marketing analytics, the company identified a niche audience that was strongly correlated with the attendees at the Cavendish Beach Music Festival. The partnership gives the CBMF sponsorship money and a fun twist on the regular swag concerts generally give out, while ALC has exclusive access to a targeted focus group for new products, plus the goodwill acquired through alignment with the featured country stars. It’s a win-win situation. “we were setting up shows on the waterfront and in other places, but none were right. It became clear that what Prince Edward Island needed was a venue.” This year, Lotto MAX is distributing an exclusive lottery product designed just for CBMF attendees, which means for some lucky attendees the winning will extend to the audience.
music and television superstar - Blake Shelton and multiple Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year award winner - Kenny Chesney, along with many other amazing artists taking the stage over the three day event. Twenty-five percent of festival’s attendance is made up of Islanders, with the rest of the attendees coming from Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, New Bruns- wick, and farther. The number of so-called “long-haul” attendees grows every year, Squires notes, as the event gains more international recognition. The festival that Jeff Squires identified as the missing element needed to boost a slower period in PEI tourism has more than delivered. The Cavendish Beach Music Festival attendance is generally about 70,000 over the event. Just as partnerships matter to the festival, the festival seeks to be a great community partner, giving back over $1.5 million to local charities in Prince Edward Island over the years while driving millions into the economy since 2009. So we had to ask, which act is Squires most looking forward to seeing this year? “All of them,” he replies firmly. “It’s going to be a great show!”
This year’s line-up includes; The Band Perry, country
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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS • JULY 2016
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