You might go to a concert expecting to rock out to your favorite band, but you probably don’t expect a spontaneous upgrade to the front row, or to walk away from the evening with a signed guitar. How fantastic would it would be if such things could happen!
Dine Alone Records has have joined forces with Volu.me to make dreams a reality for City and Colour fans, and Estimote Beacons made it possible.
Volu.me created an app linked to 30 beacons placed all around each of NHL stadiums - in Toronto (15k seats), Calgary and Edmonton (8000 seats each). All three shows were completely sold out.
City and Colour app gave the artists on stage information about where fans who had downloaded the app were sitting, and the opportunity to give them something extra. Concert-goers were given leaflets encouraging them to download the app. Giving away part of their anonymity, fans won the chance to come home with a signed guitar or an opportunity to get an upgraded seat.
But it goes even further than this. Usually, getting your hands on a band T-shirt means standing in a long queue. With the City and Colour app, you can pick a T-shirt, pay for it with your credit card and collect it at the merch stand in no time.
“Because we already have a beacon at the merchandise table and we know you, the fan, are walking up to the table — because you’re ranging — we can actually display to a person at the table: "Hey, here is Cooper’s merchandise; he’s 20 feet in front of you,” said Shawn Cooper from Volu.me.
Also, if you have the app but give up on the queues, the app will note that you stood in the queue and give you the opportunity to buy your T-shirt online at a discounted price.
The app has already been used at several gigs and its creators are planning to expanding it to more.