Ticketmaster (a division of Live Nation Entertainment, NYSE: LYV), the global market leader in ticketing, today announced the launch of Blue, by Ticketmaster, a boutique digital marketing agency founded on Ticketmaster’s expertise in live event marketing, fan engagement and data analytics. Blue enables clients to find, reach and engage with more fans by providing a suite of digital marketing tools and services built upon Ticketmaster’s deep, data driven understanding of fan behaviors and affinities.
Recent research performed by Live Nation Entertainment shows that 75 percent of concert attendees became aware of a live event through digital channels, and that across all types of events, more fans are searching for and purchasing tickets digitally. Blue’s digital marketing capabilities – including digital content development, programmatic ad buying, and reporting and analytics – are designed to help clients develop effective marketing campaigns targeting the live event audience.
“Blue reflects Ticketmaster’s ongoing leadership in the live event industry,” said Jared Smith, president, Ticketmaster, North America. “The marketing landscape has become increasingly complex as lifestyles have become more digital. The capabilities offered by Blue, combined with our deep industry knowledge and immense fan database, help us continue to do what Ticketmaster has always done best: help our clients sell more tickets, create fan loyalty and deliver epic live event experiences.”
Ticketmaster processed more than 450 million ticket transactions on the platform in 2014 and has an email database of over 100 million unique fans, providing the business with an unparalleled understanding of how to engage live event fans and optimize marketing spend.
“Understanding the most qualified prospect ensured we matched fans with the right email offer,” said Kristen Sabia, vice president, PGA TOUR Marketing Services. “The numbers speak for themselves.” The PGA TOUR, WGC-Cadillac Championship premium email campaign performed at a 200 percent ROI and increased conversion at a rate 2.5 times greater than a control group.
Blue grew out of the company’s LiveAnalytics division, an internal startup launched in 2011 to offer clients data enrichment, fan profiles, and custom models and analytics. Over 300 Ticketmaster clients, including venues, artists, arts & theater tours, and sport teams and leagues, have already engaged in the premium digital marketing services now offered by Blue. Last year, these services drove over 1.5 million tickets sales across Ticketmaster’s client base.
“Ticketmaster’s Fan Network Programmatic Ad Buying platform can be directly tied to driving ticket sales. It allows us to engage with the consumer at different points in the purchasing cycle, so we’re able to retarget potential buyers that have shown interest in one of our events,” said Andrew Lustgarten, executive vice president, corporate development & strategy, The Madison Square Garden Company. “Additionally, the reporting functionality helps us optimize our campaigns and measure our success so we’re constantly learning and improving our marketing campaigns.”
Blue will be co-headquartered in Chicago and Los Angeles, with marketing strategists located throughout the U.S. and Canada. The agency is comprised of team members with deep event and digital marketing experience with recruits from digital shops such as Ogilvy and Performics, including Leo Dalakos, vice president and general manager, Blue.
“After spending over a decade working with Fortune 500 companies in digital and data feed marketing, the opportunity to join a team with the prowess to move effectively across data and live events is exciting,“ said Leo Dalakos, vice president and general manager, Blue.
For more information on Blue, please visit blue.ticketmaster.com.
About Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster is the global market leader in live event ticketing, digital marketing, and mobile fan engagement tools that drive over 450 million ticket transactions per year. Through exclusive partnerships with thousands of venues, artists, sports leagues, and arts and theater tours, Ticketmaster delivers unparalleled access to the most iconic live events to millions of fans worldwide. Ticketmaster is a division of Live Nation Entertainment, the world’s leading live entertainment company.
Follow us on Twitter: @Ticketmaster
About Live Nation Entertainment
Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, Live Nation Media & Sponsorship and Artist Nation Management. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com.
Follow us on Twitter: @LiveNation