When location data gets it wrong
(and why that matters for your marketing)

Data plays a central role in marketing decisions, but it only works when you understand how it is collected and where its limits sit.

While managing ticket sales for the upcoming Warriors vs Manly Warringah Sea Eagles match at McLean Park, we noticed something in the location data that did not align with how high-performing event campaigns typically behave. Because ticket sales were tracking strongly overall, the anomaly stood out immediately.

This was not a case of underperformance. It was a case of knowing our numbers well enough to recognise when the data itself needed questioning.

What we noticed in the data

At first glance, performance was strong. Ticket sales were tracking well, engagement levels were consistent, and the audience profile aligned with expectations for a Hawke’s Bay-hosted sporting event.

However, one metric did not stack up.

Location reporting showed a notable volume of buyers appearing to come from Christchurch. Given the event location, local promotion, and historical behaviour, this did not stack up.

Rather than adjusting targeting or reallocating spend, we treated this as a data validation issue, not a performance issue. This is a key part of any effective digital marketing strategy.

Understanding how the data is generated

Platforms like Google Analytics determine user location using IP addresses. While this approach is widely used, it has limitations.

IP-based location data can be distorted by:

• Server and cloud infrastructure locations
• Mobile network routing
• VPN usage and corporate networks
• Internet service provider architecture

In this case, traffic originating in Hawke’s Bay was being routed through Christchurch-based servers. As a result, local buyers were being misclassified geographically. The data was technically correct, but misleading without context. This is why raw dashboards should always be interpreted through experienced analytics and reporting, not acted on in isolation.

Verifying the truth behind the numbers

To confirm what was actually happening, we reviewed an alternative dataset supplied by Ticketek that used customer account address information rather than IP location.

That data showed:

• Hawke’s Bay as the clear primary source of ticket buyers
• Christchurch volumes returning to expected levels
• No evidence of unexpected out-of-region demand

The campaign itself was performing exactly as planned. The issue was not buyer behaviour, but attribution logic.

Validating the data before making changes prevented unnecessary optimisation and protected campaign performance. This kind of oversight is critical when managing paid media campaigns for events, where timing, location, and momentum matter.

Why restraint matters in marketing

Had we reacted to the initial location report alone, it would have been easy to:

• Shift budget away from the core audience
• Rebuild targeting based on false assumptions
• Undermine a campaign that was already working

This is how well-intentioned marketing decisions quietly erode results. In this case, restraint was not hesitation. It was informed judgement.

Knowing when not to change a campaign is just as important as knowing when to optimise it.

What this says about how we work

We sell tickets. We do it often, and we do it at scale across a wide range of events.

That experience gives us a clear understanding of what good performance looks like, how audiences typically behave, and when something in the data does not add up. It also means we know when to trust the numbers and when to question them.

This combination of performance-driven execution and technical understanding is what underpins our approach to digital marketing management. Learn more about FizzyPop.

Need help driving performance without second-guessing your data?

When dashboards say a campaign is a success, but the business results say otherwise, something’s usually being missed in the data. Over-reliance on a single source, weak attribution, or a lack of experience interpreting performance can easily distort the real picture.

At FizzyPop, we help businesses and event organisers sell tickets, generate demand, and make confident marketing decisions backed by real understanding.

If you want a marketing partner who knows the numbers, understands the systems behind them, and avoids rash decisions based on fallible data, get in touch with our team today.