THE IMS CO-FOUNDER AND GRAPHITE MEDIA BOSS CASTS HIS EYE OVER AN EVER CHANGING IBIZA…
Interview by Dan Prince
What are your predictions for the future with how technology will benefit / improve promotion / ticketing in Ibiza?
On the one hand, we’ve moved on incredibly. On the other, we’re still using old-school promoting methods – just married to modern technological developments and behavioural patterns. I think Ibiza has been stuck in the dark ages when it comes to promoting and has hardly moved on at all, but I sense a huge sea-change once mobile roaming charges are dropped. The island still has a terrible wi-fi problem which even people who pay the top rates, on the most advanced smart-phones, can’t comprehend or decipher. But once roaming charges go and connectivity improves, online ticket sales will rocket, pre-sales will increase dramatically, online booking of VIP tables will explode and suddenly Ibiza will be in line with capitals of culture around the world.
Is Ibiza still an attractive territory for big money brands to invest / associate with?
There are more brands spending money on the island than ever before. The brand world has changed though and mostly the brands we see on the island now are activating their own initiatives. There was a time when Ballentines sponsored Cream for a season; when T-Mobile sponsored Cocoon for a season; that brands felt you could attract people’s attentions whilst they were on holiday as they had time to absorb what’s around them on beaches, club queues, print media on the island etc. But I think when the island turned from 1 to 2 week clubbing holidaymakers to the Easyjet generation, it all changed… People flew in for two nights, or 24 hours, and barely had a minute to sleep let alone absorb the cleverly thought-out marketing campaign of a brand. We’ve seen in a wider context around music that increasingly brands want to invest in their own message, not ride on the coat-tails of somebody else’s agenda or mission. As a result, pop-ups like the Absolut series at Underground and Corona Sunsets are examples of brand-owned ideas and concepts. Ibiza despite the changing demographic, will remain an important focus but do expect to see more high-end brands here than those focused on the lower spenders. It’s a given…
Are promoter politics killing the island?
Promoter politics have been fueling the island since the 1980s and probably before. I wouldn’t say they are killing the island. We used to say that in 1995 when promoters actually stabbed rivals in San Antonio, or people were roughed up anonymously. I think we’ve actually moved on a lot since then! The competition is intense, aggressive, but it moves the market, not necessarily in the most pleasant of ways. I think what kills the island is the protection and dominance of the big seven club venues who try to strangle creativity in allowing the underground and innovative events and ideas to grow. Anything that goes on after midnight is deemed a threat – but people wont be forced to attend clubs. There is a wave of people who love the aesthetic and the culture of this music who want to be in galleries, warehouses, party under the stars, and we need these people in Ibiza. They are fueling the full eco-system. We tried to promote an event here many years ago and one venue owner locked thousands of our tickets in a safe to make sure they couldn’t even reach the market. That’s what you are still up against if you want to do something different!
Do you think the relationship between the government and the clubs is changing in Ibiza?
It needs attention and care. IMS has tried to build that bridge over the years to a degree of success but its not enough. I’ve said before I welcome clubs closing on a high, at a time when people are still raging not dragging, but also because im embarrassed to see flashpoints of families taking kids to school and people driving erratically on the roads. It’s a flashpoint we all need to avoid. If that sounds like killing the culture of Ibiza, I’d rather that than killing children. Ibiza has to co-exist with everything that makes the island circulate all year round. The government need to listen to us more as we see what the world thinks about Ibiza – sadly they often don’t.
Will Ibiza still be a clubbers paradise in 2026 or do you think it is heading towards becoming simply a holiday destination?
I am obsessed with Mykonos. Its my salvation from Ibiza in August. But I left Mykonos thinking how unique Ibiza is. There is a tolerance of the music, and an acceptance and universal language with the music lovers of Ibiza. There is an appreciation for the music on the island which is not found anywhere else. Not in Vegas. Not in Miami. Not in Mykonos. I love this music and I love that people accept this music. Ibiza is the only culture alongside maybe Berlin where music is the language.
And finally – was it just easier to fill your clubs back in the day?!?!?!?
It’s never easy to fill any event. Conference; festival; club. Just be unique and know your audience. And talk to them in their language, in their way of communicating.
Dan Prince is Music Editor at Ushuaïa’s IUMAG, Ibiza’s No.1 music and lifestyle magazine in Ibiza where this interview appeared in the September issue
