The Challenge: Reaching On-Site Fans in Real Time

When thousands of passionate rock fans descend on Wisconsin’s RockFest, the energy is electric and the logistics are intense. If you’ve been, you know the experience; all weekend long, crowds of fans camped near the radio booth, asking the same questions:
“Do you have backstage passes yet?”
“Which bands?”
“When will you know?”

For Mid-West Family Broadcasting’s WRQT (95-7 The Rock)  and WECL (92.9 FM, The X), this normally frustrating festival challenge was a huge opportunity to build a deeper connection with their audience. 

Traditionally, the constant back-and-forth question drain staff energy and kept fans from enjoying the festival they came to experience.

“There’s no good way to communicate with just the people who are our fans at the event quickly.”  — Brian Jackson, GM, Mid‑West Family La Crosse

Tools like email or social posts couldn’t target just those on the festival grounds. The stations needed a fast, mobile-first engagement strategy that could deliver instant updates to their most active listeners.

The Solution: Event Push Alerts That Let Fans Enjoy the Show

Using their Futuri Mobile apps, Mid-West Family Broadcasting created an event-specific mobile campaign that changed everything.

Here’s how their radio mobile app strategy worked:

• Custom Push Notifications:
  WRQT and WECL added a RockFest Updates channel inside their Futuri Mobile apps. Attendees could opt in to receive exclusive alerts about meet-and-greets, giveaways, and backstage passes.
• Frictionless QR Codes:
  Futuri provided scannable QR codes that worked on any device, leading users directly to the correct app store for their device. The team posted these codes around the venue and at their booth for instant access.
• Clear Value for Fans:
  The staff told attendees, “Subscribe to RockFest Updates and we’ll send a push notification when we get passes. No need to wait here. Go enjoy the show!”

By shifting to a direct, first-party communication channel, Mid-West Family gave festivalgoers the freedom and peace of mind they needed, while also boosting app engagement across both stations.

The Results: Fast Growth, Smoother Ops, Happier Fans

The RockFest campaign proved how quickly a smart mobile engagement strategy delivers tangible results.

WRQT (La Crosse):

• +209% app downloads 
• 7,200 app sessions

WECL (Eau Claire):

• +2,175% app downloads 
• 3x app sessions 

The numbers are only one part of the success story.

• Fans Got Their Time Back:
  Festival attendees could fully enjoy the event without fear of missing VIP opportunities.
• Staff Reduced Stress:
  The booth teams could focus on meaningful conversations instead of repetitive updates.
• Real-Time Connection:
  When passes arrived, one push notification reached every opted-in fan instantly.

“This was very intrusive, in a good way. It’s an alert on their phone. They’re not checking email all weekend.” — Brian Jackson, GM, Mid‑West Family La Crosse

Audience Response: Simple, Smart, and Adopted Instantly

Fans responded with enthusiasm. QR adoption was smooth thanks to their familiarity with scanning menus and tickets post-pandemic. The campaign also demonstrated how an intuitive, user-friendly mobile app experience builds trust and loyalty when executed with clarity and ease.

Expansion: From One Festival to a Company-Wide Strategy

After RockFest, the success story spread fast. Mid-West Family quickly rolled out similar mobile audience engagement strategies for another large-scale event and plans to continue to do so for future events and promotions.

“I know for a fact we’re going to use this again. We already did something similar at the dairy expo. It crossed over perfectly!”  — JFK Timm, Mid-West Family Group Digital Content Manager & Director of Analytics, Data, and Activation

This momentum has inspired the company to make the Futuri Mobile app a core part of its live event playbook across markets.

Why It Worked

• Captive Audience: Reached fans at peak excitement moments.
• Instant Value Exchange: Fans opted in for a clear, exclusive benefit.
• Operational Relief: Reduced booth chaos and staff burnout.
• Effortless Access: QR codes eliminated barriers to participation.
• Targeted Messaging: Only on-site fans received notifications. No overreach, no noise.

The Bigger Win: First‑Party Relationships They Own

Beyond short-term gains, the real advantage was strategic. Each new download represented a first-party listener connection, a direct communication channel that bypasses algorithms, third-party platforms, and social media clutter.

“It let us talk to the right people at the right time and gave them a great reason to keep our app installed.”   — Brian Jackson, GM, Mid‑West Family La Crosse

Those app installs now fuel Mid-West Family’s broader audience engagement and mobile revenue strategy year-round.

Conclusion: From Live Events to Lifelong Listeners

Mid-West Family’s RockFest initiative proves that broadcasters can turn a live event into a digital relationship engine. With Futuri Mobile, stations can:

• Drive app downloads with meaningful, exclusive content.
• Use push notifications to build excitement and trust.
• Create new monetization opportunities through sponsorships and ads.
• Strengthen first-party audience data for long-term ROI.

Use events to grow durable mobile reach. Identify the on‑site pain point, offer immediate value, remove friction, and keep alerts relevant to those who opt in.

See how Futuri Mobile drives on‑site engagement, first‑party data, and post‑event retention.

Request a quick demo. We’ll tailor the playbook to your format, market, and calendar.