Monday, May 01, 2006

Superfly Productions in Fast Company

Superfly Productions, producers of the world's highest grossing music festival, Boonaroo, are profiled in the May issue of Fast Company.

The article outlines the group's meteoric rise to concert industry superstars, and their plan to branch out in an effort to combat declining profits.

Speaking of their stable of sensitive, furry musicians, they use phrases such as "profit center" and "economics of regional promotion" without irony. Farman, whose sartorial dishevelment belies an Apprentice-like intensity, desccribes their business model with Trumpish candor. "It comes down to numbers," he says. "We sit there and lock at our spreadsheet and see how many people we need to draw to make a profit."

While Superfly has their detractors and skeptics ( Gary Bongiovanni of Pollstar was quoted as saying, "Jimmy Buffett can have his Margaritaville, but what can Superfly sell other than raingear or mud boots?"), the group insists it plans to move ahead and build Superfly as a lifestyle brand. They are looking into real estate, hotels, resorts, and restaurants.

"We are in the business to make money," says (Superfly's Jonathan) Mayers..."Why do you think businesses diversify?"

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