Eventbrite Survey Reveals Online Connections Fuel High School Reunions

SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - June 11, 2015) - Eventbrite, the global ticketing and events marketplace, today released findings from a new study that explores the motivation behind attending high school reunions. While social media allows for easy online connection, Eventbrite sees consistent demand for offline reunions of all kinds, with events in this category growing 34% year-over-year. The study, De-Classified: Why We Go to Our High School Reunion, polled more than 2,400 people who attended a class reunion ticketed on the self-service platform over the past year and reveals new insights around why alumni attend these milestone events and how social media plays an integral role. Key findings include:

Online Connections Fuel The Desire to Gather Offline
Although some believe social media connections to former classmates make reunions a thing of the past, 72% of respondents said attending reunions to reunite in real life is still relevant, despite increased interaction on social media. In fact, social media connections give people more confidence to attend their reunion: 47% of Facebook users said that being connected to former classmates online before the reunion made them feel more prepared to attend. The power of social media related to high school reunions doesn't end there; it fuels the connections made in-person with more than half (54%) sharing they added three or more classmates as Facebook friends after the reunion.

Stock the Bar and Bring Dancing Shoes, but Leave the Kids at Home
When asked about the ideal class reunion, an overwhelming majority (94%) of respondents said that an ideal class reunion serves alcohol. Dancing (67%), photos or videos from the past (89%), and former teachers in attendance (78%) were all additional elements that make for an ideal reunion event. Alumni also said they would rather not extend an invite to the kids with 84% preferring the event to be adults-only and 73% said the ideal reunion does not include speeches.

In terms of seasonality, people were divided on which time of the year is best for a class reunion: 54% said summer, 46% said fall. Respondents did agree on what time of day was ideal with 92% preferring a nighttime event.

That Post-Reunion Glow
For all the perceived anxiety that comes with attending a class reunion, only seven percent of respondents said they regret attending their reunion (93% don't regret attending) and three out of four (74%) said they'd like to attend the next upcoming class reunion. While only five percent of respondents reported that they were contacted by their high school after attending their reunion, 31% said they'd be interested in hearing from the school, 13% said they would consider donating, and 36% said they would consider returning to mentor current students, indicating an opportunity for high schools and booster clubs to recruit alumni volunteers and fundraise. For those attending multiple reunions, 48% said they would be willing to pay more for their class reunion ticket if they knew that some of the ticket price was a donation to their high school.

"High school reunions are emotional events. It's a chance to reminisce about special, and not so special, moments in our teenage years," said David Glasgow, head of family and education marketing at Eventbrite. "While social media is now ubiquitous, and people can stay in touch with former high school classmates online, we've found people still want to reunite in person. No amount of online connection can replace the feeling and importance of reuniting offline, and we see the proof of that in the increase of reunion events year-over-year on Eventbrite."

Reunions have the power to stir up a lot of feelings; it's a milestone occasion and an opportunity to reminisce about special moments, shared experiences, and bad fashion choices. Reminisce about your own high school days with Eventbrite's Throwback Machine and find out more about how to plan your class reunion with the Eventbrite Guide to Class Reunions.

About Eventbrite
Eventbrite is a global marketplace for live experiences that allows people to find and create events. With the Eventbrite platform, event organizers can plan, promote and sell tickets to events of all kinds -- from small photography and yoga classes to large-scale concerts and festivals with tens of thousands of attendees. Since 2006, the platform has processed over 200 million tickets and registrations worldwide, and in 2014 alone, Eventbrite processed $1.5 billion in gross ticket sales for attendees in more than 180 countries. Eventbrite's investors include Tiger Global, Sequoia Capital, T. Rowe Price, DAG Ventures, and Tenaya Capital. Learn more at www.eventbrite.com