It’s official. Beyoncé reigned supreme this festival season with her flawless performance at Coachella – or rather, Beychella – back in April. But while she took the crown this year, there were also many standout festival performances from top brands. Tuning into a coveted group of people with TONS of purchasing power, brands were getting creative, getting inspired, and getting exposure with their festival marketing techniques. As festival season (sadly) draws to a close and the festi blues kick in, let’s look back at some of the most popular ways brands were sparking engagement this season.

But first, why should your brand bother with festivals?

Attracting a blend of fashionistas and hardcore fans, festivals offer a unique and unparalleled opportunity for brands to interact with their ideal demographic. With millennials, influencers, bloggers and celebs amongst the star-studded crowds, there’s no better platform to get your brand out there and get people talking.

How do you engage consumers?

Giveaways

Festivals are a feast for the senses. But with SO much going on, standing out from the crowd takes a little innovation. Brands tapped into attendees needs by offering freebies and giveaways with a festival theme. From body wipes, to festival beauty essentials, many were using freebies to entice and allure the crowds, spark initial conversation and garner astronomical engagement.

A hands-on approach

We strongly believe that everyone has a little creative flair. And it looks like top brands are feeling this way too. Many brands were opting for unique and exciting hands-on experiences to offer greater engagement with consumers – and their senses. One of the most common was art-centric experiential activations, and interactive art installations that required consumers to show off their creativity.

Teaming up

Brands often fall into the trap of having the same marketing technique every year, with the same old tent and the same old reliable freebies. However, in order to spark engagement, it’s important to mix it up. And this summer, brands were teaming up with brands that they wouldn’t normally associate with to form iconic collabs. Partnerships strengthen a brand and give audiences the opportunity to get to know them in a different context, and brands were coming up with inspired ways to join forces, much to the surprise and delight of festival goers.

By being inclusive but not intrusive

The best way to engage consumers is to provide quick experiences that are authentic for both the event and the brand. 90% of the time, people attend a festival for the music. They’re not there for a brand. So there’s a fine line between enhancing the consumer experience, and dominating it. The brands that consistently play an important role at a festival year after year are the ones that weave themselves into the fabric of the festival.

If you’re curious about how to spark engagement and get people to bond with your brand, please get in touch! Here at this is LESTER, we do brand experiences, and we do them exquisitely. Alternately, if you’ve encountered any phenomenal brands that left a meaningful mark this summer please connect with us on social media– we’d love to see what inspired and impressed you!