Ever wanted a taste of what it would be like to earn the big bucks of being a music festival promoter, without the risk of having to put your parents’ house up for auction (*cough* Blueprint disaster *cough*). Organisers behind Future Entertainment, the folks putting on the Chemical Brothers-headlined Summadayze for 2013 as well as their own Future Music Festival, are offering just such a chance.
Following on from forming a new record label imprint with EMI, a press release from Future Entertainment reveals an innovative new ticketing scheme, which helps promote their festiva as well as offering rewards for fans, with a new ‘peer-to-peer’ ticketing system that makes fans individual promoters for events and selling tickets to their friends at a discounted price while pocketing a small commission for themselves through an online platform.
Think FlyBuys if it was all to do with music events…
Future Entertainment Director Brett Robinson writes in a press release today that, “loyalty should be rewarded. Our festivals wouldn’t be possible without the positive support of our fans so it’s fantastic to be able to give something back to them,” in the form of the new scheme called Future Fans.
“Whilst we always strive to keep our ticket prices fair, we understand that not everyone can afford to attend all of the music events that they would like to. Future Fans not only empowers those who want to support their favourite bands and music, but also creates an alternative avenue through which to acquire our tickets,” says Robinson.
Essentially the word-of-mouth promotion is run through the Future Fans website, where users sign up then connect to their social media account(s) to share out events and festivals, the more their ‘message’ is spread – when somebody purchases tickets, music or merchandise via the advertised links – the user who posted them can earn a small share of the advertising dollar as well as reward points.
The rewards currency can be redeemed for “an impressive list of items ranging from CD’s and FREE tickets all the way up to holidays or even a car!” boasts the website.
Adding that, “fans can increase their Future Fans reward points ranking and also earn money-can’t-buy experiences like hanging backstage with the artists!”
Meanwhile, Brett Robinson told The Music that while previous attempts at a similar peer-to-peer rewards program had been launched in Australia, their success dwindled because they were based on third party interactivity. Of their own Future Fans platform, Robinson says “We’re the promoter here, so you’re dealing directly with us.”
“At the top end of the scale… if you’re really confident, you could sell tickets to the festival online through social media… Anything that gets people involved in the festival is a pretty good initiative I think,” said Robinson – suspecting that if the format proves successful, it won’t be long before we see other major festivals cottoning onto the format.
In related news, Future’s Summadayze lineup was announced last week, with the likes of neo-soul maverick Kimbra, the post-Pendulum (R.I.P.) Knife Party and M.I.A.’s tamal tunage all bringing their wares to the summer music festival, topped by a DJ set from Chemical Brothers (that won’t include Chemical Brothers material? baffling).
Meanwhile, the lineup for Future Music Festival is expected to be announced in the “coming weeks,” teased Robinson, “we’re just putting the finishing touches on the lineup.”
Given their recently forged alliance with EMI, it would be wise to start looking at the record label’s roster for who might be potential candidates for the 2013 Future Music lineup. If we were the gambling sort, we’d put our money on that juicy industry rumour about The Stone Roses…
