PREMIUM SERVICES
The idea that we are living in an experience economy has been suggested for years but increasing evidence and research supports it. Findings from Opinium, on behalf of Grant Thornton, revealed how 40 % of adults now place more value on experiences over material goods. When it comes to those aged between 18 and 34, it is more than 50 %.
Families are increasingly influential too with Ticketmaster’ s State of Play report showing how 43 % of parents see festivals as a genuine alternative to traditional family holidays. With this comes a need for better toilets, showers and rest areas; a demand that drives nearly half of VIP upgrades.
Togather is a specialist operator that connects events with quality food and drink suppliers. This summer, its team brought Ottolenghi to the Love Supreme Festival for the chef’ s first pop-up dining experience at a music event, while also facilitating culinary offerings at Gala and Wilderness.
“ When I was younger, my festival experiences would involve sprinting from stage to stage and trying to see as many artists as possible,” says Togather co-founder Hugo Campbell.“ I’ d make my schedule beforehand, get some chips and a beer and I’ d just want as much music as possible.”
“ Audiences still love good music and that remains the main reason for attending but they are going for a fuller experience. As more attendees view festivals as holidays, they budget for them accordingly and expect experiences such as food and drink to match.”
Lifestyle choices
While some festivals have benefited from a surge in spending on luxury experiences, others have buckled under post-pandemic financial pressures. Some 43 independent UK festivals were cancelled, postponed or closed in 2025, while 36 were pulled this year, according to the Association of Independent Festivals. For those that have successfully ridden the wave of challenges around the cost-of-living crisis, escalating artist and production fees, along with increased competition from the burgeoning stadium concert business, it has meant striking a delicate balance between providing enticing and potentially lucrative premium experiences and being mindful of the financial pressures faced by many ticket buyers.
“ I think that festivalgoers have craved more premium offerings since Covid and the start of the cost-of-living crisis,” says We Group CEO Nick Morgan.“ With an increase in ticket prices comes an increase in audience expectation.” Many of the current generation of music lovers are driven to share their lifestyle choices online, and that sharing of experience has led to some significant developments. The considered curation of digital lives on social media means that the more exciting and glamorous experiences are likely to be documented and shared. As the glitz of Coachella in the US has shown, festivals are opportunities for FOMO-generating content, not least for influencers and brands wanting to participate in cultural moments.
“ VIP festival experiences have been around for decades, I remember the likes of V Festival introducing premium offerings, but these elevated festival experiences really started to take off around a decade ago when Instagram
was blowing up. Social media has no doubt had a huge impact and this has continued to evolve,” says Morgan.
Social impact
Among We Group’ s many production projects this summer was Labyrinth on the Thames, a concert series promoted by Labyrinth Events. Over eight nights, attendees raved with acts including Overmono and Moby, with the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Old Royal Naval College as a backdrop. The VIP bar was hosted in The Painted Hall, a space known by some as the‘ Sistine Chapel of the UK’ for its stunning Baroque ceiling decorations.
“ Nowadays, VIP access at some of our shows includes full stage access, as well as tables on the stage with drinks packages,” says Morgan.“ Many festivalgoers want to be closer to artists than ever before, often to capture social media content that general admission-goers would not be able to provide.”
At BST Hyde Park for shows by acts including Duran Duran and Maroon 5 this summer, AEG Presents offered multiple tiers of premium products including primary entry, enhanced viewing locations and hospitality.
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