Iggli brings social climate of concerts, sporting events to Web
By Jean Spencer Camera Staff Writer
Monday, July 6, 2009
Photo by Mark Leffingwell
In 2007, Tom Higley founded iggli, an online, friend-to-friend communication network specifically designed to provide entertainment industry enthusiasts a forum for communicating about upcoming events and shows.
The idea, Higley said, is to bring the social-nature of concerts to an online medium.
“Concerts, live music and sporting events are social,” Higley said. “People want to go with their friends. In fact, sometimes it matters more who is going to the concert than who is actually playing.”
One click of the iggli widget — which lies embedded on ticket sales, venues and promoters’ web pages — allows users instant access to see upcoming shows, buy tickets and invite their friends to events through e-mail or linking to preferred social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter. The button is a green square with three horizontal white dots.
Higley said the iggli widget eliminates the nightmare of logistics fans must coordinate when attending a show by providing a “one-stop shop” for ticket purchases and schedule coordination.
Fans can track events, post comments, coordinate concert schedules and communicate about up-and-coming shows, Higley said.
“You no longer have to call all your friends to see who will buy the tickets and who is going or not going,” Higley said. “You can go to one spot and see it all.”
The widget benefits business partners — typically ticketing sites, venues, promoters or sports teams — by generating more awareness of events and making ticket sales easier for customers.
Boulder’s Fox Theatre and Boulder Theater already use the service. Sarah Coffield, publicist at the Boulder Theater, said it has “definitely boosted sales.”
“It’s been a great value and asset to the theater,” said Collier, adding that she’s seen fans from 14- to 60-years-old learn to use the system.
Iggli recently announced that Grammy nominated singer-songwriter Jason Mraz will be the first artist to implement the service.
The green widget is now integrated into Mraz’s official Web site in time to support his summer 2009 Gratitude Café Tour.
This follows a May announcement that Bill Silva Entertainment, Mraz’s management company that also manages James Morrison, Robert Francis and Vices, would integrate the invite service to all of its sites.
Ryan Chisholm, a manager at Bill Silva Entertainment, said he is excited about the possibilities that the iggli widget will provide for Mraz’s fans.
“Jason’s fans are very devoted,” he said, adding the iggli widget is the “perfect model for fans to really get involved and eventually drive ticket sales.”
Higley, who has successfully started up five other technology companies in recent years, hopes the iggli widget becomes an iconic symbol, plugged into every ticket sale, venue and artist page found on the Web.
“It’s just the beginning,” he said. “I expect to see that button everywhere you go to buy tickets soon.”
E.W. Scripps Co.
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