Neonsplash
Creating a new dance event selling 1 million tickets
Client
Neonsplash is a dance event combining 10.000s of liters of liquid UV-light activated neon-paint, electronic music and spectacular acrobatic performances into one sensational experience. Attracting over 1 million visitors across 15 countries since its founding in four years, the company was acquired by Belgian music promotor ShadowToLive in 2014. Website: shadowtolive.be
Briefing
Growing Neonsplash from a hyped ‘proof-of-concept’ into a commercially successful international dance event. Together with his partners, Elwin built the brand at shared financial risk and profits.
Problem
1. Practical Concerns: The barrier to join the disruptive new concept of “paint-party” was huge, based on practical concerns like “Is this safe for my clothes and hair?”, “How will I get home afterwards?” and “Why would this be fun?”. Each first edition in a city and country, we needed to sell tickets to something nobody ever experienced.
2. No Community: The regular grow path for events to was step by step. Starting in a small local club inviting friends, providing an experience special enough to let them invite their friends, and growing through friends of friends per edition. We didn’t want to wait that long. Also; our concept is experienced best in arena-sized productions.
Insight
1. Visual Proof: The visually arresting images of thousands of people having the time of their lives in a sea of liquid glowing neonpaint, were so powerful and contagious that they moved all practical concerns to the background. A matter of both “show, don’t tell” and “social proof”. If this many people went had a great time, their concerns were surely solved and more importantly; the event was an experience of a lifetime.
2. Social Proof: Dance events are a social experience, in which visitors choose based on where their friends are going. We decided to use this in our advantage.
Solution
We built the marketing campaigns around two core principles.
1. Visual Proof: we invested heavily in making our event productions spectacular (spectactular lighting, special effects, huge cannons and hoses to spread 10.000s of liters of paint across the arena’s, acrobatic artists flying through the venue) and getting the best possible video- and photography to spread the madness, attracting new visitors through social channels at viral-speeds.
2. Social Proof: Ahead of the campaign launches, we carefully recruited cool kids in every city to act as micro-influencers, using their social media reach and credibility to convince their peers. The micro-influencers were not paid money - only a free festival ticket and ‘community perks’ - to ensure authentic fit and intrinsic motivation. A peak-sales ticketing strategy, counting down to the the ticket sales start, and “early bird” categories selling out instantly, turning scarcity into the final, irresistible argument.
Result
Since its 2011 launch, Neonsplash grew explosively, selling out arena’s across 15 countries in Europe, attracting over 1 million visitors. By the end of 2014, the company was acquired by Belgian music promotor ShadowToLive, a validation of both the concept's commercial value and the community driven marketing-system it had built.
Neonsplash management team in front of a sold-out AFAS Live show in 2012 (l.t.r.); David Zimek, Florian Eckelmann, Siamak Ghofrani, Elwin Stevelink, Matthew Mockridge
Ziggo Dome announcing it’s Neonsplash show on its four 90 meter LED walls
Florian Eckelmann, Neonsplash, Founder & CEO
Elwin is a well educated and highly intelligent entrepreneur who does not aim lower than achieving excellent results. Due to his eclectic business experience and educational background, Elwin has the ability to quickly solve complex problems in the search of an unilateral win win for all parties involved. Most striking about Elwin however, is his loyalty, long breath and from the ground up positive attitude.