What makes a festival unforgettable and keeps audiences coming back year after year?
The answer lies in the passion and dedication of its fan community. These devoted superfans are the heartbeat of events, turning ordinary gatherings into vibrant celebrations.
Disco Presents is leading the way in this phenomenon, setting the standard in festival marketing with an innovative approach to community building.
By partnering with SocialLadder — an all-in-one brand ambassador management platform — the company has revolutionized its strategy, boosting fan engagement and driving marketing success.
Before the Ambassador Platform: Overcoming Manual Challenges
Prior to adopting SocialLadder, Disco Presents faced significant hurdles in managing its ambassador program.
“We were dealing with a lot of Google Sheets and endless emails. Basically, we were managing everything in-house,” says Daniel Wineland, Social Community Manager at Disco Presents.
Their manual processes, which required tedious spreadsheet management and significant time investment, made scaling difficult and left little room for creative strategies to engage the ambassadors.
The transition to SocialLadder streamlined operations, dramatically reducing the time spent on administrative tasks.
“SocialLadder has helped Disco Presents save considerable time in managing our ambassador program compared to manual methods”
— Daniel Wineland, Social Community Manager at Disco Presents.
Key Features: Driving Disco Presents’s Success
SocialLadder’s ambassador platform significantly improved Disco Presents’s operations by fostering organic authenticity and boosting engagement.
+Read More: How the Lack of Brand Ambassador Software Could Be Costing Your Business Money
As a result, ambassadors became key drivers of sales, generating over $8 million in revenue for Disco Presents.
A major advantage was the platform’s robust tracking capabilities, which allowed Disco Presents to accurately monitor ambassador performance and gain valuable insights into engagement levels and areas for improvement.
As a result, their social media engagements exceeded 5 million.
The platform’s user-friendly tools enabled engaging tasks, motivating their ambassador community and expanding their network to nearly 6,000 ambassadors.
The advanced segmentation feature further enhanced Disco Presents’s strategy by personalizing interactions, ensuring ambassadors received communication and tasks tailored to their interests and strengths. This strategic approach expanded the program’s reach to over 34 million.
By leveraging social capital, Disco Presents has cultivated a genuine sense of belonging within its audience. Ambassadors felt recognized and valued through thoughtfully designed rewards, diverse challenges, and open lines of communication.
As Evan Bailey, Vice President at Disco Presents, explained, “We’re tapping into social capital, which is powerful because it appeals to the fan in all of us”.
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Festival Marketing: Engaging Younger Audiences
A key challenge for Disco Presents, and festivals in general, is reaching and engaging younger audiences. As trends evolve rapidly, keeping this demographic involved is crucial for sustained success.
Younger audiences are vital to the growth and longevity of festival events.
Bailey also noted, “One of our biggest challenges is continually reaching younger audiences and keeping them actively engaged with our community.” By harnessing the youthful energy of their ambassadors, Disco Presents successfully bridged this gap.
With the help of SocialLadder, Disco Presents achieved remarkable results.
- The program’s reach expanded to over 34 million;
- Ambassador-driven social media engagements exceeded 5 million.
These numbers highlight the platform’s effectiveness in sparking and sustaining vibrant fan interactions across multiple channels.
Ambassador Marketing: Long-term Benefits and Authentic Engagement
“Disco Presents sees long-term benefits in using SocialLadder to reach new audiences and engage fans in event promotion,” says Wineland.
Brand ambassadors have become a key part of Disco Presents’s sales strategy, driving about 25% of total ticket sales.
Their genuine love for the festivals keeps promotional activities authentic, resonating with the audience’s shared passion.
Building Authentic Communities: The Power of Ambassador Ownership
Maintaining full ownership of ambassador relationships is essential for brands looking to achieve long-term success and build genuine communities.
SocialLadder sets itself apart by giving brands complete control over their ambassadors, emphasizing privacy and fostering direct, personal connections.
In contrast to other platforms, SocialLadder doesn’t market ambassadors or claim ownership of them. This ensures that brands can engage authentically without worrying about competitors poaching their ambassadors.
Disco Presents expanded their program by launching initiatives and recruiting ambassadors. As a result, they retained ownership and control over cultivated communities.
With SocialLadder, brands have the exclusive tools to confidently grow their ambassador programs. Consequently, these vital relationships are ensured to be nurtured and protected.
Marketing 2.0: Disco Presents’s Strategic Growth
The partnership between Disco Presents and SocialLadder represents a strategic growth model that maximizes ROI while enhancing community engagement at scale.
SocialLadder improved Disco Presents’ efficiency and festival marketing, unlocking new opportunities for fan engagement and community-building.
As Bailey aptly puts it, “SocialLadder allowed Disco Presents to tap into something we always knew was there — activating the fans within our community, the ones who already have a deep love for the artists and the music.”
