Air Miles has launched a new concert-focused platform as part of its ongoing efforts to engage with younger members.
Partnering with concert promoter Live Nation, the Air Miles Stage Pass will give members the ability to trade their Dream Miles for access to reserved concert tickets, tickets to some sold-out shows, discounts and VIP perks and experiences at select shows.
Rachel MacQueen, VP of marketing for Air Miles, says the company has done contests for things like artist meet-and-greets on and off in the past, but Stage Pass allows it to offer more music-based experiences on a regular basis as part of its traditional rewards offering.
Over the last year, Air Miles has been looking for ways to engage with younger members and collectors. This is not only being done as a way to continue growth of its membership, but in response to a desire from its retail and grocery partners, as well as financial partners like BMO, to engage more with that age group. This has driven a heavier presence on university and college campuses, which involved a partnership with NBA Canada to give members the ability to meet players or attend All-Star events in New York City.
“That partnership with the NBA gave us insight about ways those collectors could engage with Air Miles beyond just redeeming points,” MacQueen says. “We heard being able to engage with Air Miles in new ways was really appealing for younger collectors in particular. That informed us about how we need to expand our value proposition, and music was a clear category that appeals to younger collectors, and older ones as well.”
To promote the new Stage Pass offering, Live Nation took the Juno-winning Arkells on a tour of downtown Toronto on Tuesday afternoon, with the band playing on the top of a double-decker bus. The event was organized by Live Nation with support from TrojanOne and PR agency North Strategic. Going forward, the program will be promoted heavily through Air Miles’ social channels.
More on the program will be announced through the summer, but at launch, members have the chance to access select concerts for One Direction, Ariana Grande and Kelly Clarkson.