HERO’s Post

The countdown has begun! Join us THIS Wednesday as we get ready for the best week of the year in both advertising and the french riviera! We're talking about everything you need to know about packing, planning, and conquering your week at Cannes! Register to join us for this informational session through the link in the comments! #cannes #events #advertising #marketing #canneslions

  Ticket scalpers and the secondary market have been our biggest Fans First challenge yet. When we started the Savannah Bananas over 8 years ago, we never knew this type of demand would cause such a huge secondary market, but here we are and we need to fix it. From Day 1, we've built our experience to be affordable for everyone and now, unfortunately, people all over the world are taking advantage of our pricing and the demand. So the big question is how can we keep tickets in the right people's hands and not on the secondary market. This is a challenge that has plagued the concert industry, Broadway, the Super Bowl and every big event. Even the Masters with physical badges and threat of jail time, still has tickets sold by scalpers, even though it's at a much smaller scale than Taylor Swift or other bigger events. Carson Bowen, our Director of Ticket Experience, does a good job sharing how we feel about what is happening and while he doesn't go into details (on purpose), we have been working the past two years on ideas that could dramatically limit people selling tickets for a huge profit. Between, Carson, our President Jared Orton, who has been meticulously researching new opportunities, we are excited to soon, be able to have a more comprehensive defense against this behavior. However, with that comes more challenges. We've learned that eliminating friction is a huge part of creating fans and a fans first experience. But to create a system that dramatically limits scalping tickets would then create more friction for our one million plus fans that do get tickets the right way every year. So behind the scenes, we are tinkering, testing and experimenting with ideas to make this better in the years to come. We are still proud of our tickets sold by us that have no ticket fees, no convenient fees, no service fees and we pay your taxes for you. A $35 ticket is $35 plain and simple. That's not the way it is on these other websites. And so many people think it's us selling these tickets at astronomical prices with crazy fees. That's just not the case. But we are going to figure it out. It's going to be be messy, like it always is in the beginning. But as always, we are willing to get through the messy to get to the great. Stay tuned. We are just getting started. 

💡 Did you know? 💡 No order is too small for American Way Marketing! Whether it's just a single item or a bulk purchase, we welcome all orders without any minimum restrictions. Perfect for dealers and small businesses seeking flexibility. Dive into our diverse offerings today! Visit our website to learn more: americanwaymktg.com #AmericanWayMarketing #awm #wholesaledistributor #musicalinstrumentaccessories #musicalinstrument #elkhartindiana #musiceducationmatters #SchoolmusicSupplier #MusicInSchools #smallbusiness

Spotify's Q2 2024 Earnings at a glance 👀 – Monthly active users (MAUs) increased to 626M globally (up 14% Y/Y) 📈 – 393M of these are ad-supported (up 15% YoY) 📈 – Ad-supported revenue increased by 13% YoY 📈 Head over to ads.spotify to get the full scoop on our Q2 highlights and how these support advertisers further in reaching hyper-engaged audiences on Spotify, in 2024 ➡ https://lnkd.in/eQabnD3D

There are lessons in everything. Case in point: I just finished watching the Dirty Pop mini-series on Netflix, which is about Lou Pearlman, founder / creator of Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, and many other bands. It was interesting to see a guy in Lou with absolutely no experience in the music business hit two homeruns with BSB and NSYNC. How? Long story, but ultimately he had the financial stamina to learn the business, make mistakes, pay for the right expertise, make connections, keep his dream alive, etc. He also had the perseverance and belief that it would work, even when the evidence and people around him were telling him it wouldn't work. BSB didn't immediately take off. They grinded for years, going to every high school and mall in America to perform and build an audience. Nothing was given. There was no magic formula that gave them overnight success. Even this didn't work. They first made it big in other countries (i.e. Canada, Germany, etc.) before making in big in America. They eventually caught a break when they signed a horrible deal with a major label (BMG) just to get the push and exposure they needed. Their early presentation sucked. They didn't have hit songs. They weren't the best singers or performers. I always say that marketing is all about doing the right activities, consistently, over time. Nothing is easy. It's about hard work, perseverance, a bit of luck, a bit of talent, and a long enough financial runway to keep the dream alive until it can eventually take flight. This should be posted all around your office: 👉 Before we can be successful, we must first build an audience. What is your equivalent to grinding it out for years going to every high school and mall in America, especially when there are no immediate rewards? What are you willing to do to make your dream happen? #business #marketing #digitalmarketing

'Awards feel waaay worse to lose, than they feel good to win' Who doesn’t love putting their glad rags on and tearing it up at an awards bash? Choosing the sparkliest dress, picking out the pinkest feather boa and putting on my favourite high heels... Maybe that's just me. It’s only natural brands and agencies should want their moment of glory. They beaver away in the background for months (sometimes years) hoping to make their Oscar winning speech they’ve practised in the shower a hundred times. But I was listening Greg Hahn from Mischief @ No Fixed Address on the Call to Action® pod a while ago. And he said 'Awards feel way worse to lose, than they feel good to win'. And I totally agree with him. I was an Exec-Producer on the film Boiling Point. It had a wonderful run in cinemas all over the world and then went onto Netflix. We were very fortunate to win a few Film Festival awards, however the biggie was the BAFTA’s. It was up for 4 BAFTA’s, so I put my penguin suit on (the wife had my sparkly dress on) and off we went to the BAFTA’s. But we didn’t win any. We were beaten by Daniel Craig in James Bond and Will Smith (before he slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars). Devo’d, I was. What does all of that mean? It means awards are alright, but imho they're not all that. They're pretty good at putting a spotlight on an agency for a few mins, but I think clients are savvier than using awards as a proxy for choosing an agency these days. So win or lose at Cannes this week, it doesn't really matter. And maybe it's because I only live a couple hours drive from Cannes, but there are much nicer parts of France than the Croisette to get loose as a goose. Underdog brands, need Underdog thinking. - - - #Marketing #Cannes #Underdog

I've been listening to the new Black Keys album a lot(it's great!), and I'm getting flashbacks to when my old band opened for the Black Keys in Cleveland in 2002 for the CD release of their first album, "The Big Come Up." The show was only $6! It's amazing how those experiences shaped the skills I still use today. 🎶 Merch Mastery: From CDs to shirts, figuring out margins, pricing strategies, and what sells best was crucial. Bundling items and using giveaways for promo were game-changers. Venue Wizardry: From tiny stages to well-equipped venues, I learned about stage sizes, tech needs, parking dilemmas, and merch setup hacks. Plus, always know where the exits are! Ticketing & Negotiation Tactics: Understanding door cuts, ticket prices, bar shares, and negotiating guarantees taught me the value of fair deals and maximizing opportunities. Budgeting Savvy: From hotel stays to gas costs and unexpected mishaps like getting hit by a bus in New Orleans (yep, that happened), managing finances on the road was a crash course in real-world budgeting. Networking Ninja: Building relationships with venue owners, promoters, fellow bands, and fans was key to repeat gigs, references, and sometimes, a place to crash for the night. Crowd Charisma: Timing, crowd engagement, and knowing when to hit the stage were vital for creating memorable experiences and keeping the audience hooked. Fun Factor: Above all, remembering to enjoy the journey. If it's not fun, it's time for a change. 😉 What about you? Any past gigs or jobs that taught you valuable skills you still use today? #EventPlanning #EventExperience #BandLife #TouringDays #SkillsDevelopment #CareerGrowth #CreativeJourney

Building on the incredible ARIUM Brand campaign - Sounds of Summer. We continue to invest in our experiential brand driving value to communities and renters! It's like nothing else out there. We're not just hosting a singing contest; we're on a mission to change the lives of renters across the country. ARIUM isn't just different—it's groundbreaking. In case you're interested in the details, here they are: ·      Backed by music industry veterans ·      Enormous exposure for contestants ·      Free prizes, including a chance to win an entire year of free rent* ·      Opportunities to travel and perform ·      Mentoring by celebrities ·      Studio time with a Grammy-award-winning producer for the winner The contest will feature 60 talented contestants, whittled down from all the submissions in April, competing for the grand prize of a year of free rent*! Judging and voting will take place throughout the summer, leading to a finale in August in Atlanta. Our celebrity mentors will provide coaching to the 4 finalists, culminating in a grand finale where the winner will be crowned. Submission Details: ·      Submissions opened on April 1, 2024, at 12:01 AM and close on April 30, 2024, at 11:59 PM. ·      Video submissions should not exceed 4 minutes, with a maximum file size of 500 MB. ·      Submit your entry via online entry at https://lnkd.in/e7hcAD88. To maximize your chances of winning: ·      Create a standout video submission ·      Let your personality shine in your submission form ·      Start building your audience ·      Submit your entry and get ready for an incredible journey! #ARIUMSoundsOfSummer #SingingContest #RentersDream #Branding #multifamilymarketing

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all? Our Mirror Men will make you wonder! Don't miss out on this unforgettable experience... Comment below and tag a friend who needs to see this! #performance #entertainment #event #pastiche #circus #interactiveexperience #audienceengagement #eventhire #eventproduction #costumes #visualexperience #eventmemories #eventgoals #corporateevents #hireservice #monday #mirror #reflect #linkedin

NEWS FLASH! A long overdue lawsuit is about to begin. Both content providers and consumers will be far better served if the Department of Justice succeeds in breaking up Live Nation Entertainment and Ticketmaster.  https://lnkd.in/gHy_hSa9 The first half of my career included 15 years working as a senior ticketing specialist for NBA, Olympic, and Tony Hawk properties / events, as well as the Vancouver Aquarium (one of Western Canada’s largest attractions). I’ve also worked adjacent to ticketing specialists while involved in FIFA and the MLS.  My original foray into startups began with a five year stint supporting FTS|authenTICKET. The company created a third-party ticket authentication platform to combat $1 billion+ in fraudulent ticket trade, allow live event owners to regain full transparency over their customers, completely enhance real-time engagement for fans “in-venue,” and limit the amount of ticket revenues misappropriated by “unauthorized” resale platforms. (To be clear, there are many properties that can use all the extra revenues available to sustain their business model.  As one example… in my last year working for an NBA franchise… a league-wide financial report indicated that only 5 out of 30 teams were reporting profitable operations.) FTS|authenTICKET was only one innovator that tried to bring a new solution to the event ticketing market for the benefit of both content providers and consumers. My tenure with authenTIKCET ran between roughly 2012 and 2017.  We may not have been the best “mouse trap” out there.  Our ultimate failure to launch could easily have been attributed to any number of other variables.  But we successfully raised $1.5 million (approx.) in private equity investment.  So there was certainly belief in our model.  And we had advocates representing multiple sport leagues, the Olympics, and a range of music properties. But it became clear that TM/Live Nation represented a major obstacle in the market’s ability to test and adopt alternative ticketing solutions due to its vertical monopoly position facilitated by its merger in 2010.  Since then, TM has issued upwards of 75%-80% of high-demand tickets in North America (estimate).  Live Nation was (and still is?) the single largest global promoter.  That represents a stranglehold from an innovation perspective.  Competition breeds better solutions every day.  TM and Live Nation actively obstruct industry innovators as best as I’ve been able to determine in my own modest evaluation. I’m no longer in the field.  Instead, my experiences with FTS|authenTICKET have driven me to become a specialized advisor and growth modelling expert in the Canadian startup eco-system. But I am pleased to see the DoJ make a move.  Again, this is long overdue in the markets.  For those who love a live event experience, I’d encourage you to support this action. #ticketfraud #tickettech #startups #monopolies #innovation