In 2023, leading British-South Asian theatre production company, Phizzical, were preparing to launch a highly-anticipated new production of Shahid Iqbal Khan’s Olivier-nominated play, 10 Nights. They approached us for support in marketing this unmissable cultural event.
Sector
Performing Arts
Project Timeline
First run - Dec 2023 - Mar 2024
Second run - Nov 2024 - Feb 2025
Supported In
A touching one-man play about a young British Muslim man who partakes in Itikaf for the first time, 10 Nights had a strong storyline and an exceptionally talented lineup. With the potential to speak across cultural and faith lines, it would need a well-considered strategy to attract the interest it was capable of.
We joined the project in late 2023, with a focus on online engagement, digital campaigns, and visual content. Our role included everything from social strategy and video editing to print design and audience research, helping bring 10 Nights to a wide and diverse audience. With that strong, creative foundation in place, we were able to build on the first run’s success, continuing our collaboration into 2024 with a second run of the show.
Photo credits: Nicola Young, Malvin Hobbs
The Challenges.
Expanding Into New Audiences
One of the biggest questions at the heart of this campaign was ‘how do we get people outside the Muslim community to care about this story?’ We wanted to be clear that while 10 Nights was a Muslim story, it wasn’t just a play for Muslims. It was for anyone who’s ever felt lost, questioned their identity, or longed for more meaningful life experiences.
We also wanted to attract people who weren’t connected to the arts and culture scene, particularly younger audiences who we knew would resonate with the storyline, but might not usually be interested in theatre. And equally importantly, we wanted to bring the Muslim community together to share in a space where they felt seen and heard.
Balancing Cultures and Conversations
Our secondary question was closely tied to the first – how could we reach such diverse audiences within the parameters of a marketing campaign? The challenge was beyond just marketing, it was about community.
We understood that we would need to create campaigns that spoke authentically to British Muslims, while still resonating with wider audiences. Everything needed to feel relevant and relatable, regardless of the reader’s background. From tone of voice to content design, we were building a bridge between cultures, generations, and experiences, all through the lens of one production.
How We Helped.
Strategy, Content & Social Campaigns
We supported both runs of 10 Nights with a carefully researched digital strategy that included identifying audience personas, competitor analysis, and moodboards. This fed into a creative content strategy across Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok, ranging from show countdowns to themed carousel posts that linked the play to relevant topical issues, like men’s mental health.
We introduced the writer and director, edited rehearsal montages, voxpops and trailer clips supplied by the Phizzical crew, and shared quotes from the script that helped audiences of all backgrounds recognise themselves within the story.
Print, Interactive and Community Engagement
For the first run, we also provided design support for print assets, including a selfie frame, merch concepts, and WhatsApp-friendly graphics for community sharing. One of the most effective engagement tools was an AR filter for Instagram and TikTok asking users, “How long would you last in Itikaf?”, which garnered interest from a younger audience base.
The second run leaned further into audience interaction, with Instagram story polls and anonymous Q&As around themes like Islam and Ramadan. These sparked important conversations, particularly among the Muslim audience, with followers opening up about their own experiences of identity, faith, and belonging.
The Results.
The impact of the campaign was felt both on and offline. While the first run saw great success and built momentum, the second run of 10 Nights enjoyed sellout shows in Birmingham and at The Lowry.
Our social strategy sparked genuine interest, with more than 13,000 people viewing trailer content, behind-the-scenes footage and audience interviews across our platforms. And perhaps more importantly, what they saw resonated. People weren’t just watching, they were commenting, sharing and taking part in important conversations.
Our marketing efforts took an exceptional play and positioned it as something much more. Phizzical’s 10 Nights became an invitation to participate, an opportunity to reflect and an introduction to new audiences into British-Muslim theatre.
*Google Analytics. Based on increase between data from Apr 2023 – Mar 2024 and Apr 2024 – Mar 2025
**TikTok account data. Date range Mar 2024 – Mar 2025.
+173.2%
increase in website traffic*
+173.5%
increase in new website users*
+416,830
reached audience on TikTok**
The Future.
Having built a great relationship with the Phizzical team, Insight Consultancy continues to work alongside them, promoting their online presence. In supporting their growth, we help the production company amplify underrepresented voices, reach new audiences, and turn important stories into impactful conversations.
