---
title: "ASB Waterfront Theatre vs Isaac Theatre Royal: Which is more popular in New Zealand?"
description: "Is ASB Waterfront Theatre or Isaac Theatre Royal more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Theatres and performing arts venues set in New Zealand. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time."
canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/compare/asb-waterfront-theatre-vs-isaac-theatre-royal"
publisher: "Brandwave"
---

# ASB Waterfront Theatre vs Isaac Theatre Royal: Which is more popular in New Zealand?

Is ASB Waterfront Theatre or Isaac Theatre Royal more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Theatres and performing arts venues set in New Zealand. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.

## Key facts

- **Compared**: ASB Waterfront Theatre and Isaac Theatre Royal
- **Competitive set**: Theatres and performing arts venues
- **Market**: New Zealand
- **Month measured**: Oct 2026
- **ASB Waterfront Theatre Share of Search**: 15.2%
- **Isaac Theatre Royal Share of Search**: 10.5%

## Is ASB Waterfront Theatre or Isaac Theatre Royal more popular in search?

- In October 2026, ASB Waterfront Theatre had more branded searches than Isaac Theatre Royal among theatres and performing arts venues in New Zealand. ASB Waterfront Theatre had about 12,100 branded searches, while Isaac Theatre Royal had 8,390. ASB Waterfront Theatre made up 15.2% of all theatres and performing arts venue searches we track, and Isaac Theatre Royal accounted for 10.5%.
- The lead changed hands once in the 12 months ending October 2026: ASB Waterfront Theatre took it in October 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending October 2026, ASB Waterfront Theatre’s share of searches among theatres and performing arts venues in New Zealand moved from 10.6% to 15.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 8.1K to 12.1K.
- Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Isaac Theatre Royal’s share of searches among theatres and performing arts venues in New Zealand moved from 16.4% to 10.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 12.6K to 8.4K.

## Top theatres and performing arts venues in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews

In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, Isaac Theatre Royal appeared in all four answers. ASB Waterfront Theatre was mentioned in three out of four: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in the Google AI Overview. ASB Waterfront Theatre was listed before Isaac Theatre Royal in two out of three answers.

Brands get a higher AI rank if they are mentioned earlier in the answers that list options.

| Brand | AI rank | ChatGPT answers that named it | Google AI Overviews that named it | All answers that named it |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| The Civic | 1st | 3 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 4 of 4 |
| St James Theatre | 2nd | 3 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 4 of 4 |
| ASB Waterfront Theatre | 3rd | 2 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 3 of 4 |
| Isaac Theatre Royal | 4th | 3 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 4 of 4 |
| Circa Theatre | 5th | 2 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 2 of 4 |
| Q Theatre | 6th | 1 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 2 of 4 |
| Auckland Live | 7th | 1 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 1 of 4 |
| Auckland Theatre Company | 8th | 2 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 2 of 4 |
| Court Theatre | Not ranked | 0 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 4 |
| BATS Theatre | Not ranked | 0 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 4 |

## Every AI answer about theatres and performing arts venues

- Asked ChatGPT "Which theatre or venue should I book in New Zealand?": 1. The Civic, 2. ASB Waterfront Theatre, 3. Isaac Theatre Royal, 4. St James Theatre, 5. Auckland Live, 6. Auckland Theatre Company
- Asked ChatGPT "What are the best theatres and performing arts venues in New Zealand?": 1. The Civic, 2. ASB Waterfront Theatre, 3. Q Theatre, 4. St James Theatre, 5. Circa Theatre, 6. Isaac Theatre Royal, 7. Auckland Theatre Company
- Asked ChatGPT "What's the best theatre or venue in New Zealand for a night out?": 1. St James Theatre, 2. The Civic, 3. Circa Theatre, 4. Isaac Theatre Royal
- Searched Google, AI Overview "theatres and performing arts venues": 1. The Civic, 2. Q Theatre, 3. ASB Waterfront Theatre, 4. St James Theatre, 5. BATS Theatre, 6. Isaac Theatre Royal, 7. Court Theatre

Brands are listed in the order each answer named them. The answers were collected in New Zealand on October 21, 2026.

## How did search popularity change for New Zealand theatres and performing arts venues in October 2026?

- In October 2026, ASB Waterfront Theatre overtook Isaac Theatre Royal and 2 others to rank 2nd among theatres and performing arts venues in New Zealand, with 15.2% of the searches.
- In October 2026, Isaac Theatre Royal lost share of searches among theatres and performing arts venues in New Zealand, from 11.1% to 10.5%.

## How has branded search for ASB Waterfront Theatre and Isaac Theatre Royal changed in New Zealand over the last 12 months?

| Month | ASB Waterfront Theatre estimated searches | ASB Waterfront Theatre Share of Search | ASB Waterfront Theatre rank | Isaac Theatre Royal estimated searches | Isaac Theatre Royal Share of Search | Isaac Theatre Royal rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nov 2025 | 8.1K | 10.6% | 4 | 12.6K | 16.4% | 2 |
| Dec 2025 | 4.4K | 8.2% | 7 | 6.8K | 12.7% | 3 |
| Jan 2026 | 3.6K | 7% | 6 | 6.9K | 13.4% | 3 |
| Feb 2026 | 9.9K | 13.8% | 3 | 12.5K | 17.4% | 1 |
| Mar 2026 | 6.6K | 7.5% | 7 | 18.9K | 21.3% | 1 |
| Apr 2026 | 8.1K | 10.5% | 4 | 10.3K | 13.4% | 2 |
| May 2026 | 6.6K | 7.1% | 6 | 12.7K | 13.7% | 3 |
| Jun 2026 | 8.1K | 11.4% | 4 | 10.5K | 14.7% | 2 |
| Jul 2026 | 2.9K | 4.4% | 9 | 5.7K | 8.8% | 5 |
| Aug 2026 | 9.9K | 12% | 3 | 12.6K | 15.2% | 2 |
| Sep 2026 | 8.1K | 10.6% | 5 | 8.5K | 11.1% | 2 |
| Oct 2026 | 12.1K | 15.2% | 2 | 8.4K | 10.5% | 4 |

## How are ASB Waterfront Theatre’s and Isaac Theatre Royal’s branded searches counted?

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using ASB Waterfront Theatre’s and Isaac Theatre Royal’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.

- **ASB Waterfront Theatre**: Measured on the search term “asb waterfront theatre”.
- **Isaac Theatre Royal**: Measured on the search terms “isaac theatre royal”, “isaac theatre royal events”, “isaac theatre royal parking”, “isaac theatre royal seating”, “isaac theatre royal shows”, “isaac theatre royal tickets”, “isaactheatreroyal” and “the isaac theatre royal”, summed into one figure.

- [ASB Waterfront Theatre profile](/demand/nz/brands/asb-waterfront-theatre)
- [Isaac Theatre Royal profile](/demand/nz/brands/isaac-theatre-royal)
- [All theatres and performing arts venues in New Zealand](/demand/nz/categories/nz-performing-arts-venues): The set both shares are measured inside, 10 brands.

## Methodology

- [How is the Brand Demand Index measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is ASB Waterfront Theatre or Isaac Theatre Royal more popular in search?

In October 2026, ASB Waterfront Theatre had more branded searches than Isaac Theatre Royal among theatres and performing arts venues in New Zealand. ASB Waterfront Theatre had about 12,100 branded searches, while Isaac Theatre Royal had 8,390. ASB Waterfront Theatre made up 15.2% of all theatres and performing arts venue searches we track, and Isaac Theatre Royal accounted for 10.5%.

## Cite this page

Brandwave. "ASB Waterfront Theatre vs Isaac Theatre Royal: Which is more popular in New Zealand?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/compare/asb-waterfront-theatre-vs-isaac-theatre-royal

This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/compare/asb-waterfront-theatre-vs-isaac-theatre-royal. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.