ACTORS
One geo-targeted email connected ACTORS with hundreds of fans across Europe at a fraction of the cost of paid social. The result: a packed tour and proof that direct fan messaging outperforms ads every time.
Published: December 3, 2025 | 4 min read
ACTORS needed to promote their European tour without spending heavily on paid social media advertising. Using OnPitch's geo-targeting capabilities, they sent a single targeted email campaign to their European fanbase, reaching the right audience at the right time with unprecedented efficiency.
Background
ACTORS, a Vancouver dark-wave quartet, have nurtured a permission-based list since 2018 through QR codes at shows, Bandcamp checkout capture, and opt-in forms on social media. Over time, this created a clean, high-intent database of true fans spread across Europe and North America. Using OnPitch's radius filter, the band segmented their audience by city and sent a single geo-targeted email exactly seven days before each spring 2025 tour stop. The result was a highly efficient campaign that reached verified fans in the right place at the right time without relying on paid social promotion.
In Practice
Email sent to Valencia fans.
Engagement Results
City-by-city email performance across European tour.
| Time Period | Opens | Sends | Engagement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bucharest | 2 | 3 | 66% |
| Athens | 4 | 12 | 33% |
| Münster | 54 | 160 | 34% |
| London | 70 | 171 | 41% |
| Liège | 25 | 57 | 44% |
| Hamburg | 8 | 31 | 25% |
| Berlin | 9 | 19 | 50% |
| Dresden | 4 | 25 | 17% |
| Winterthur | 8 | 19 | 39% |
| Munich | 22 | 30 | 74% |
| Turin | 6 | 10 | 60% |
| Marseille | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Barcelona | 11 | 17 | 63% |
| Valencia | 5 | 12 | 43% |
| Paris | 9 | 26 | 35% |
| Lille | 18 | 16 | 110%* |
| Brussels | 29 | 32 | 90% |
*Open rates above 100% indicate fans reopened messages multiple times. Automatic radius filters made city-by-city targeting effortless.
Cost Comparison
Cost comparison with traditional social media advertising channels.
| Channel | Unit Cost | Spend / Volume | Cost / Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| OnPitch Email | $0.008 per send (pay-as-you-go) | $7.50 | $0.03 |
| Facebook / Instagram CPC | Avg $0.58 – $0.77 per click | $165 – $218 | $0.58 – $0.77 |
| Facebook CPM (Europe) | ≈ $8.96 per 1,000 impressions | $254* | $1.00 |
Result: OnPitch delivered verified European fans at $0.03 per contact, 19–33× cheaper than paid social ads with better targeting.
“I got an email and now I'm at an ACTORS concert. The future isn't so bad after all.”
@enkicarbone3769
- YouTube (London show)
Why It Worked
Simple mechanics, high intent, and fully owned fan data.
Owned data beats algorithms
Every address belonged to a self-identified fan.
Geo-timing drives relevance
Segment by location and timing ('geo + one-week-out') to maximize relevance with fans in the right place at the right time.
List hygiene lifts metrics
Regular bounce removal keeps opens 8-10 points above broad benchmarks.
Owned data beats algorithms
Every address belonged to a self-identified fan.
Geo-timing drives relevance
Segment by location and timing ('geo + one-week-out') to maximize relevance with fans in the right place at the right time.
List hygiene lifts metrics
Regular bounce removal keeps opens 8-10 points above broad benchmarks.
Takeaways
Key lessons for building a verified fan list without ads.
Automatic radius filters
Select city, click send.
Transparent cost preview
See SMS segments, MMS, and email charges up front.
Pay-as-you-go pricing
$10 monthly platform fee, then usage-based messaging (emails from $0.008 per send, SMS from $0.038 per segment) so non-tour months stay nearly cost-free.
Automatic radius filters
Select city, click send.
Transparent cost preview
See SMS segments, MMS, and email charges up front.
Pay-as-you-go pricing
$10 monthly platform fee, then usage-based messaging (emails from $0.008 per send, SMS from $0.038 per segment) so non-tour months stay nearly cost-free.
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