So, we are knee-deep (metaphorically hopefully, weather-dependent) in the summer festival season. Glastonbury and Parklife have already been and gone, while Reading and Leeds are on the horizon.
You haven’t seen your forearm without grubby wristbands in several weeks and are wondering if you could feasibly wear wellies and cut-off jeans to the office on Monday because they have now become part of your personality.
Channelling some of that festival spirit into the way you do business could be just the way to build relationships with your customers – just please get rid of those old wristbands first!
Wigan Youth Zone’s flagship fundraiser Reet Good Beer Fest this year showed how an event can be a great way to build relationships with supporters – from corporates to the general public who want to enjoy a great day out.
The four-day festival was jam-packed with entertainment, live music, food and drink including ales from breweries across Wigan and the North West.
And smart organisations saw the business benefit of supporting a good cause as well as a good time.
Here’s how to ATTAIN some good vibes for your brand:
Before
Become a festival partner: Forge a partnership with the festival and help build the excitement before the event. Any social media activity, press or advertising by you, the festival itself or even other sponsors will drum up interest for the festival and firmly attach your brand to the excitement for followers and ticket holders.
During
Respect the vibe: Festival-goers do not want to feel marketed to so remind your team they are there to enhance the experience inan authentic way – you don’t want to end up on the end of a corporate call-out that hit many businesses during Pride this year.
Offer a stand-out experience: Reet Good Fest sponsors were gifted 30 complimentary tickets each to the exclusive Sponsors Session – perfect to enjoy a Friday afternoon with valued customers without the heaving crowds.
Have fun: It sounds obvious but… some brands just don’t get it. Festival marketing needs to be reactive to get the most reach. Fans are not just going to abandon what they came for – the bands, the beer – to what you are up to on the periphery. So, either go where they are – the queue for the loos is always a captive, if distracted, audience – or make it a participatory event that will create an amazing – and Instagrammable – memory.
After
Remember the good times: Help keep the vibe alive by creating exclusive festival merch. A sponsored beer glass that will make your customer think fondly of that heady summer weekend – and your brand, of course – every time they take it out of the cupboard is a sure-fire winner.
#TBT everyday: Give the crowds the chance to relive their happy memories immediately after the festival. Host an event photo and video gallery on your website, or link to the official event organisers’ gallery, and retweet user generated content. Remember to post a thank you to all the fans for making it such a great event and look forward to next year. It is never too soon to start getting excited about the next festival.
To find out whether festival marketing fits the bill for your business, contact our team of business relationship builders today.
