Cannes Lions Festival app will use iBeacons to let attendees network
Like it did for SXSW, Tribeca Film Festival, and the Olympic Games, event app platform Eventbase will be in charge of rolling out iBeacons at the upcoming Cannes Lions 2014 Festival that will provide attendees with unique features via the event’s official iOS app. This time around, rather than speeding up check-ins or interactive audience features, the company is allowing attendees to network with an “Around Me” feature in the event’s app that displays nearby attendees using iBeacons. The festival is the same one that Apple’s Jony Ive and Bono will appear at on June 21 for a rare interview about the (RED) charity organization.
The feature will integrate with LinkedIn profiles and allow attendees to send messages and connect instantly if they’ve opted in. The app will also be sending out other targeted notifications using iBeacons:
Eventbase co-founder Jeff Sinclair says the Cannes Lions app combines the power of iBeacon technology with tight LinkedIn integration to allow attendees to see who is around them, read their profile and immediately reach out to them through the app… “We’re excited to be pioneering the use of iBeacon technology for attendee-to-attendee networking,” says Sinclair. “The ability to find out more about the people around you and instantly connect has the potential to transform the event experience entirely.” Eventbase is partnering with mobile relationship management platform Urban Airship to deliver highly targeted and relevant messages via iBeacon-triggered push notifications to attendees during the event, including those visiting the festival’s Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) Tent — a showcase for mobile, creativity and marketing innovation.
Last week Apple introduced some new features that it hopes will improve the iBeacon experience including indoor mapping features coming for developers in iOS 8. The company explained the new indoor navigation and indoor positioning features will make for an even richer iBeacon experience by allowing, for example, event spaces to guide users to iBeacon-powered exhibits using the indoor location features.