How an Arts Festival Tracked Real Attendance Beyond Traditional TV
When it comes to annual or other seasonal events, you only get one shot to make an impression. For one popular arts festival in Nashville, Tennessee, that meant finding a smarter way to reach new audiences, build buzz, and drive attendance without the limitations of traditional TV.
With A Nice Guy Marketing, the festival did just that by shifting to Connected TV and full-funnel digital targeting.
The Challenge
The arts festival had long relied on standard TV buys to spread the word about their annual event, but struggled to measure real results. They couldn’t track who actually attended or whether their message was successfully reaching younger or family-oriented audiences. As the festival’s demographics skewed older, leadership knew it was time for a more trackable, digitally-driven strategy.
They needed better insights, better reach, and better targeting—without losing the energy and scale of television.
The Goals
Together, we built a campaign designed to deliver on three core objectives:
- Reach Millennials and Gen Z with a passion for art, music, and live events.
- Connect with families looking for fun, family-friendly weekend activities.
- Track audience behavior from initial ad impression all the way to ticket conversions and on-site attendance.
By focusing on full-funnel attribution, we were able to link Connected TV impressions directly to ticket sales and foot traffic.
The Strategy
Our digital campaign blended precision targeting with broad reach using Connected TV advertising. This strategy ensured the festival reached the right people at the right time, and across the right screens.
Over-the-Top Ads on Connected TV
We delivered OTT ads across streaming platforms and devices, targeting highly specific audience groups beyond the limitations of DMA or MSA zones. This allowed for geographic and behavioral segmentation far more advanced than traditional TV spots.
Generational Targeting
To appeal to younger audiences, we created generational segments—layering in interests like live music, visual arts, and cultural events. Then we used A/B testing across zip codes to see which messages resonated most with each group.
Keyword Targeting
We compiled keyword lists around arts festivals, live music, and weekend events. When users searched for or interacted with those topics online, we delivered ads across their devices—including their Connected TVs and mobile screens.
The Results
Through cross-device matching and full-funnel reporting, we could track users from their first Connected TV impression to ticket page visits and in-person attendance. The campaign delivered valuable insight into which demographics attended on which dates, allowing the client to plan future weekends more strategically.
Campaign Highlights:
- 2,393 Clicks
- 1,662 Online Conversions
- 0.09% CTR
Not only did the campaign meet the client’s attendance goals, it created a roadmap for refining future budgets based on real-time behavior and attendance patterns.
Data-Driven Digital Advertising for Seasonal Success
By trading static TV spots for dynamic Connected TV and keyword-driven digital targeting, this annual festival leveled up its outreach and proved that smart targeting delivers real, measurable results.
Whether you’re promoting a seasonal event, launching a regional attraction, or trying to drive attendance in real time, A Nice Guy Marketing geofencing for event promotions can help your campaign go from one-time shot to long-term success.