Coachella 2023: Music Festival Turned Marketing Wonderland 

Known all around the world, Coachella is the crème de la crème of music festivals. This epic gathering in sunny California is the place to see and be seen, and for good reason! It runs every year over two back-to-back weekends, each one filled with three days of pure musical bliss.

It’s no wonder why Coachella is on so many people’s bucket lists, with crowds reaching over 250,000. Coachella’s got it all – from pop to rock and hip hop to electronic music. But you know what else it brings to the table (or rather, the Californian desert)? A massive playground for marketing. 

Why is Coachella a Bucket-List Event?

There are thousands of festivals happening across the globe, so what makes Coachella one of the most famous?

Beyond an epic international lineup, Coachella owes a lot of its fame to marketing strategy and the hype that has followed. Coachella is no stranger to securing those oh-so-coveted big brand sponsorships, teaming up with influencers and using social media to spread the Coachella fever like wildfire. 

But that’s not all. 

The festival organisers go above and beyond to create a mind-blowing experience for attendees, complete with jaw-dropping lighting and art installations, interactive activities, plenty of food and drinks options, and more surprises for that cherry on top. This magical combo is what makes Coachella the must-attend event that lures hundreds of thousands of visitors year after year. 

The Impact of Social Media on Coachella

Social media has played a massive role in Coachella’s evolution from a simple music festival to a marketing mecca. Attendees are eager to share their experience with their followers, whether it’s a video of their favourite artist or a picture-perfect shot of the famous Ferris wheel. After all, if it’s not on your Instagram, did it even happen?

With many of this year’s performances being live streamed YouTube channels, even more people were able to join in on the fun from their couches. Social media has helped to turn Coachella into a global event, with everyone wanting a piece of the action.

Social media is also a fabulous way to keep the party going with real-time updates, juicy announcements, and some irresistible behind-the-scenes content. It’s all about building that anticipation and hype to keep the conversation going well after the festival finishes. 

The Coachella 2023 lineup was especially viral-worthy, with Frank Ocean’s much anticipated return to the stage in 6 years cut short and even cancelled for weekend two. But the Coachella organisers weren’t going to give up that easily, bouncing back with the electronic music holy trinity – Fred Again, Skrillex and Four Tet. Another trending performance was that of K-pop group BLACKPINK, which no-doubt converted many festival-goers into huge fans, a.k.a. ‘BLINKS.’

You best believe social media was flooded with videos from both weekends, giving us all major FOMO from the star-studded Coachella 2023 lineup. 

From Flaunting Coachella Outfits to Exclusive Parties: The Influencer Marketing Game 

Influencer marketing at Coachella is a win-win situation for brands and influencers alike. Brands can collaborate with them to create sponsored content, product reviews, or even giveaways, while influencers get to attend the festival in their best Coachella outfits, experiencing glamorous parties and networking opportunities. 

When influencers post themselves at the festival, it adds to the hype around the festival, making their followers want to go and be like their favourite celebrities. Influencers have the power to drive sales and create trends, making them a valuable asset in the ever-evolving world of Coachella marketing.

How Businesses Capitalised on Coachella 2023

Brands from all over have flocked to the festival to capitalise on the massive audience and picturesque setting. Pop-up shops, exclusive parties, and branded experiences have become the norm, turning Coachella into an opportunity for businesses to create buzz and engage with their target market.

Here are just some of the brands that made their mark at Coachella this year:

Absolut Vodka 

With the honour of being the official vodka of Coachella, Absolut created some pretty cool experiences, including custom-built pop-ups and live music performances, 

The brand hosted the “Absolut Ultimate VIP Coachella Experience” contest where the lucky winner got an all-expenses-paid trip to the festival, complete with fancy-pants VIP access, luxury accommodations, and of course, bucket loads of Absolut cocktails.

Absolut also threw a bunch of parties both during and before the festival, helping to create unforgettable memories associated with Coachella.  of pre-festival and during-festival parties. Absolut also teamed up with influencers and celebrities to spread the word around their brand and events.

The thing that makes Absolut such a perfect fit for Coachella is how their brand aligns with the festival’s creative and fun-loving values. By partnering together for the event, Absolut was able to connect with their target audience in a way that feels authentic.

Marvel Studios

Marvel Studios made their Coachella debut this year with an out-of-this-world activation that transported attendees straight to Knowhere, the HQ of the Guardians of the Galaxy. This immersive space was open to the public and featured sweet photo ops, dope tunes, and exclusive merchandise inspired by the upcoming release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, hitting cinemas on May 5th. 

Outside, visitors were greeted by life-size versions of the film’s spacesuits. The design inside didn’t disappoint either, loaded with Easter eggs, free festival gear and a vintage photo booth to bring some memories home. 

To top it all off, if you were driving out to the festival, you could even tune in to K-GOTG Radio for a cosmic playlist and funny commentary from comedian Greg Barris.

Neutrogena 

Neutrogena was this year’s official skin and suncare sponsor for Coachella. And they weren’t here to play games! 

For anyone who needed a quick sun-safe fix, Neutrogena had installed sunscreen dispensers all over the festival grounds, hooking up more than 1,700 fluid ounces of sunscreen in the first weekend alone. Plus, they teamed up with experiential agency Jack Morton Worldwide to create a unique activation that showcased their scientific formulations. 

It had three zones that let you experience your skin’s barrier, cellular activity level, and inner core, all while boosting your skin’s vitality with Neutrogena’s skin products. They even made sure to show you how Neutrogena products were a lifesaver in the hot desert environment.

The activation also featured a collaboration with Spotify and Neutrogena global brand ambassadors Chloe and Halle Bailey. They put together an epic festival prep playlist that got you in the mood for the event. 

Adidas

When Bad Bunny got announced as the first Latin artist to headline Coachella, Adidas jumped at the opportunity for a collaboration. They linked up with the Puerto Rican rapper for the Adidas Campus Experience, an on-site pop-up shaped like a cube that showed off their latest sneaker drop. The outside of the cube was covered in 50,000 live flowers in 60 different kinds, and the vertical garden systems outside were photo-worthy. 

On one side of the cube, there was a giant archway entrance made of steel and pine, branded with Bad Bunny’s signature logo. On the other side was the Adidas logo, indicating a shoppable experience. People who entered the cube were welcomed with a chill Zen garden vibe, complete with wood tones and Spanish moss. To add that extra Adidas  oomph, there was even a floral chandelier… with sneakers hanging from it!

Get The World Singing About Your Brand

Love it or hate it, Coachella has become so much more than a music festival. It’s turned into one of the biggest marketing events in the world, with no signs of changing anytime soon. 

Big and small brands these days are using festivals like Coachella as a platform to reach their target audiences and create buzz around their products. At First Page, we can help your brand do the same – without needing a global festival to back you up! 

Our social media marketing team can work with you to create a killer strategy that will get people talking about your brand in a meaningful way. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to put your brand on the map – get in touch with us today!