Streamlining Marketing Strategies with Data
Kathryn Kai-ling (Ho) Frederick, Chief Marketing Officer, Ticketmaster
Every year, Ticketmaster helps create memories for millions of fans– whether it’s Hamilton on Broadway, the National Football League, a Justin Timberlake concert, or thousands of other live events around the world. We’re fans too, so we know how impactful these events can be. It’s an emotional and personal experience. That’s why knowing how and when to inspire fans to go to an event is always a mix of art and science. And through the years, how we have done that has changed dramatically. This is where our marketing has been so vital, transforming the way we connect fans to their favorite live events.
For years, fans learned about their favorite events from television or radio advertisements, posters in a record store, or good, old fashioned word of mouth. Fans would line up outside a record store hoping to score tickets. But now there are new ways fans can find out about events. Like everything else in a consumer’s life, the ticket buying experience has evolved, from online buying to Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan and more. So, the way we market to fans has changed too.
Enter Ticketmaster’s insights and deep knowledge of what each fan loves. And with our marketing partners, we are able to leverage those preferences in a way that benefits fans and aligns with what fans expect - personalized engagements and experiences.
We are also engaging with fans after they have made their purchase, to help build excitement leading up to their event 
Ticketmaster’s evolved marketing strategy puts fans at the core of our business more than ever before. By leveraging Salesforce Marketing Cloud, we can deliver more personalized content and targeted fan segmentation for email and mobile campaigns, all based on a fan’s behavior and affinity. And not just at one moment in time, but throughout the fan and event lifecycles. Fans now receive a personalized email each week with info on their favorite artists and upcoming shows nearby. They can even receive timely notifications when their favorite artist’s concert is about to go on sale, and when tickets are still available the week before the show. With this kind of personalized communication, needless to say, it’s a good time to be a fan, as they are now more connected to their favorite artists and events than ever before.
These efforts enable our teams to streamline processes, reduce development time, and enhance campaign performance through more detailed targeting for custom campaigns for clients.
We are also engaging with fans after they have made their purchase, to help build excitement leading up to their event. This journey helps them prepare for the event, from traveling to the venue and getting into the show, to sharing tickets with friends, to even selling tickets if they can no longer make it. And the fan’s excitement doesn’t end with the show, as we continue to learn about their fan journey and connect them with the events they love.
With these tools, Ticketmaster can better understand fans and help them create memories that will last a lifetime. All it takes is engaging with the right fan, at the right time, on the right platform, with the right message.
It is all about the fan—and not the marketer. Our central strategy is focused on what the fan wants and expects, and how we can unlock their love for live events.
In every sense of the word, it’s an evolution of our technology and capabilities to deliver on the age-old marketing strategy—putting the customer first.
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