News

Turning On Christmas Lights Drives More Sales Than A Number One

• 16th Nov 2012

Turning on Christmas lights drives more ticket sales for a singer than a number 1, according to ticket marketplace Seatwave (link).

Searches for tickets to see Robbie Williams in concert doubled the day he turned on the Christmas lights in London’s Oxford Street. However, demand for tickets only increased by 30% after he hit both number 1 in the singles and album charts.

Seatwave saw demand quadruple when Taylor Swift turned on the Christmas lights at Westfield shopping centre in west London, dwarfing the 60% increase when her album ‘Red’ reached number 1 in October. The trend was also seen when The Wanted switched on the Manchester Christmas lights causing demand to double, compared to their summer number 1 only causing a 70% increase in ticket searches on the site.

Louise Mullock, spokesperson for Seatwave, said: “Christmas certainly comes early for stars who turn on Christmas lights. The increase in searches for tickets to their shows is quite surprising, so much so that it can outstrip the demand we see when they get a number 1 single or album.

One explanation is that concert tickets make good Christmas presents, so when a star turns on Christmas lights they are getting publicity at exactly the right time.”