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The PLUG-MI Community
The event
PLUG-MI is an annual festival in Italy dedicated to international street culture, conceived and promoted by the Milan-based agency Fandango Club Creators. Held at Superstudio Maxi in Milan, a 10,000 sq. meter private location for major events, conventions, and exhibitions, PLUG-MI gathers a community passionate about urban culture, with live exhibitions, DJ sets, workshops, and sports performances.
The 2024 edition, titled "THE REALNESS EDITION," took place on September 28-29 and showcases the latest trends in streetwear and sneakers, offering a space for enthusiasts to discover new brands, attend live performances, and participate in creative workshops. It also features gaming zones, live art installations, and special collaborations with influencers and major brands, making it a hub for youth culture and creativity. PLUG-MI aims to celebrate urban lifestyle and engage the community in a vibrant, interactive experience.
The need
Since the PLUG-MI event is held annually, Fandango Club recognized the need to create a platform where the event’s community could engage and interact year-round. Another key objective was to connect with followers and convert them into active members of the community, thus collecting first party data.
In addition to these goals, Fandango Club sought to offer a dozen sponsors in app visibility and the possibility to digitally engage with visitors.
The project
Abilitya served as the technological partner for Fandango Club during the organization of the 2024 event. They provided Fandango Club with the #be platform to create the Community PLUG MI app, as well as the Phygital Platform for managing phygital touchpoints.
Throughout the venue, various touchpoints equipped with QR codes generated by Abilitya’s platform were strategically placed: at the entrance cashier, on the central stage, and in select areas hosting special performances.
All participants received wristbands featuring the retail sponsor's branding and a QR code. Each touchpoint was programmed to deliver different content based on the event schedule to provide real-time information on live events, along with exclusive content and promotions.
At the cashiers of participating vendors, QR codes encouraged users to register for the opportunity to download discount codes.
The planning of touchpoints was made possible by the advanced features of Abilitya's Phygital Platform, which served as the "control room" for programming them. This setup enabled content to be adjusted based on the event schedule, with different campaigns launching every hour, all pre-programmed before the event began.
Abilitya was intrumental to build a digital business model for PLUG-MI 2024 while strengthening its community identity.
The Community App served as the central hub for the touchpoints, featuring social media-like content, including video stories, event information, and a detailed calendar of activities. In collaboration with the event staff, participants were regularly encouraged to engage with the touchpoints, enabling them to access specific app content that evolved over time and guided them through the event.
Key highlights of the event include:
15% of visitors eengaged with the QR codes, with the wristband QR code being the most popular.
All visitors interacted with the touchpoints multiple times.
The app featured advertising content or promotions from 9 sponsors throughout the 2-day event.
Abilitya contributed by:
Creating a dynamic digital version of the event, allowing users to explore workshops, DJ sets, and live performances.
Involving artists, collectors, and exhibitors to provide digital content for the community.
Promoting exclusive offers and discounts through the platforms to encourage interactions between users and sponsors.
Enabling the collection first-party data.