Sponsorship spending on music tours, festivals, and venues is outpacing any other industry, totalling $1.47 billion dollars in 2016. But if brands aren鈥檛 spending that cash to build activations that fans love, that鈥檚 money wasted 鈥� and fans鈥� expectations are rising, fast.
So, how can music festivals make sure their activations are authentic for both the event and brand? The buzz word of 2017: experiential marketing.
Experiential marketing is all about crafting a memorable consumer experience. When it comes to experiential activations at festivals, the goal is to enhance the fan experience and add a new dimension to festivals.
Here are two ways brands are embracing experiential activations at festivals.
Festival activations are a new way to engage your attendees. [Image via Twenty20]
Experiential activation #1: Hands-on art installations
鈥淎rt is a fundamental part of our experience every day,鈥� says Chad Issaq, head of sponsorships at event and marketing agency . 鈥淭echnology impacts your brain, but your entire body is moved by art.鈥�
For festivals, art-centric experiential activations are more and more common, usually in the form of interactive art installations.
鈥淲e see brands as the new patrons of the arts.鈥� 鈥� Ben Cooper, Hfour Design Studio
鈥淭he value that brands are getting from sponsoring art installations is a wider reach and exposure,鈥� Cooper says. 鈥淭raditional advertising isn鈥檛 as effective anymore, so giving people experiences is the new way of advertising.鈥�
Ben Cooper, the creative director and partner at , has worked on a number of technology-driven art experiences at festivals. One of his favourite festival activations allows fans to speak into a microphone and see their voice in lights. For venues, experiential activations can take a slightly different form.聽
Beim worked on an activation at clubs for Absolut Vodka, creating a sculptural piece with the liquor bottles. Fans could put their finger on the centre, and the sculpture would light up to the beat of their heart.
To make sure these activations ring true to fans, indulge your audience鈥檚 curiosity and playfulness.
Why fans love it: 鈥淧eople are curious and playful, and in the last ten years we鈥檝e been so focused on new tech and media, that we haven鈥檛 paid attention to the full person,鈥� Alex Beim, creative director at , says. 鈥淲e are creatures moving through space, and you can really engage people with their senses. Brands can make a real impact just by understanding this.鈥�
Why brands love it: 鈥淗ands-on experiential events tend to give greater engagement. It鈥檚 the main reason why brands are spending more in this area,鈥� says Mat Thomas, the founder of , a mobile rewards platform for concerts and live events. 鈥淭hey might cost more, but the fans are more active. People are used to free things 鈥� now it鈥檚 about how you can engage in a two-way interaction.鈥�
Experiential activation #2: Extending the experience with technology
Sponsor interest in live streaming and VR is growing 鈥� and is more connected to the experiential trend than you may think. After all, both technologies are about extending the festival experience 鈥� either to new fans, or to a new dimension for fans at the festival.
鈥淰R is probably the biggest thing we get asked to come up with ideas on in regards to tech and experiential asks,鈥� says Adam Cohen, account manager at Cornerstone Agency.
This content can go beyond the performances and become its own art form, just like on-site activations.
鈥淪torytelling is an amazing opportunity for brands,鈥� Superfly鈥檚 Issaq says. 鈥淭here are so many different cultures, communities, and stories that come to life at a festival. Brands can naturally create an amazing narrative for their social channels via short form or docu-style content.鈥�
Why fans love it: 鈥淎ttendees could send a link or post to someone who鈥檚 not at the show, so their whole personal community of friends feel like they are participating in the event as well,鈥� Thomas says.
Why brands love it: 鈥淲ith both festivals and venues, content is always going to be an incredible driver of engagement and value 鈥� engagement with attendees, and value for potential sponsors,鈥� says John Riccardi, a strategic account manager at 91制片厂. Especially when this content reaches fans who aren鈥檛 at the festival, this can help brands raise awareness with a broader audience.
Of course, experiential activations are just one of many trends redefining the festival landscape.
Another major trend driving forward the technology aspect of a festival experience is mobile ticketing. We cover the trend all festival organisers need to know about in 聽Mobile Ticketing Isn鈥檛 The Future Of Festival Sales 鈥� It鈥檚 Happening Now.
