Hurdl says it is bringing new levels of audience understanding to its partners by handing out free LED wristbands to attendees as they arrive at live events.
The marketing company has been using the wearables to gather audience data, using special promotions to entice ticket-holders to answer questions throughout an event.
Attendees are given an LED wristband when they enter a venue, which they activate via text and receive a short set of questions. In return they get special offers, from merchandise deals and custom playlists, to bar discounts and rideshare tickets.
Their wristbands light up over the course of the show, using the same lighting infrastructure already in place at most events. From there, artists, brands, and other marketers can connect with this audience by continuing the direct conversation after the show is over.
The system, which does not involve an app or third-party data, will be used at upcoming events including Lady Antebellum and WWE.
“Our system allows fans to identify themselves as being at an event so our clients can have a conversation with them,” says Nashville-based veteran artist manager and Hurdl founder Betsy McHugh. “These conversations then lead to higher conversion rates after the event.”
Hurdl claims that the system helps to gather eight times the data on who’s in the room compared to other methods and systems, eliciting a 95 per cent response rate on short surveys, honing in on what fans are thinking, drinking, wearing, and driving.
Hurdl clients so far have included deadmau5, the Dallas Mavericks, AT&T, and Why Don’t We.
“Ticket-purchase data only captures about eight per cent of the people in the room,” explains McHugh. “Other approaches like GPS are passive and riddled with noise.
“We work hard to get people to events, but stop at the point of getting to know them once they’re there. By matching the event go-er with survey responses, you can create more representative, higher converting lookalike audiences to target for other events.
“You wind up with a more valuable persona, someone you know isn’t just engaging online, but someone willing to go to the event.
“When people are seeking experiences, you have to go to them where they are and when they are in a good mood. By knowing who showed up, you can enhance your marketing efforts, better measure the effectiveness of all your other campaigns, drive greater results inside and outside the venue, and give fans the engaging experiences they are craving.
“There’s a huge audience out there and it’s no longer just about making an impression on them. Now we can have a direct conversation with them.”
Image: Hurdl video (screenshot)
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