Unpacking the power of Passive Data

Customers and prospects are becoming increasingly aware of the value of their data, so it’s vital for marketers to find new methods to capture customer information. More and more companies are now pursuing first-party data, but is this the only option?

Our general manager of operations, Andrew Stone, will be ‘Unpacking the power of Passive Data’ at Marketing Live, with the help of Chris Toward, managing director at The Shift Corp,  at the International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney), March 21, 2023.

At 11:30 am, Andrew and Chris will take to the Data, Analytics & Measurement conference area for their presentation: “Beyond First-Party Data: Unpacking the power of Passive Data”. In this fireside chat, the pair will explore data collection mindsets and ways to collect and interpret data and share success stories with impressive results!

We will also showcase our consumer engagement and behaviour technology throughout the show at stand 531, allowing attendees to learn more about how spatial analytics can fit into their marketing plans and how the data can deliver more immersive customer experiences.


For more information on the days’ schedule and to register for your free place, check out the Marketing Live website – www.mktg.live

Spatial analytics and event performance in a more data-aware universe.

Meshh’s head of analytics, Nick Child took to the Tech Stage at International Confex on 01 March 2023, at ExCeL London to explain the benefits of anonymised spatial analytics. Here he reflects on the day and the questions it raised:

I was fortunate to be able to speak at International Confex at ExCeL London on the subject of spatial analytics and how anonymised data collection can provide some critical insight into visitor behaviour to events and, more particularly exhibitions. So a big thank you to Mash Media organisers of International Confex for the opportunity to share my thoughts on the subject.

It could not have been a more timely presentation as we had just returned from deploying our sensors and data analysis for Sportradar at ICE, also held at ExCeL London, and we were in the midst of deploying our systems at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona for Qualcomm. Both installations measured the effectiveness of their exhibition presence in terms of footfall, dwell time, and engagement with specific parts of their exhibition stands.

I was particularly pleased to be approached after the session and asked two questions I thought worthy of sharing, and the answers I gave in return.

Firstly, I was asked about the suitability and effectiveness of using anonymous WiFi analytics to measure the success of an exhibition stand. There is a strong leaning towards app-based lead generation at exhibitions. Many of the alternatives, such as near-field communications (NFC) or radio-frequency identification (RFID), are expensive or complex to manage, mostly being the preserve of the organiser or the venue.

WiFi analytics are perfect for an exhibition stand; the sensors are small and quick to install. They are so easy to install that it is often possible to train contractors’ own teams how to place them on the stand and set them up in a matter of minutes. They can be set to record traffic within a range from as little as 0.5m up to 6m and more. In an exhibition environment, few locations would require a range above 6m, but it is possible. If the stand has several key features that have been designed to engage the visitors and increase dwell time on the stand, WiFi analytics provides the perfect measurement tool. Sensors can be set for each feature. They can track traffic between features and points of exit. All of this can be reported to a dashboard that shows traffic flow, hotspots and exit points, which can inform improvements and design considerations for the next show. And, if the contractor is undertaking the installation, they make a cost-effective method of validating a feature placement or design element, removing subjectivity and anecdotal evidence and replacing it with hard data.

The second question was related to the first and focused on whether installing and managing a set of sensors on a stand during the show would require a team of technicians due to technical complexity.. The simple answer is no. Specifically, in the case of the Meshh sensors, they are very easy to deploy, having been designed to allow anyone with some basic training to know how to install them, power them up and turn them on. They are battery-powered and have a dongle to transmit the results, so there is no requirement to join in the battle for heavily congested venue WiFi or to have a bespoke channel or ethernet. The batteries last 24 hours, so for a multi-day show, two battery packs allow one to be deployed whilst the other is charging, also removing the need for a separate power source on the stand.

The alternative to WiFi are technologies such as Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR), which is highly accurate but is technically complex and requires specialist installation expertise. It is also expensive to install for a short period, and cost justification would be difficult. Another technology is camera-based tracking, which brings with it a number of data protection issues as faces are recognised and, in some cases, facial recognition is the method of tracking. It is also more challenging to focus on micro areas and requires expertise to install and commission.

Being able to answer these two relatively straightforward questions did allow me to present the benefits of how Meshh uses anonymised WiFi tracking and how it is easy to deploy, making it the ideal solution if any stand contractor needs to provide hard metrics on footfall, dwell time and engagement to their clients. Used over a number of shows, it will allow the contractor to hone the design of the stand to maximum effect.

If anyone would like to chat about how WiFi tracking can work for their exhibition stand, I would be delighted to have a conversation.

ABB FIA Formula E World Championship 2023 – First stop Cape Town!

We’re excited to announce that we successfully deployed our spatial analytics technology across all the key areas at the first Cape Town E-Prix and we’re ready to do the same for four more races in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship!

This exciting development follows a 7-race proof of concept in March 2022 – which has been shortlisted for two awards – where we worked with the Formula E Events and Insights teams throughout several events to provide data used to improve the experience of partners, operations and fans.

Our first stop was South Africa, for the inaugural Cape Town E-Prix, on February 25, 2023. We installed our sensors locations around the circuit, including:,

  • Grandstands, 
  • The E-Village
  • Merchandise units 
  • Entrances

The collected data will now be analysed and interpreted to measure how fans engaged with the content and overall performance of assets, and this information will be used to identify commercial opportunities and areas for optimisation as well as provide key insights into ROI and key brand exposure metrics to formula E’s partners and sponsors.

We were thrilled to be joining the Formula E team for this important milestone and providing actionable insights that can be used to enhance the fan experience and refine future activity in Cape Town and other races.

We made it! Sports Industry Awards 2023

What a month February has been! Following our announcement that Meshh was shortlisted for the Sports Technology Awards, today we’re excited to share that we’ve been also shortlisted for the FEVO Sport Industry Awards 2023, for our work with Formula E!

We have been shortlisted for the Data & Insights Award, in association with Sportradar, for our spatial analytics services, which allowed Formula E to understand fan movement and behaviour at race meetings and events. Our data gathering, processing and analysis gave Formula E a greater understanding of the fan experience, and Formula E used our analysis to improve the experience of partners, operations and fans.

Caroline McGuckian, Meshh CEO, said, “Formula E’s commitment to building high-quality experiences for its fans is supported and enabled by our technology, and it’s a privilege to be shortlisted for this prestigious award. Congratulations to everyone who was shortlisted, we look forward to seeing you at Evolution London, on April 27, 2023, for the FEVO Sport Industry Awards ceremony.”

We’ve been shortlisted! Sports Technology Awards 2023

We’re thrilled to announce that Meshh and our client, Formula E, have been shortlisted for The Sports Technology Awards in the category of ‘best technology for data and analytics’.

The nomination is for the support our spatial analytics technology has provided Formula E throughout the 2022 season. It has been used to help better understand how its fans engage with events by providing data and insights that have allowed Formula E to improve the fan experience and deliver better ROI for brands and sponsors.

Jess Pomfret, account director at Meshh, said, “Formula E has an undeniable passion for its craft and is dedicated to building high quality, unforgettable experiences for fans, which Meshh has been an active part of. To be able to celebrate the work we have done together and the progress it has made is truly a great feeling.”

The team at Meshh would also like to extend our congratulations to the other shortlisted brands. We look forward to seeing you at the Sports Technology Awards ceremony in New York, May 18, 2023- see you then!

Anonymised data and event performance – International Confex 2023

As attendees become more hesitant to share their personal data, how can event organisers effectively measure their event performance? Our head of insights and analytics, Nick Child, will be helping to answer that question, and many others, at International Confex, ExCel London, March 1st, 2023.

Over the last few years, there has been a shift in how people understand and value their personal data. The public is more aware of the risks of their data being used maliciously and is less inclined to share it as freely as they might have done only five years ago. As event attendees become more data-aware and reluctant to share, the industry needs to adapt and find new ways to measure attendee engagement.

At 14:00, Nick will be on stage at the Event Tech Theatre, with his presentation: “How using anonymised spatial analytics over time will improve event performance for organisers, brands, agencies and sponsors in a more data-aware universe”. Nick will also be sharing how passive, anonymised methods can be used to gather and measure data at events without compromising privacy, and without the need for an app, smart badges or any technology traditionally associated with footfall and visitor measurement.

Whether data capture and analysis is your expertise or you’re simply looking for the best way to measure engagement and behaviour at live events, Nick’s presentation will be a revealing and refreshing look at how spatial analytics is changing the way brands, and sponsors use data.

See you at Confex!

Bondi Sands to use Meshh for latest brand activation

This week, Twenty3 Sports and Entertainment will be deploying Meshh spatial analytics to measure engagement at the 2023 Australian Open Tennis as part of the Bondi Sands ‘Game, Set, Protect’ brand activation.

Throughout 16 – 29 January 2023, the Bondi Sands team will be on-site, ensuring spectators are protected from the summer sun with several ‘Game, Set, Protect’ Sunscreen Stations deployed across the precinct, providing samples of the Bondi Sands SPORT SPF50+ sunscreen range. Spectators are also invited to escape the summer heat at the Bondi Sands Misting Station. 

Meshh will be working with Twenty3 Sports and Entertainment to help measure the success of the activation, seamlessly measuring essential marketing data such as footfall, dwell time and engagement with the Misting Station and Bondi Sands Huts.

Andrew Stone, general manager operations, Meshh, explains, “There are a lot of factors to consider when evaluating brand activations – How many people passed by? Did those passersby stop and engage with the brand, and for how long? We measure in a passive, non-invasive way, preserving the anonymity of the individual. Allowing Bondi Sands to see  and understand behaviours not modified by the technology used, as happens when using in-app data collection. The data will allow Twenty3 Sports and Entertainment to measure the effectiveness of their campaign for Bondi Sands; repeating measurements such as this at future events allows the overlay of behavioural data, and that insight leads to improved performance, to the benefit of all parties.”

Data : the new norm

Event Tech Live is the premier UK event solely dedicated to using technology at live events. It returned on the 15th & 16th of November 2022, this time moving to ExCeL, London and, going into its 10th year; it showcased the very best in Event Tech

Alongside the in-person event, streaming content was made available to virtual attendees from the 14th of November. All of this activity kicked off with a panel session that looked at data, the recent news covering misuse of tracking information on apps, and how certain event organisers were trying to ensure that the public attending their events had the confidence to share their data.

Panellists included Greg Morris, Research Director at Nielsen Sports UK. Greg joined the company early in 2022 and worked across a wide range of clients, including a number of projects around Events and Customer Experience Research. Prior to that Greg was Senior Brand Research Manager at Formula 1, and he has also worked at a number of Media owners, including Sky and Fox, during his 17 years in the research industry.

Jake Pryszlak, Insight Manager at SailGP, is a 3-time award-winning market researcher and Insight Manager at SailGP. Jake has worked with some of the most well-known organisations in the world, including Google, AirBnB, Formula One and JP Morgan. Day to day, Jake helps SailGP understand its audience whilst helping cross-departmental decision-making using Insights.

And, of course, the panel included our CEO, Caroline McGuckian.

Here’s the full session that opened Event Tech Live 2022 :

 

Spatial analytics on the road

Sky has concluded the 2022 Sky Truck Tour with measurement partner Meshh, where the ​location-based intelligence and interaction specialist provided its analytics services from 1st August – 6th November 2022 to aid in evaluating the success of the campaign.

Jamie Baskerville, Retail Trading Lead, Sky, explains, “It is important for us to be able to see how our marketing campaigns influence consumer behaviour across the company, not just in direct relation to the campaign. The reports from Meshh will be used to measure the tour’s success and how these campaigns may drive awareness and foot traffic to our stores, particularly newer branches.”

During the four-month campaign, two Sky Tour Trucks, installed with a Meshh sensor, travelled across the UK and stopped at twenty locations where they promoted several offerings to the public, including Sky Glass and the recently launched, Sky Stream service. 

Jessica Pomfret, account director, Meshh, said, “The nature of our partnership with Sky allowed us to expand on the data we provided for this tour. Not only have we been able to provide key measurement metrics & ROI, but we have also been able to prove the effectiveness of their marketing strategy by running bespoke reports –  measuring the number of people exposed and engaged with the tour at any location and were subsequently seen in any of Sky’s shops.”

Composing the Metaverse

Our CEO, Caroline McGuckian and Jack Jacob, MD and founder of Partnership Network Events (PNE) joined Event Industry News podcast host James Dickson to take a look at all things Metaverse; is it real, does it have a purpose and how will it affect the live events industry?

During a wide-ranging conversation lasting 40 minutes Caroline, Jack and James covered everything from how the metaverse may be funded to sating the five senses and on to gaming, Metaverse gigs and the Queen’s funeral, underscored by the perennial question ‘what it could be good for’.

As both participants are strong advocates of face-to-face, in-person events, the conversation took some interesting turns.

See the full podcast here: