In today's pulse:

• 🎟️ President Biden Hosts Companies to Address Hidden Fees

• 🌱 How Concerts Can Be More Sustainable, Proof It’s Possible

• 🥽 Cannes XR Showcases AR/VR Art and Experiences

• 🚀 Boosts To Reach Even More Attendees

• 🏢 5 New Event Industry Jobs

Read time: 4 minutes

🎟️ President Biden Hosts Companies to Address Hidden Fees, but Ticket Buyer Challenges Remain

In a move to address surprise fees that catch consumers off guard, President Joe Biden invited executives from companies like Live Nation, Airbnb, and SeatGeek to the White House.

The aim was to showcase the administration's efforts to put an end to these so-called "junk fees."

Biden has been vocal about combating undisclosed fees and has called for legislative, regulatory, and private sector actions to tackle this issue. During the event, companies such as Live Nation and Ticketmaster announced their plans to provide customers with upfront all-in pricing, including service charges and other fees, for their owned venues. SeatGeek also unveiled features to make ticket browsing easier with transparent pricing. Airbnb, which had already introduced its all-in pricing tool, was present to highlight its commitment to fee transparency.

While these steps are a positive move, the issue of ticket resellers and speculative sellers, as discussed in a previous summary on Fix the Tix, still remains unaddressed. These steps, though helpful, do not cover all the challenges faced by ticket buyers.

🌱 How Concerts Can Be More Sustainable, Proof It’s Possible

A last year’s Maha Festival, they showed that music festivals and concerts can take significant steps towards sustainability by diverting waste from landfills. Attendees actively participated in composting, recycling, and waste reduction efforts, resulting in impressive outcomes:

• A remarkable 4,754 pounds of waste, accounting for 90% of on-site waste, were saved from ending up in landfills.

• Over 5,000 plastic water bottles were not used, thanks to the availability of FNBO Free Water Stations.

The successful execution of these sustainability initiatives was made possible by the support of Omaha Public Power District (OPPD), the immense efforts of Hillside Solutions, and the dedication of over 100 recycling volunteers.

These achievements serve as proof that music festivals and concerts can proactively lead the way in sustainability.

By avoiding landfills and implementing compostable products, these events can significantly reduce their environmental impact. It is a reminder that sustainable practices, such as proper waste management and responsible packaging choices, can make a substantial difference in creating more eco-friendly experiences for music lovers and beyond.

🥽 Cannes XR Showcases AR/VR Art and Experiences

The Cannes Film Festival's XR division highlighted immersive art and experiences, demonstrating the potential of augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) in entertainment.

The event featured Banksy's VR premiere, VFC's filmmaking project, and live events at Film Soho's International Village. Panel talks covered emerging technologies like Web3 and the Metaverse. Animation Day celebrated animation specialists. MURALS exhibited Banksy's art in war-torn Ukraine. Last year's Cannes XR exhibition evaluated 200 VR projects, with winners including Alex Honnold and the interactive story "Glimpse." AR/VR at events offers exciting possibilities.

As AR and VR technologies continue to evolve, events like Cannes XR provide a platform to push the boundaries of immersive storytelling.

It raises the question: What do you think will be the most exciting use cases for augmented and virtual reality at future events?

Boosts To Reach Even More Attendees

FEATURED EVENT LISTING ADS

Reach event-seekers as they actively look for events. Achieve higher conversion rates on your event ad click-throughs.

EVENT EMAIL BOOST

Reach email subscribers who have opted-in to hear about events near them. Expand your email reach beyond your own list.

🏢 Entertainment Industry Communications and Marketing Jobs

There are a lot of cool job openings for communications, marketing, touring, promotion out there that we come across while writing this newsletter.

So we decided to start sharing in case you’re looking or know someone that is:

Communications Manager @ Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Omaha, Nebraska

Digital Marketing Manager @ The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach, FL

Assistant Director for Events @ IU Auditorium in Bloomington, Indiana

Operations Manager @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California

Marketing & Social Media Internship @ ArtsQuest in Bethlehem, PA

That’s It!

If you have anything interesting you’d like to share, we’d love to hear it! You can respond to this email or send a DM on LinkedIn: Craig Heron.

Thanks for reading, and see you next time!🎟️ White House Takes on Hidden Fees, 🌱 Concerts Go Green, 🥽 Cannes XR Highlights