Coachella is no longer just a music festival, it is an experience filled with parties, dinners, and of course concerts. With thousands of guests and social elites flocking to the 2-weekend long event, and even more eyes watching attendees every move on social media, it is no surprise that Coachella generates a lot of hype. This makes it the perfect place for brands of all sizes to employ both experiential and social media influencer campaigns. Most campaigns launched at Coachella start off as experiential (think anything from giving away free goodies to hosting an exclusive pool party) and then continue making waves on social media where attendees either organically post about the product and experience or paid influencers engage with a branded hashtag. Countless brands – especially those in fashion, beauty, tech, and food – have created campaigns to kick-off during festival season, earning Coachella 2018 the street name of Activation Fest.
Check out some of our favorite Coachella activations and experiential executions below:
MatchaBar – The beloved Matcha beverage company introduced a new product called Hustle, a matcha energy drink, on the first day of Coachella. The product launched at exclusive Coachella events during the first weekend on the Polo Grounds before being served in GA during the remaining days of the festival. Influencers engaged with #HustleBaby to spread the word beyond the grounds of Coachella. Drink to that, Matchabar!
Levi’s – Levi’s Design Lab Brunch featured customization stations where celebrity attendees like Hailey Baldwin and Bella Hadid could customize their Levi’s gear, thanks to an onsite seamstress. Of course, the customizing did not happen without snapping a few photos of the new looks in front of the provided selfie mirrors. This was Levi’s third year activating at Coachella, with last year’s Neon Carnival activation resulting in 2.5 billion media impressions. Props to Levi’s for always keeping the 501s looking fresh cool.
Adidas Originals – For the drop of Alexander Wang’s line for Adidas on April 21, Wang and his so-called Wang Squad covered some major ground (quite literally) when they embarked on an iconic road trip from LA to Coachella. Driving an RV filled with pieces from the collection, the squad stopped along the way to trade the clothing for necessities like gas and food (*cough cough* ever heard of the Red Bull challenge?). Updates were posted on the Adidas Originals Instagram story. Talk about riding in style!
Beanfields – The delicious chip brand gave away ~free~ bags of Beanfields at Coachella for festival-goers to enjoy. The chip stand kept the party fueled and influencers satisfied. The activation was amplified thanks to influencers posting about the snack. Way to go, Beanfields!
Peet’s Coffee – In March, Peet’s hosted an online giveaway with 3-Day VIP Coachella passes – talk about getting people’s attention. To keep the buzz going, Peet’s rolled up to Coachella in a branded bus serving cold brew, an “Ice Sauna” photobooth, and served up free cold brew samples off of branded trikes riding around the premises. Influencers on social media helped to spread the word. Now that’s how to keep the energy going, Peet’s.
Moschino for H&M – Jeremy Scott, creative director of Moschino, hosts an annual Coachella party – but, this year there was a twist *drumroll please*. At this year’s party, Scott received an Instagram Live call from Gigi Hadid announcing that Moschino would be the next designer to collaborate with H&M. Of course, the call was projected on screens at the party and on H&M’s Instagram feed for all to see. No matter how many years pass, it seems that the novelty of announcing big news at Coachella will never wear off!
Last Words…
From high end clothing brands to delicious food & beverage companies, activations at Coachella were equally captivating. The large audience and undeniably ~cool vibes~ of the music festival make it the perfect event to activate. Much like the Super Bowl, Coachella is becoming a major event for marketers to reach their audience. Whether it be through an exclusive event like Levi’s Design Lab or giving away swag like Beanfields, experiences offered at Coachella are make a lasting impression thanks to social amplification. With the help of sought-after influencers attending the event – or simply posting about your product – activating your marketing campaign Coachella is sure to get your brand noticed!
