only products with these features on the market. What’s more, they’re truly reliable”.
PRG also used recently Clay Paky products for the Ken Hirai Tour (April 29 – July 20), for the Hiromi Go Tour (May 29-September 21), for the V6 “idol group” Tour (July 25 – August 31), and for the Heisei JUMP – Johnny’s Artist concert, that will be held in the mid of November 2008.
WORLD LIGHTING FAIR in Japan
July was also a “hot” month for PRG and trade fairs. The leading trade fair dedicated to lighting technologies for the professional and entertainment sector was held at the Pacifico Yokohama Exhibition Hall in Yokohama, Japan from July 3 – 5 where PRG displayed Clay Paky’s Alphas at its stand.
The partnership between Clay Paky and PRG has already proved successful and is soon expected to open the doors to interesting opportunities on both the North American and Asian markets. PRG Asia has already printed major Clay Paky product brochures in Japanese, localising it to this country’s market language and specifics, proving the synergy and confidence these two companies have in fast and brilliant sales and market positioning.