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The Importance of Being Marketable | Reinventing Wilde in Earnest? with Say It Again, Sorry?

Updated: Aug 31, 2025



Introduction


At the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, standing out in a sea of over three-thousand shows isn’t easy. Yet Earnest? created the theatre company Say It Again, Sorry? has carved out a reputation as one of the must-see comedies of recent years. They take Oscar Wilde’s classic The Importance of Being Earnest, only Earnest hasn’t shown up. This quickly descends into a gloriously unpredictable mash-up of scripted theatre and improvised chaos. Imagine The Play That Goes Wrong meeting classic Wildean wit. The show blends tradition with humour in a way that appeals to both Oscar Wilde and comedy fans alike.


After smashing it at the Edinburgh Fringe and returning due to phenomenal demand (not many shows can say that!), Earnest? has become one of those rare word-of-mouth hits. It offers a perfect case study in how smart marketing, brand positioning and audience engagement can turn a quirky concept into a sell-out success at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and onto a massive UK Tour.



Business & Marketing Lessons to Learn from Earnest?


1. Leveraging Familiarity to Sell Originality

  • Everyone knows Oscar Wilde. Everyone thinks they know how Earnest goes. That’s why it’s so delicious when the play derails. By leaning on cultural familiarity, the company makes their wild twist easier to sell tickets

  • The twist, actors and audience members improvising when things go wrong, keeps the show fresh and unpredictable.

  • Anchor your product in something familiar, then surprise people with it. No ideas are truly original so don’t be afraid to borrow from stuff that already exists and put your own spin on it.

  • Try introducing humorous themes in your marketing (if appropriate) as this type of content is more likely to create a higher level of engagement.


2. Make a Buzz that travels by Word-of-Mouth

  • Improvised theatre thrives on unpredictability, meaning no two performances are the same. This fuels repeat audiences and creates FOMO. Imagine people describing the production, you want them to be saying “You should have been there” or “You have to see this” which is exactly what Earnest? does.

  • Strong audience reactions become the company’s best marketing tool, amplified through reviews and social media. Also funny improvised answers to prompted questions in the show creates loads of social media content from each and every show.

  • Create experiences that are unique and unrepeatable. Not only will this create repeat business but it also makes your audiences advocates for it, a great organic marketing technique.


3. Fringe as a Launchpad

  • The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is hugely over saturated, but it’s also renowned as the ultimate testing ground for theatrical innovation. By returning to Fringe after strong demand, Earnest? capitalises on scarcity (“back by popular demand”) and urgency (“see it while you can”) as well as building brand loyalty and leadership credibility.

  • Success at the Fringe also opens doors to touring opportunities, new markets and long-term revenue streams. Earnest? incorporated Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2025 into their national tour.

  • Use high-competition environments not just for exposure, but for credibility and proof of concept. Although your chance of success is small due to the high competition when you do breakthrough on a platform like Fringe you can really blow up. You’ll never know if you don’t try.


4.  Branding with Personality

  • A lot of thought has gone into this theatre company. Even their name, Say It Again, Sorry?, suggests silliness and improv seen in their show. It sets the audience expectations before they even enter the theatre.

  • Their visual branding across Instagram, Facebook and their website is playful and consistent leaning into colourful, quirky designs that reflect the show’s chaotic energy. Their video content across their social media uses small clips of the show itself which grab your attention and make you wish you were there.

  • If you take one thing away from this it should be to let your brand shine into every touchpoint: titles, visuals, tone of voice even company name. Make sure your personality sparkles in every aspect of your business.

5. Diversification without Dilution

  • Is it scripted theatre? Is it improv? Is it mental? Yes, yes, and yes. By straddling multiple genres, Earnest? pulls in traditional theatre fans and comedy-lovers. Two audiences, one ticket.

  • The hybrid model—part traditional play, part unpredictable improvisation—also makes the show adaptable to different venues and audiences. Say It Again, Sorry is working on finding new platforms for performance whether through touring houses,  fringe festivals or  digital content, ensuring a wider market reach.

  • What can we learn from this? Diversification into different product or services can be delivered to wider audiences without losing your core identity. Just keep who you are at the heart of what you do.



Conclusion


Earnest? isn’t just a show, it’s a masterclass in creative marketing: familiar but fresh, chaotic but clever, playful but professional. Say It Again, Sorry? prove that with smart branding, word-of-mouth magic, and a little bit of calculated chaos, you can make your work unmissable.

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