Panorama festival
OCTOBER | FEATURE
was Zapp , as the VIP naming rights partner . As well as having branded VIP areas , it provided a convenience store and prize-filled vending machine on-site . Social media platform Hyprr secured the naming rights of the Hyprr Guest Area , and handled the music programming within it , while also giving away merchandise throughout the festival .
The Right Fit The advantages of brand support at festivals are many , but promoters have to find a careful balance between managing the demands and expectations of brands , while ensuring all activations are in line with an event ’ s identity and the expectations of attendees and performers .
Live Nation UK president of marketing partnerships Jim Campling says : “ In order for a brand partnership to work perfectly it is critical for brand teams to think like fans and ask themselves how they can add to the overall fan experience , what they can create that is unique , how they can reward fans for engaging with the brand and how they can make sure they ’ re remembered beyond the physical days in the festival fields .”
He says among the most important qualities the promoter looks for in a brand partner include audience relevance , it having clear objectives and an openness to communication : “ We have extremely close working relationships with our partners and therefore having an ongoing open dialogue is incredibly important . As with most businesses , the road isn ’ t always smooth , so a spirit of openness and co-operation ensures we ’ re able to navigate any hurdles .”
Campling says that Live Nation works closely with individual festival teams to make sure the brand partnerships compliment the character of the event : “ From logo approvals to brand activation builds to sustainability considerations , all elements of our partnerships are closely examined in collaboration with the festivals .”
AEG Europe Global Partnerships VP Will Dowdy says that at the heart of his team ’ s work is a focus on ensuring the brand and event synergy is as seamless as possible : “ I don ’ t think anyone works harder than us to try and make sure that the activations have an authenticity and a real integration into the event . All Points East is a good example , it has a strong identity and if a brand looks out of place the fans won ’ t stand for it – they have got very high expectations .”
Getting Active Among the many advantages of working with major brands for event operators , is the increased exposure their sponsor ’ s customer communications channels , such as social media , can bring – with exclusive pre-sale opportunities now a near standard aspect of the deals . Aside from the financial benefit and potential increase in ticket sales , onsite activations are a major focus .
Global brand experience agency Jack Morton has worked with some of the best-known brands in the world , creating unique events and activations as well as bringing brands to life at festivals . Its projects range from London ’ s last official New Year ’ s firework display to creating
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