Brand Activation at Music Festivals: How to Stand Out and Create an Immersive Experience

As music festivals regain popularity, brands should take advantage of this as an opportunity to engage and interact with customers face-to-face. Experiential marketing is going to play a big role in brand activations at music festivals. 

Currently, the hype for music events and music festivals is at an all-time high. After being forced to go on hiatus because of the global pandemic, now the industry is blazing back and people are getting highly enthusiastic. Besides starting to live up to its pre-pandemic glory, the industry of music festivals is also predicted to grow immensely. Statista estimates that Asian music events will have a user penetration of 2.3% in 2023.

This music festival’s comeback moment is a wonderful opportunity for brands to connect and engage with festival-goers. Because as we all know, music festivals can attract hundreds, even thousands of people. Also, FTP points out that festival-goers don't only come to see live performances, but they also come for the whole immersive festival experience. Therefore, brands should aim to create a participatory and interactive experience before, during, and after the event. 

Brand Activation at Music Festivals

To build a genuine connection with your brand’s audience and potential customers at music festivals, you can do designated brand activations. Brand activations are a part of a marketing campaign that is critical for building a buzz around a brand. Especially when there are newly released products or a new company. 

According to Tweak Your Biz, the majority of consumers prefer brands that partner with music events. This means that customers will be more likely to become part of the brand. In this age of digitalization, customers expect and desire a real-life experience to engage more with a brand. That is why Eventbrite recommends brands use experiential marketing strategies for brand activations at music festivals. It will be more authentic and memorable. 

Hosting Experiential Marketing Activations at Music Festivals

Unlike the usual experiential marketing activations, at music events and music festivals, the experience has to be highly immersive and captivating. Dio USA notes that any experience must be designed to be beneficial for the target audience. This will help them get a clear picture of how brands become a part of their lifestyle. Be Core adds that marketers need to focus on the main passion of the brand and integrate it throughout the entire festival experience. 

A lot of creative and innovative ideas are needed to make the brand stand out and not get lost in the crowd of music festivals. There are several tips on how to apply experiential marketing strategies at music events and music festivals in order to stand out from the competition. 

Do Thorough Research

Before doing everything else, it will be better if you have a complete data background about potential music festivals. In the beginning, you can consider which festivals are most compatible with your brand. Start with the festival goals, what interests the festival caters to, the festival’s audience demographic, and even better if you can dig into the event history and tie it to your brand activation strategy. It will make people relate more emotionally to your campaign.  

Create a Unique and Attention-Grabbing Experience

Once you secure a place for your brand at a music event or a music festival, start brainstorming the experience you want to provide. Additionally, there will be a lot of competition, as other brands are also trying to attract festival-goers. ATN recommends that you create a popular space or activity that helps your brand stand out, sparks a buzz, and makes people feel FOMO (fear of missing out). This will pique the festival-goer’s curiosity and create a greater chance that they will check out your activation experience. 

Make It Exclusive and Memorable

Besides creating a buzz, you also need to give festival-goers something exclusive and valuable to make your brand more memorable. Consider providing the basic needs festival-goers desire, such as exclusive access to wifi connection, a place to rest and recharge, food, drinks, and entertainment. It is better to engage as many senses as you can. 

Alternatively, pair the experience with a take-home item so it will not be a one-off activity. Give festival-goers freebies that are not only related to your brand, but also to the whole event or festival experience. It could be something personalized, or something that festival-goers can actually use. 

Don’t Forget to Utilize Social Media

If you have followed the previous tips, you can proceed straight to this point. According to Eventbrite, 81% of festival-goers are active on social media during their time at events. You can utilize this to drive engagement on your brand’s social media as well. You and your team must create shareable opportunities during the activation. Utilize hashtags and filters, or use social media posts as a requirement for festival attendees to enjoy the experience your brand provides. 

If this works out, it will benefit your brand. By having people share their experience with your brand, you can reach a wider audience; people that aren’t present at the event. Moreover, if the content is relevant and resonates with your current social media audience, it will drive brand loyalty. 

Get the Proper Representation of the Brand 

Hosting experiential marketing at music festivals is a huge opportunity to make impressions and connect with many potential audiences in a short amount of time. This is why brands have to give it all to impress festival-goers. One of the most critical aspects is having the right people to represent your brand. 

Pick a team that aligns with your brand and audience, and also has a deep understanding of the festival. Additionally, you can leverage your investments by working with relevant KOLs and having them interact with your customers. 

Eventually, the team you work with at experiential activations at music festivals will determine the visibility and credibility of your brand and also determine the way festival-goers perceive the experience you provide. Make sure everything turns out authentic, meaningful, and memorable. 

Also Read:  Customers are Craving for Brand Experience, Experiential Marketing is the Answer