Brand new approach
After 18 months of no festivals , Live Nation head of strategic partnerships Ashley Stevenson spent the summer helping sponsors reconnect with fans at events including Latitude , Creamfields , Reading & Leeds , The Isle of Wight Festival and Wireless
It ’ s fair to say the live music industry has been on a journey none of us could have imagined two years ago . From Sefton Park and the Download Pilot to Melvin Benn and his team ushering in cinch presents Latitude as the first major camping show to kick off the season – the amount of relentless hard work from people across the industry has been nothing short of inspirational .
Brand partners fully understood the importance of this summer not only for the industry , but for live music fans across the nation . For many of us , working with partners
Ashley Stevenson
on the return of live music to the fields of the UK was an incredibly challenging but rewarding experience . After walking festival sites and observing fans interacting with brand partners once again , below are a few lessons we learned along the way : Do Something Unexpected for Fans : It was clear attendees welcomed and valued spontaneity this year . Co-op hosted DJ ’ s late into the night at their store activations , delighting unsuspecting fans in the aisles . Cinch hosted surprise samba dancers , engaging and captivating dancing fans in the moment . Fans across the board truly leaned into the additive energy provided by partners . Fan-Centric Experiential Design : Keeping fans comfortable while providing new experiences was a trend we noticed . Designed with
Creamfields 2021 a fan mindset , Pepsi activated a viewing platform and cocktail bar at Reading and Wireless with nine private rooms with a view that fans could book in advance . This level of thoughtful design will be paramount for brands moving forward . Anticipate Fan Needs : This year we welcomed two new headline partners – cinch and Zapp . Both are disrupting their respective industries , providing customers with new services and experience . That game-changing approach was reflected in how they showed up onsite for fans at festivals . Where else could you order a poncho or a phone charger at the touch of a button – or even win a car onsite with a simple scan of a QR code ?
As we wrap up 2021 , we ’ re proud to come out of a challenging period with strong relationships and a renewed sense of what it means to work towards shared values and goals . It ’ s an insightful place to grow and build from . As we look towards 2022 and 2023 as recordbreaking years for live music , we look forward to ushering in a new era of music experiences with our partners . If 2021 has taught us anything it ’ s that there ’ s no substitute for live music and fans are hungrier than ever for those enhanced experiences – and we ’ ll be here to provide .
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