LAVA, a new marketing platform that activates real time data to create engaging experiences during live events, has signed its first major clients through a partnership with Staples Center, Microsoft Theater and L.A. Live in Los Angeles.
The partnership seeks to reinvent the guest experience during live entertainment events at the three venues. The partnership comes ahead of this month’s 20th anniversary of Staples Center – which hosts the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers, the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks – and coincides with the public debut of LAVA, which launched out of stealth mode yesterday (Tuesday).
Founded by Vivek Ranadivé, the founder and former CEO of software company TIBCO, as well as co-owner of NBA franchise the Sacramento Kings; and Wen Miao, a former senior vice-president and general manager at TIBCO, LAVA claims to be the first marketing platform to successfully activate real time data to create meaningful customer experiences during an event, engaging with guests in the moment and broadening existing revenue streams through personalised, memorable experiences.
Staples Center, Microsoft Theater and L.A. Live will use LAVA’s real time fan experience and analytics technology to improve the overall experience for the millions of guests attending professional sports games and high-profile music and entertainment events each year.
Teams from the three venues will start by integrating LAVA as an onsite operational tool. The LAVA platform will instantly analyse customer experience data generated by connected devices – such as ticketing scans, concessions and merchandise – and consolidate it into an intuitive dashboard. Event staff can monitor operations and improve the guest experience during an event, such as managing special offers and promotions, crowd control or adjusting internal staffing.
In the near future, Staples Center, Microsoft Theater and L.A. Live will expand the LAVA technology platform into their retail, sponsorship, and concessions operations, enabling the venues to further monitor real time business performance as well as surprise guests with in the moment digital offers, such as exclusive discounts and VIP lounge access.
LAVA’s platform activates using digital experience passes on smartphone devices to enable real time notification and redemption for guests, as well as instant analytic insights for venues. The company claims this type of real time visibility and activation for event operations has never been done before.
Wen Miao, CEO of LAVA, said: “We’ve been selective about the type of companies we work with, and we immediately realised that Staples Center, Microsoft Theater and L.A. Live have the same innovation-centric mindset when it comes to improving and perfecting the guest experience.
“The team was also faced with a unique challenge given the volume and diversity of its guests in part due to housing four professional sports teams, along with world-class music and entertainment events all year long. This partnership means huge improvements in the way guests experience live events, both at Staples Center, Microsoft Theater and broadly across the industry.”
LAVA’s preference for delivering a frictionless experience, using digital experience passes on smartphones rather than native apps, has been cited as a critical factor behind the partnership given the multiple tenants and fan bases that visit the arena annually.
Lee Zeidman, president of Staples Center, Microsoft Theater and L.A. Live, said: “LAVA fills a much needed gap in the live event market: that we have never before had visibility into our guests’ experience in the moment, nor an ability to act on those insights while an event is taking place. With LAVA’s platform we are well-equipped to continue honing and perfecting our guests’ experiences in ways that were previously impossible.”
Image: Staples Center
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