WINTER | COVER FEATURE
Building brand partnerships
Since O2 partnered with AEG on The O2 , London ’ s Greenwich peninsula is not the only thing that has been transformed , brand and venue partnerships have become infinitely more complex and increasingly integral to the guest experience
Words : Christopher Barrett
ASM Global UK partnerships director Lauren Tones has considerable experience of working with brands to bring activations to life in major venues . Prior to her past three years at ASM , Tones was senior partnerships manager at AEG-owned and operated The O2 arena ( cap . 20,000 ).
“ In terms of brand activations and naming rights sponsorship , I learned from the best ,” she says .
From Aberdeen ’ s P & J Live Arena ( 15,000 ) to London ’ s OVO Wembley Arena ( 12,500 ), Tones handles major brand relationships for a portfolio of venues that includes many of the UK ’ s leading arenas , such as Manchester ’ s AO Arena ( 21,000 ) and the First Direct Arena ( 13,000 ) in Leeds .
She says the relationship between venues and partners has become increasingly close as they collectively explore new and interesting ways to bring brands to life : “ Brands are becoming more demanding ; they want more for their money and we as rights holders have to work a lot harder for it now . We also want to work with our partners aligning our values with theirs , which makes the partnership mutually beneficial .”
“ We are fulfilling more of an
Holograms advertise shows at AO Arena
Lauren Tones
agency roll , especially when it comes to experiential activity . Brands are looking to us for creative ideas and solutions . The brands we work with have a lot of trust in us and the partnerships are becoming much more collaborative as a result .
“ Our venues are great places for our partners to speak to a diverse audience all year round , through a multitude of ways such as digital , experiential , CRM , social , immersive experiences and via lounges ; there ’ s so much they can do in a venue environment .”
Activity such as offering customers advance ticket pre-sales for shows is well established , and while First Direct also offers benefits including free chips and ice cream to its customers at the arena , and AO runs competition giveaways for electrical goods , there has been a move toward experiential activations using digital technology .
ASM recently partnered with Boldyn Networks to enable the First Direct
Arena to become the first arena venue in the UK to offer a 5G neutral host network . The multi-carrier wireless network not only improves the guest experience and benefits venue operations and logistics but expands the possibilities for brand activations .
Among the most recent tech-driven additions to the guest experience at AO Arena was the installation of Holobox ( pictured ), screen-fronted boxes containing lifelike holograms of people .
“ We have filmed some of our artists , tennis and boxing stars promoting an upcoming tournament or show , this has generated a lot of customer interest ” says Tones .
ASM continues to invest heavily in providing opportunities for brands to maximise their impact at its venues . As part of the £ 50 million upgrade programme at AO Arena , an LED ribbon board has been installed in the arena bowl , while additional large format screens are being installed at the Manchester venue and First Direct Arena .
Tones says cutting-edge technology is without doubt enhancing the customer experience and opening up new possibilities for brand involvement but decisions around tech implementation are never taken lightly : “ The use of any new technology has got to result in a meaningful contribution to the customer experience , more importantly is it going to date quickly ? The last thing you want to do is invest in something that looks dated a year later .”
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