Digital Artefact – NFTickets

Alongside 3 classmates, Kyle, James and Lou, we came up with the idea for our digital innovation to be NFTs (non-fungible tokens), to take the form of tickets with NFC (near-field communication) technology, to replace the modern use of barcoded tickets. We called it, NFTickets. The motivation behind this idea stemmed from the high risks surrounding the scalping and scamming of tickets amongst the industry currently (Purtill 2017). 

Embracing the technology of Web 3.0, the idea that only one person can own an NFT and the information of who owns that virtual token is stored within its blockchain, seemed like a no-brainer to implement it into a useful physical format, combatting a problem that is common and unethical in an economic crisis, following a COVID-19 locked-down world. Our innovation also will help aid the issue of negative opinions surrounding NFTs. According to developer Tidio, 82% of Gen Z individuals believe that NFTs are a scam (Stefanowicz 2023).

In the digital artefact (DA) I made outlining what NFTickets is for, I filmed and edited with Gen Z in mind. My humour being alike, I found fairly easy to find what would connect with an audience that hasn’t warmed up to the idea of NFTs. By promoting the in-person capabilities of NFTs, the concept may receive more positive embrace from potential consumers. The issue of ticket scalping and scamming is at a high relevance to younger audiences. A group that is mostly online, and have had years of our young lives stripped away from us due to from COVID-19, we want to get out and experience those events in-person, and when demand is so high, some consumers become desperate to see that one artist they hold dearest to their heart. 

Short-form videos are argued to be the best way to grab younger generations attention when sharing content (Colormatics 2022). That is why I chose the 60 second YouTube video format with sound effects and graphics as the best route of execution for this project, as that is the demographic that is interested in events the most (Fahey 2023) and finds short content the most engaging. The use of sound effects and graphics are common features seen in short-form content, as to continuously re-engage the viewer. It is for the same reasoning that I used the example of scalpers reselling tickets to Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’ at outrageously high prices. Swift being one of the world’s most well-known performers and popular amongst younger generations, it’s an example that can draw relatability from the intended audience. 

A core value of the innovation that is highlighted in the DA is security, something that the current state of the industry is lacking. I wanted to convey that idea, ensuring legitimacy of tickets of all users. In 2018, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) received over 1,000 complaints summing over $380,000 scammed from consumers trying to obtain tickets to events (Amin 2019). The overall aim of the innovation is to benefit both the industry and its consumers, by providing a more streamlined system with customer satisfaction in mind, ease of access to events through our platform is beneficial to the respective parties.

References:

Amin, M 2019, ‘ACCC warns against scammers targeting buyers of sold-out concert tickets on social media’, ABC News, 11^th January, viewed 29^th May 2023, <https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-11/accc-warns-as-concert-ticket-scammers-target-social-media-pages/10706000&gt;.

Fahey, J 2023, Online Event Ticket Sales in Australia, Australian Specialized Industry Report, no. OD4104, IBISWorld, viewed on 29^th May 2023, <https://my-ibisworld-com.ezproxy.uow.edu.au/au/en/industry-specialized/od4104/products-and-markets&gt;.

Marcus, C 2022, How to Grab Gen Z’s Attention Span in 8 Seconds or Less, Colormatics, viewed 29^th May 2023, <https://www.colormatics.com/article/gen-z-attention-span/#&gt;.

Purtill, J 2017, ‘How big acts got so expensive: A ticket scalper explains the rip-off’, Name of triple j Hack, 10^th March, viewed 29^th May 2023, <https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/a-ticket-scalper-explains-the-rip-off/8344484&gt;.

Stefanowicz, B 2023, News & Trends of 2021. What Should We Expect In 2022?, Tidio, viewed 29^th May 2023, <https://www.tidio.com/blog/2021-trends/&gt;.