Case Study: London Olympics achieves streamlined event logistics and boosted fan engagement with Airship

At the Olympics, Location Is Essential To Logistics and Great Experiences

Urban Airship helped London 2012 organizers tackle the immense logistics and engagement challenge of a global, multi-venue event: how to guide millions of spectators, manage crowds and transport, and deliver timely, relevant content that would deepen fan participation. Organizers needed a one-stop, location-aware source for maps, event listings and alerts that could also spur active participation in Olympic campaigns.

The solution was the location‑aware "Join In" app (developed by Xomo with Urban Airship’s push and geolocation), which delivered venue maps, 40,000+ event listings, live transit alerts, Torch Tracker routes, check‑ins and geo‑targeted pushes (including stadium‑only and opening‑ceremony souvenirs). Results included a 10x higher response rate than email, 60% opt‑in for location tracking, 60% push open rates, hundreds of thousands of engaged users, reduced customer service load, a 4.5‑star average app rating and a “Best Consumer Mobile App” award.

London Olympics