Beacon Technology | Major Recording Artist Zac Brown Band Will Be the First to Use Beacons at 9/11 Wrigley Field Show !

Source    : chicagoinno
By        :  Jim Dallke
Category  : Beacon Technology

Zac Brown Band announced that it will use beacon technology at Friday's Wrigley Field concert in order to better engage with fans at the show. But rather than using the bluetooth technology to sell albums or t-shirts, it's asking fans to pledge their support for our country's veterans.

As fans leave Wrigley tonight after Zac Brown's 9/11 show, they'll receive a push notification to support Warriors to Summits and to "respect, support and honor our veterans for being an example of courage and strength both in their service and their transition back home." Warriors to Summits is part of No Barriers USA, a non-profit that empowers veterans, transitioning service members with disabilities, and their families.

Zac Brown Band will be the first major recording artist to use beacons to engage with fans, according to inMarket, the company responsible for powering the beacon technology; beacons have mostly been used in retail environments to send targeted ads to customers in grocery stores and shopping malls.

"This is about taking technology than a band has never used before and blowing it out for a major concert at Wrigley where we’re going to do some great things to help folks pledge their support for a fantastic cause," said Dave Heinzinger, senior director of Communications for inMarket.

Half-dollar sized beacons will be placed in Wrigley Field, and concert goers with the Zac Brown Band Live app--or another app in the inMarket network--will receive the push notification, Heinzinger said. The pledge is simply a show of support and not a call for donations, Heinzinger added.

The program is intended as a show of support for America's troops, but it's also testing how beacon technology can be deployed at future music venues for other bands. Heinzinger said inMarket is in talks with a handful of other recording artists about using beacons at upcoming shows to connect with fans and drive merchandise sales.

"I actually think [beacon technology] will be a common tactic for most artists in the next 18 months," he said. "Mobile engagement will be a major part of the fan experience in 2016."

Beacon technology isn't exactly new. In recent years it has shown huge potential in the retail space as companies have been able to target consumers at the most opportune moments. A shopper walking down the laundry detergent aisle could get an 10% off coupon for Clorox sent right to their phone, for example. And for musicians, beacons could result in engaging with fans when they're most likely to buy merch or download songs.

"We’re excited to see how it works," Heinzinger said. "And if it's anything like the work we’ve done in a retail setting, we expect it to be very successful."

(Read More: chicagoinno.streetwise.co/2015/09/11/zac-brown-band-will-be-the-first-major-recording-artist-to-use-beacons-at-911-wrigley-field-show/)