UNICAMP - Berta - Sziget international promotion

The international promotion structure of

Sziget Festival

Andras Berta

International Relations Manager

Sziget Cultural Management

UNICAMP Conference

22 October 2011

Trnava, Slovakia

Sziget Cultural Management

• Established in 1993

• 50 full time employees

• The biggest company in the Hungarian youth event market

• Turnover of approx 15 million EUR

• Extensive sales and promotion network in many European countries

• International Relations Department since 2010

SZCM event portfolio in 2011SZCM event portfolio in 2011

Budai GourmetBudai GourmetDate: 3-5 June 2011Venue: Budapest

T-Home Children Sziget Date: June 2011 (4 weekends)Venue: Budapest, Óbuda Island

VOLT FestivalDate: 29 June – 3 July 2011Venue: Sopron

Heineken Balaton SoundDate: 7-11 July 2011Venue: Zamárdi, lake Balaton

Sziget FestivalDate: 10-15 August, 2011Venue: Budapest, Óbuda Island

Introducing Sziget Festival

76 Ha area

The venue:The venue:

Óbuda IslandÓbuda Island

• in Budapest

• on river Danube

General factsGeneral facts

• first edition in 1993

• venue capacity (daily) 80 000

• 2011 budget: around 10 million EUR

• Nr. of workforce during Sziget: approx. 10 000

• On spot build-up process lasts around 1 and a half month

• The result: a Festival-City with services meeting all demands

Services

• approx 70 food units, including Michelin star awarded Costes restaurant, Italian restaurant, French restaurant

• approx 100 bars, pubs, tea houses, etc.

• VIP and ‘very VIP’ area + VIP camping

• approx. 1500 toilet units, several hundred showers

• general ‘city’ services: post office, pharmacy, grocery, laundry, bank, lockers, bicycle storage, etc.

• healthcare: 16 doctors, 50 nurses, 24/7 medical patrols, 7 ambulance cars

• 1500 security guards, English, French, German and Dutch policemen

Innovations in 2011

• Bigger and improved venues (e.g. Pop/rock Main Stage, Party Arena, Roma Tent) + new venues (e.g. Metal Main Stage, Europe Stage, etc.)

• Citypass: 13 days and 2 days tickets for public transport, spa, Sziget shuttle buses and boats, etc.

• Festivalcard: exclusive cashless payment (34 top-up points and 1200 payment terminals) – festival watch: an exclusive version of the card

• Mobile payment: via mobile phones wih NFC (Near Field Communication) chip

• Minute-based ticket: via mobile phones

• 3G internet network + mobile apps

General selling points

• Unique venue with traditionally good weather

• Freedom

• Surrounded by an exciting city

• 7 days non-stop event

• approx. 60 venues

• 5 big open-air stages, many smaller live stages and several DJ venues, including the giant Party Arena • approx. 400 000 fans from 61 countries

• 250 programs daily (not just music)

Wide range of programs

• live concerts and DJs in all possible styles,• theatre,• dance,• circus,• film,• sports,• gastronomy,• exhibitions,• literature,• fashion,• games,• workshops, etc.

Prices (for 2012)

Sziget Weekly Pass (with camping)

• Early bird price (till 30 April, 12PM): 195 EUR• Full price (after 1 May, 0AM): 225 EUR

Sziget 5 Days Pass (non-camping)

• Early bird price (till 30 April, 12PM): 165 EUR• Full price (after 1 May, 0AM): 195 EUR

Sziget Day Ticket (regular day)

• Early bird price (till 30 April, 12PM): 40 EUR• Full price (after 1 May, 0AM): 45 EUR

Visitors

Year Number of visitors

1993 43 0001994 143 0001995 173 0001996 206 0001997 260 0001998 265 0001999 287 0002000 324 0002001 361 0002002 355 0002003 353 0002004 369 0002005 385 0002006 385 0002007 371 0002008 385 0002009 390 0002010 382 000

Number of visitors (overall)

Hungary Spain

The Netherlands Russia

France Czech Republic

Italy Slovakia

UK and Ireland Romania

Germany Turkey

Belgium Poland

Austria Croatia

Finland Norway

Ukraine Denmark

Switzerland Bulgaria

Sweden Baltic countries

Best represented countries amongst visitors

5852 49

53 5145

33

60

85

65

187

1517

16

2116

24

29

18

6

16

36

39

68

7

7

99

15

1

5

7

11

15

5 7

4

34

3 3 3

2

3

44

4 4

6

7 1115 15 15

19

2526

11 12 189 9

3 3 2 1 03 8

0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 2 1

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Sziget

200

6

Sziget

200

7

Sziget

200

8

Sziget

200

9

Sziget

201

0

Sziget

201

1Mal

e

Female

-19 ye

ar

20-24 ye

ars

25-29 ye

ars

30+ ye

ars

Don't know, no answer

other

Public servant / moneyfrom state

Unemployed

Works in production

industries

Works in service

industries

Student

Visitor employment stats – 2006-2011

7% 8%3% 3% 2%

16%16%

17%17% 17%

14% 13% 11%

23%24%

22%

21%23%

19%29%

26% 25%

13%14%

13%

12% 12%12%

17%16% 16%

21%21%

22%18% 17%

19%

26%28%

25%

12% 13% 16% 13% 14% 16%

10%12%

17%

4% 5% 5% 5% 6% 7%1% 3% 3%

9% 9%12%

6%

14%

Sziget2009

2010 2011 Hungarians2009

2010 2011 Foreigners2009

2010 2011

40+

30-39

25-29

23-24

20-22

18-19

16-17

<16

Age groups of visitors

International promotion

Promotion network

• headquarters: Sziget International Relations Department

• local promoters: in 2011 a total of 14 partner companies, in charge of 25 countries

• network based on central policies, general cooperation and continuous know-how sharing

• tasks:

• press/PR,

• online communication,

• ATL promotion,

• programming feedbacks,

• ticket sales

Ticket sales

• selling to 61 countries

• active sales partners in 25 countries (others reached through central webshop)

• online sales increasing, now at around 60%, the aim is to localize webshop sales

• phisical sales points still important, but mainly for promotion

• travel packages very important

• other sold services (national campings, VIP upgarde, Citypass, etc.) important to keep up the interest and involvement

• promotional tickets (discount price or free) very important for word-of-mouth promotion

Programming feedbacks

• important to understand what fans demand, so our promoters are ‘eyes and ears’ to us on a local level

• small local bands can help media awareness in their country and can also activate their own social media netowork

• big names can generate sales in one country and decrease sales in another one

• programming is a lot more than this, e.g. part of the Sziget mission is opinion-leading, introducing acts noone would think of… we think we know better

ATL promotion / advertising

• print (magazine) mainly for general awareness and brand image

• postering and flyering: works on some markets, but efficiency generally decreasing

• google or FB ads: works on some markets, but efficiency generally decreasing

• TV/radio spots: works on some markets, but efficiency generally decreasing

• PR+advertising deals: buying ads to get a lot more PR

Online communication

• official website: szigetfestival.com (English language, main information source of the event)

• local websites: usually clones of Sziget official site administered by local promoters in their own language

• official social media platforms (main site: facebook.com/szigetfestival + twitter, myspace)

• local social media platforms (mainly facebook, but also locally used social media): administered by local promoters

Main goals of Sziget web strategy

• better synergy between online platforms (unified layouts, etc.)

• strategic communication, as a network, with as many contents as possible (especially on FB)

• respecting cultural differences, but generally improving Sziget’s international image and brand awareness

• up-to-date information on all local mutations: general terms and policies, precise program and venue information

• common webshop policy: avoiding competition between Sziget local websites

Press/PR before the festival

• band announcements: timing, bio, photo, etc. always coordinated with managements

• pre-interviews (phoner/mailer) and festival ID-s (‘we are xy, see you at Sziget’) after band confirmation

• press releases (generally once a month, not just about stars, also about the ‘spice of Sziget’, e.g. venues, new services, catering, etc.)

• press accreditations: starting in May, decisions made continuously, but no later than 2 weeks before the festival

• handling interview requests

• web2-based system for accreditations and interview management

Media Journalists Media Journalists2011 530 1200 350 6482010 458 1100 340 557

Hungary International

Services:• study tours• press conferences• interviews• photo sessions• live broadcasting

Press/PR on spot

„A musical Paradise on a Danube island” (La Republica)

„Sziget is a festival where the real fun happens in glades tucked away from the main stage”

(Q)

„Possibly the most diverse festival on the continent” (New Musical Express)

„Something that looks and feels just like a music festival, a performance space and an adult playground,

but also part of the battleground for the soul of Europe” (The Quietus)

Sziget, as they see it…

„A pretty ace week, really” (Daily Star)

„Sziget is a 21st-century rarity: a festival that – by way of its eclectic bill, its beautiful location and a crowd that isn't

cynical about the pleasures of sharing music and art with others – reminds you of the original ideals

of the pre-corporate festival.” (The Guardian)

„Five (plus two) days of incredible, eclectic musical treats from around the globe” (Gigwise)

Sziget, as they see it…