Building a Global Live Media Brand
Overview
In 2006, I created Literary Death Match (LDM) with a simple goal: make literary events as entertaining and culturally relevant as live music or comedy.
Over the next two decades, LDM grew from a small reading series in New York City into an internationally-recognized, live entertainment brand, staging more than 560 events in 73 cities across 18 countries and featuring thousands of writers, actors, musicians, comedians and cultural figures.
The Challenge
Traditional literary events struggled to attract broad audiences. Many were perceived as niche, academic, inaccessible or worse: boring. The challenge was to create an experience that maintained artistic credibility while dramatically increasing audience engagement.
The Strategy
I designed Literary Death Match as a hybrid of literature, live entertainment and community-building. Key elements included:
• Competitive structure that encouraged participants to bring their best work.
• Cross-disciplinary judges from comedy, film, television, journalism, music and the arts.
• A highly energetic hosting style focused on inclusion and audience engagement.
• Consistent branding and format that could scale internationally while remaining adaptable to local markets.
• A strong emphasis on diversity across voices, genres, backgrounds and perspectives.
• Cross-disciplinary judges from comedy, film, television, journalism, music and the arts.
• A highly energetic hosting style focused on inclusion and audience engagement.
• Consistent branding and format that could scale internationally while remaining adaptable to local markets.
• A strong emphasis on diversity across voices, genres, backgrounds and perspectives.
The Results
• 560+ events produced and hosted.
• 73 cities across 18 countries.
• More than 110,000 tickets sold.
• Coverage from major media outlets including The New Yorker, The Guardian and the Los Angeles Times.
• More than 2,000 writers and 1,500 judges featured.
• Built a globally-recognized literary entertainment brand with minimal outside funding.
• 73 cities across 18 countries.
• More than 110,000 tickets sold.
• Coverage from major media outlets including The New Yorker, The Guardian and the Los Angeles Times.
• More than 2,000 writers and 1,500 judges featured.
• Built a globally-recognized literary entertainment brand with minimal outside funding.
What I Learned
People don't leave the house for content. They show up for connection, surprise and delight.
The most successful stories, events and brands create emotional investment, foster community and make audiences feel part of something larger than themselves.
That lesson continues to inform my work across creative strategy, filmmaking, writing and audience development.