Pay Per Laugh

Teatreneu is an independent theatre company which has seen an alarming decline in its audiences due to Spain's economic situation and the increase in taxes on arts performances. With conventional ticketing systems having lost their effectiveness, the ambitious aim of building up audiences whilst increasing average ticket prices required a radical approach. To break down consumers' reluctance to choose a form of leisure like the theatre, the Cyranos McCann designed a groundbreaking and attractive payment system whereby they would only pay according to how much they laughed. Each theatre seat was fitted with a facial recognition system that detects smiles. Spectators weren't charged for entry but were charged 30¢ per laugh. At the end of each show, spectators could check their laughter account and share it via social media.