Hi, I'm Cally Willoughby-Ward, and I'm the Marketing & Communications Advisory Board Member at Different Breed.
What's your role at Different Breed, and how does it make live events more inclusive?
I'm on the Board of Advisors at Different Breed, bringing over 20 years' of Marketing and Communications experience in the industry, from Sport and Music to Big Brand and Venues. Live experiences (events) are very emotive and important for everyone - the teams which build them and the people who experience them; it's critical that we put Inclusion at the heart of every single one of those experiences.
Having led strategy (and teams) on announcements, crisis comms, customer service, web and social content, values, plus working with Ticketing on Routes To Market and Partnerships to ensure events are both meaningful and full of commercial opportunities (Inclusion and Commercial are not mutually exclusive), I know first-hand how damaging it can be for a brand and customer journey, if we don't have an Inclusion Strategy as part of the initial decision making and campaign infrastructure.
By focusing on B2B2C strategy, I hope to support the team as we identify new opportunities as well as optimise and sharpen consumer touchpoints within the wider ecosystem - with a very consumer-centric and customer-centric approach.
Which part of Craig's vision speaks to you, and how does it shape your day-to-day?
From my initial conversation with Craig, a couple of years ago, it was refreshing to hear a vision, from a brilliant (and witty) human who needs this technology the most - you don't get more authentic than that. I immediately kicked myself that this hadn't been thought about on every single event and experience I had worked on, we hadn't included many people or facilitated their individual needs and that needs to improve.
This is not a tick box, it's an essential purpose for all. I am passionate about striving to do better by every single human who wants to enjoy their live experience.
What recent project or partnership taught you something new about accessibility?
Working in Golf certainly puts Partners (Sponsors) and their values at the fore when it comes to MarComms and New Business. Many major title sponsors, partners and principle venues have Inclusion woven into every deal, discussion and metric which is paramount for future growth and meaningful experiences.
Changing the way we approach our thinking, strategy and delivery because of priorities, successes and cultural drivers ensures this type of technology is essential and set up for success, it isn't an after-thought. I have seen first hand how this helps when it comes to communication from the start of a customer's journey and not at resolution stage, this strategic thinking and data-driven guidance means a positive experience and a reduction in negative support cases - a MarComms person's dream is that customers have the best time and don't complain, plus word of mouth and brand health are all positive.
If every venue did one thing tomorrow to improve access, what would it be and why?
Be more fan-centric and invest in training and technology. If colleagues aren't resourced to help all fans and only have stock answers or one-size-fits-all information then it's ironically not inclusive at all. Educating on the variety of disabilities beyond wheelchairs, improving external and internal communication and finding solutions like Different Breed to equip fans and teams are the things which make a big difference. Consumer journeys can be long or short depending on whether it's a positive or negative one - if they hear about something but can't access it or feel empowered, they aren't coming. We are in the emotions and experience business, we should endeavour to empower everyone.
Which feature or workflow are you most proud of, and what problem does it solve for disabled fans?
When I worked on Sundown Festival, we had to focus harder and smarter on all communication leading up to the event because it was many people's first time experiencing a festival. This spanned safety, quiet zones, what to pack, what to see and do beyond the music on stage, what's available, what is and is not included in the ticket, making the site map interactive by using better app technology and coming up with innovative ways to ensure all messaging was meaningful (and useful) for a young audience as well as reassure parents.
All of this upfront information certainly made more people feel empowered to make a decision and help optimise their experience, but this was many years ago and I wish we had had the benefit of Different Breed's technology, because that would have been a game-changer.
Favourite gig: what made it unforgettable?
Having worked in live music and sport, I have been so lucky to enjoy many experiences and nothing is more cathartic than to see thousands of people connected and enjoying an experience from the Main stage after a long (stressful) event campaign and run-in. To name a few; side of stage for Elton at Blenheim, standing on the same stage as Dizzee Rascal at The O2 to take a 360 photo and seeing so many fans going “Bonkers”, to Prodigy at Ally Pally and Skunk Anansie at Brixton.
As a fan, seeing England Women lift the World Cup trophy at Twickenham last year (as an ex rugby player) was an unbelievable euphoria, enhanced by the fact I hot-footed it over to Wembley and enjoyed the Oasis reunion - a day I'll never forget. Glasto never fails to deliver - Arcadia and the Rabbit Hole are always fun, memories made and friendships formed for life.
As an aside, I enjoy seeing sport put on experiences beyond the pitch, with music and Fan Zones (I've been involved in a few too) and this is great, there's so much more to do to make these accessible and give fans the opportunity to maximise their ticket and time at the event.
What's the best accessibility innovation you've seen at an event you've attended?
It sounds small, but I was blown away to see the sign language interpreter rock out at a recent Skunk Anansie concert - it was brilliant and there were more people in the audience who got to enjoy the gig because of it - that's how important inclusion is.
Who would you drop everything to see live, and what's your dream venue?
I would have dropped everything to see Tina Turner live, but unfortunately that's not to be.
I am a bit of a classics geek, so my dream venue would be an amphitheatre or ancient building designed for the original acoustics and live experiences - epic!
Do you have any hobbies outside of live events?
I am an ex rugby player and powerboat racer, so I like to keep fit and socialise with my former team mates. I also used to coach rugby to kids and would like to get back into that.
At the moment, my time is taken up by my two-year-old daughter, two chaotic but loving dogs (a Frenchie and a rescue lab) and four chickens - it seems the antithesis of my former rock and roll life, but it's very wholesome and full of fresh air which is a welcome change of pace and focus.
Lightning round: big gig or small venue?, access pet peeve? and one tip for first-time attendees?
- Small venue - intimate, fun, feels safe and you can use the loo without missing out or queuing for as long!
- Prioritising quick, fast sales to those who don't have access requirements and then thinking about accessibility as an after-thought if there are any tickets left to sell or seats to fill - have it as part of your original strategy.
- If there's a fan guide, get it and read it (hopefully it serves the information in a good way from a fan-first approach), it can really help and sometimes be less frustrating than asking someone who doesn't know the answer.