, the Calabasas-based client entertainment management provider announced this week it would be rebranding as
.
The company — which rebranded from Spotlight Ticket Management (SpotlightTMS) to TicketManager in late-2014 — also officially introduced its InviteManager software, which allows companies to track client interactions via their mobile device.
“The name TicketManager absolutely reflected the business we were in, and that’s what a brand should do,” said Kevin Keenan, vice president of talent. “We believe the name InviteManager expands on the name TicketManager, but in a way where people can still relate to the company.”
Fresh off a $20 million Series B round in late-2015, the name change is indicative of the company's expansion to the client entertainment industry, which sees companies spend some $600 billion annually on anything from client dinners to an all expenses-paid trip to Spain.
“Taking somebody out for coffee sounds — on the surface — very innocuous, but really understanding what the value of that event is in an intuitive manner can really shape the way a company interacts with prospects," said Chief Marketing Officer James Kwon. "Essentially the experience boils down to three swipes on your mobile device.”
The company used a client meeting in August 2015 to walk clients through the product prototype. A beta version of InviteManager was released later in the year.
“We realized that we needed to be able to tell this story in a meaningful and clear way so that people would understand the company’s evolution, and not think that we’re changing our mind every year or so,” Kwon said.
Corporations purchase 123 million tickets annually for $20 billion, but a staggering 43 percent of all tickets go unused. Under the name TicketManager, the company provided clients with a platform for companies to manage the tickets they purchased so they could be doled out in a more efficient manner.
"We believe in the power of experience," said CEO Tony Knopp. "When people connect with their passion, there are no limits to what’s possible. At InviteManager, our mission is to make it easier to experience together. Spotlight Ticket Management was a great name, however it didn’t encompass what we are and what we want to be."
Prior to the rebrand, the company counted more than 4,000 customers, including American Express, AT&T and NBC Universal, as well as 60+ pro sports teams and venues as endorsing channel partners.
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