EC&O Venues Earls Court And Olympia

Doctor Who Exhibition

Event: Doctor Who Exhibition
Visitors: 197,754
Sqm: 1800
Venue: Museum Hall, Earls Court
Date: 20th March to 18th September 2008 (extended to 7th January 2009)
Organiser: Experience Design Ltd

Images of the ten month Doctor Who exhibition at Earls Court's Museum Hall in London. It saw nearly 200,000 visitors and was supported by an award-winning in-house marketing campaign.


Brief

To create a dynamic, flexible space for the biggest ever Doctor Who Exhibition; where new exhibits would be added as the event progressed.
A ticket sale strategy, security and marketing campaign was also required.

The venue had to help translate the exciting diversity of the series into a thrilling walk-through exhibition, displaying characters, costumes, monsters, interactive features and extensive background information.

The audience included highly knowledgeable fans of the series as well as large numbers of children.

The event was initially scheduled to run until September 2008.

The organiser needed an affordable Central London location and a supportive and dedicated venue team, with whom a very effective working relationship was to last for months.



Solution

A unique, flexible and affordable event space was created in the Museum Hall, underneath Earls Court Exhibition Centre. This West London event space had been previously used as backstage facilities at concerts, including George Michael and the BRIT Awards.

The exhibition itself featured a chronological display of Doctor Who material, with corresponding episode clips played on screens or on the floor.

Strobe lighting, smoke machines and sound effects were also incorporated to further enhance the experience. 

Cybermen at the ten month Doctor Who event at Earls Court's Museum Hall in London. It saw nearly 200,000 visitors and was supported by an award-winning in-house marketing campaign. Crowds at the Doctor Who exhibition at Earls Court's Museum Hall in London. It saw nearly 200,000 visitors and was supported by an award-winning in-house marketing campaign.


An extremely successful, yet cost-effective, marketing campaign was delivered by EC&O Venues' in-house marketing and communications team. 

Highlights included:

  • press launch featuring Tom Baker - one of the most popular Doctors ever (1974-1981) - and actors dressed as Cybermen
  • photoshoots were carried out at Central London locations including the London Eye, Buckingham Palace and local Underground stations
Dalek and Cyberman pictured outside Earls Court exhibition, conference and event venues in West London, as part of the marketing campaign for the Doctor Who Exhibition at Earls Court's Museum Hall. The Hath was pictured outside the London Eye as part of the marketing campaign for the Doctor Who Exhibition at Earls Court's Museum Hall event venue in London. Dalek, Sontaran and Cyberman pictured inside Earls Court Underground station, by the exhibition, conference and event venues in West London, as part of the marketing campaign for the Doctor Who Exhibition at Earls Court's Museum Hall.

 

  • email-triggered survey, opened by 85% of recipients, and 84% of those (3,700 people) completed the survey. The results achieved national press coverage in Metro, the Daily Star and others.
  • social networking sites such as Facebook and You Tube - www.youtube.com/tommydalek - used the 'character' Tommy Dalek to promote the exhibition
  • fancy dress days were held, with any children dressed as Doctor Who characters admitted free
     
Tom Baker at the press launch of the ten month Doctor Who event at Earls Court's Museum Hall in London. It saw nearly 200,000 visitors and was supported by an award-winning in-house marketing campaign. Online coverage of the Doctor Who Exhibition - part of the award-winning in-house marketing campaign by EC&O Venues.


Check out the youtube channel, featuring ITN's interview with Tom Baker and loads of visitor videos.

Download a slideshow of the Fancy Dress Day on bank holiday Monday.

View our Doctor Who Exhibition preview video

We also had a Doctor Who Exhibition poster competiton - here's the winning entry...

Congratulations to Laura, age 10, our Doctor Who poster competition winner! Her design was made into a 9m by 6m poster and hung outside Earls Court.

...and the story from her local paper is here.



Result

The event ran for ten months at Museum Hall, Earls Court with two extensions due to popular demand.  

Nearly 200,000 visitors came through the doors and all customer feedback was positive.

National media coverage continued throughout the exhibition and included The Sun, Paul O'Grady, Chris Moyles Radio One, Blue Peter, LBC, ITN, The Telegraph, The Times, The Mirror, Daily Star, ES Magazine, Time Out, London Lite, thelondonpaper and more.

Read the Sun's article here

Country Life thought it was great


Martin Wilkie, Managing Director of organisers Experience Design, had this to say...

“Doctor Who Exhibitions have toured the UK over the last three years and have never found a better venue. But, however good a venue is it can't work without a good team behind it. A great team makes it great. Great response, great reaction, great input, great solutions, great feedback, great marketing and, above all, great fun. If we, as an organising team, are having fun making the exhibition then we can guarantee that our audience will too!"



Discover the event venue used here

Contact the exhibitions team here

 

Earls Court Wins Again!
 Exhibition Venue of the Year 2012 at the EN Awards
Venue Team of the Year
 EC&O Venues won the AEO Award in 2010 and 2011
Venue of the Year
 Earls Court is your Exhibition Venue of the Year
Olympia Venues
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