Coachella 2017: When Brands Create Experiential Marketing Trends

Who doesn’t like sun, drinks, music and fashion? Coachella, the much-loved CA-based music festival, is packed with fashion brand representation. This year, a slew of brands flocked to the desert, capitalizing on Coachella’s rad fashion collection. It wasn’t all about the brands, but they certainly made a splash. Whether it was shop-able runways, hip bars, social media activations or entire branded festival lines, Coachella was the place to be. Here’s our coverage of the hottest Coachella marketing events.

Levi’s Creates Neon Carnival

Posted up in an Airstream, Levi’s gave eventgoers a power-packed experience via Tequila Don Julio. We know, it’s an odd partnership. It worked, though, and Levi’s-lovers reveled in the specialty drinks from dusk til’ dawn.

Jeremy Scott’s Moschino Party

Produced by XA, Jeremy Scott’s Moschino party featured a kitschy, Candy Crush theme. It was larger-than-life, giving guests the chance to slide into a massive ball pit. The balls were made of lucite, ignited by the pool’s neon glow.

As if that wasn’t enough, the party also featured an oversized Absolut Lite-Brite installation. Guests could place different pieces into different slots, crafting their own art, patterns and long-lasting displays. The display took on Absolut’s lime flavor color, casting a memorable light.

Victoria’s Secret Angel Escape

The Angel Escape was an islandic tent, offering comfortable seating, shade and pillows for guests. While it covered a large amount of land, it was surprisingly low-key—in a good way. Customers looking for a reprieve from Coachella’s frequently rowdy atmosphere need only step into the tent’s intimate enclosure, taking a load off the feet.

The Katy Perry Footwear Easter Sunday Recovery Brunch

For the afterparty-goers, Katy Perry Footwear featured a Sunday Recovery Brunch powered by the H.Wood Group. Sure, it might’ve been a graphic, neo-art doughnut wall, but it certainly ignited holiday cheer with an awesome nod to pastel.

The Ciroc Summer Take Over

Ironically—or, perhaps unironically—alcohol brands promoted, well, themselves at Coachella. Ciroc, in particular, hosted memorable experiential events for patrons’ eyes. The Ciroc Summer Take Over, hosted by the Hard Rock Hotel, presented the brand in a new light—a vintage one, to be exact. Ciroc bottles were displayed alongside vintage objects, florals and vinyl records, giving event goers a taste of all things classy.

Coachella is a wonderful opportunity for brands. Featuring some of today’s leading brands, the event was a powerhouse of experiential displays. We’ve kept our eye on Coachella for a while, as it always highlights emergent experiential marketing trends. We'll likely see more great displays next year. For now, however, we'll make due with this year's awesome brand contributions—powered by today's leading providers.

Beyonce's Tour Sells Out and Brings Controversy

Mega pop star Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has become quite the controversial figure since Super Bowl 50. She used the big game as a platform to promote the Black Panthers and criticize police brutality. Beyoncé and her dancers donned black berets along with bandoliers during the performance. Yet her social activism certainly hasn't hit her in the pocketbook. Most of the stops on her upcoming Formation world tour have already sold out. The tour is scheduled to launch this month in Miami. It is the singer's first tour since her Mrs. Carter World Tour in 2013. Though most of the tickets to Beyoncé's tour sold out quickly, it appears as though she might run into some problems due to her willingness to take a stance against police corruption. Her alliance with the Black Panthers has resulted in the National Police Union, known as the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), deciding to boycott the singer's upcoming concert in Miami. It will be interesting to see how security is handled at a show of this magnitude. The concert is scheduled to take place on April 26 in the Marlins Stadium. Beyoncé has refused to comment on the matter as of this article's publish date.

The Miami chapter of the FOP made the decision to boycott Beyoncé's Miami show through a democratic vote. The local union's president, Lieutenant Javier Ortiz, actually called on police officers across the country to boycott all of the Formation shows. The FOP believes that Beyoncé improperly used her Super Bowl 50 platform to spread what the police union describes as an “anti-police message”. Police across the country clashed with the Black Panthers during race riots that took place decades ago. Lieutenant Ortiz has not stated whether the boycott of Beyoncé's Miami concert is applicable to police officers across Miami, those who work in Dade county or only those who are members of the union.

Beyoncé's Formation World Tour will likely take place without a hitch. Beyoncé could hire private security for the event. It is also possible that enough police officers or non-union officers will make themselves available for the Miami show and any other shows that are boycotted by the police. Fans will undoubtedly have a blast at the show regardless of the political activism surrounding the tour. All in all, the tour's producer, Parkwood Entertainment, has sold just under one million total tickets. A number of shows have sold out in addition to the Miami date. The demand for tickets is so strong that seconds shows have been scheduled for May 28 at Chicago's Soldier Field and July 3 at Wembly Stadium in London. Fans who want to put a positive twist on the somewhat negative energy surrounding the show can do so by participating in the singer's #BeyGOOD initiative designed to support Miami's United Way program. Be sure to follow @beygood on Twitter to learn more.

Rockstar Energy Drink’s Mayhem Festival

Entering its eighth year, Rockstar Energy Drink has become an industry titan. Culturally responsive and influential, the brand has executed numerous marketing efforts in recent years—each of which has encountered resounding success. A proud sponsor of The Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, this year’s Wantagh, NY event will unleash a variety of festival amenities, music powerhouses and great industry highlights. Rockstar Energy Drink's Mayhem Festival takes place on July 26, action taking place at 1:00 P.M.

Rockstar and the Consumer Connection

In the past seven years, Rockstar has connected to consumers through its Mayhem Festival. Large-scale marketing campaigns, sampling efforts and brand accessibility are Mayhem’s “names of the game”, and, historically, consumers haven’t minded at all. Each of Mayhem’s stop locations educate newcomers and festival old-timers about Rockstar’s new products, new flavors and new innovations.

Rockstar’s consumer connection, powered by experienced industry decision makers, interacts with dozens of sales and marketing teams across the country. Working hand-in-hand to elicit consumer response, brand awareness and industry evolution, Rockstar and its associates offer ticket price promotions, giveaways, products and prizes. One of the energy drink’s leading brands, Rockstar Energy Drink isn’t new to the experimental marketing forefront.

Brand Responsibility and Industry Insight

One of Rockstar’s foundation corners rests upon its dedication to family. Rockstar Inc.’s own Nick Allen attributes the energy drink’s dedication to camaraderie to brand and music connection. Rockstar, as a brand, intends to provide industry insight through entertainment industry impact by supporting Truth®. Truth® is one of the nation’s largest national youth anti-smoking campaigns existent, and its appearance at Rockstar’s Mayhem Festival furthers the brand’s forward approach to industry health standards.

Energy drinks, in particular, have come under fire from parents and health board executives who work on health and safety awareness efforts. However, Rockstar Energy Drink has buffered its brand image by partnering with Truth®, simultaneously maintaining its youthful image by supporting DJ spinning, signature metal bands, dynamic industry changes and great music.

Mayhem Festival Giveaways and Visibility

The Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival wouldn’t be promotional without free giveaways, and its sponsors are stationed to connect consumers with music, products and services. Contests, one-on-one company conversations, live events and giveaways are all present at The Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, available each day of the tour.

Rockstar Energy Drink has also connected with the #FinishIT campaign—further promoting an anti-smoking campaign with Truth® managers. Mayhem’s new represented message will appear at the Wantagh, New York event, kick-starting its newest brand angle: one dedicated to consumer safety, health and cultural necessities.

Rockstar Energy Drink will benefit greatly from its return sponsor, Metal Injection. The online consumer resource will cover the event’s entirety, further solidifying Rockstar Energy drink as an industry mainstay. Metal injection offers annual ticket contests and giveaways, expanding Mayhem Festival visitor access to online platforms. Receiving great past responses, Metal Injection annually hits over 2,000 contest submissions, proving itself a more-than-viable sponsor for both Rockstar Energy Drink and accompanying brands.

Several multi-platform sponsors support The Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, too, extending the brand’s awareness to near-synonymous levels of comparison with the big-name musicians featured within.

Live music venue in Miami

There are plenty of live music venues in Miami but not all of them can offer the excellent setting and service that Soho Studios is known for around the Miami-Dade region. We love putting on music festivals in Miami and have the best resources to meet your needs. Read on to find out more about why your concert will be considered epic if you decide to put on your show at Soho Studios.

There are many factors to consider when selecting an event space in Miami, once you decide on a lineup you should start thinking about what numbers you need to achieve to be successful and selecting a venue that can support your vision. There are plenty of Miami venues out there but it is about putting on the best presentation possible and we can assist the process. Reputation and buzz are clutch components for packing the house.

There are a many different choices of party venues in Miami. The choice you make reflects upon your efforts and the outward style that people interpret about your company or performers. Do not get stuck inside a low quality venue that scares away the fans. Bands and performing artists like playing to big crowds. Those people want a safe venue with great sound. Plus, if you can offer something unique about the event then that date can become a truly memorable experience for all the attendees. Make sure your promotions stick out in their mind and memory by getting your show into the best venue possible.

Thanks for reading, we hope this has helped to inform you about our event space and helps to clarify your choice. Contact us regarding the specifics of your live show and we can help you cover all the bases in terms of the venue from our angle. We will help you to produce some awesome shows that will keep your crowd talking and excited for the next event!

Virtual Meetings for Event Planning

Planning your event doesn't necessarily mean lots of travel time, expensive airfare and hotel costs. There are a variety of “virtual” meeting options available to help in your event planning.

Skype

Skype is perhaps the most well-known of video conferencing services. There is an app for smartphones that makes Skype portable, adding even more value to an already valuable tool. Skype offers one on one video conferencing as part of its free service, so if you want to meet with more than one vendor at a time on a video conference, it will require a small monthly fee. Considering the ultimate savings, it can be well worth it.

GoToMeeting

This program allows you to have meetings with up to 25 participants at a time. Participants can join in on your meeting from a Mac, PC, iPad, iPhone or any Android device. They even offer a 30 day free trial. While Skype is used for a lot of personal video conferencing, GoToMeeting was designed with businesses in mind. This makes this program more professional.

OoVoo

OoVoo offers free video chatting with up to twelve participants at a time. It also has the capabilities for mobile applications. While it is free, users, and attendees, will be exposed to advertising. For a modest $29.95 per year OoVoo offers a no-advertising option and what they call “premium support”. OoVoo also offers a handy video recording option that allows you to record meetings for future review.

There are also many paid software programs that allow for video conferencing like Adobe Connect Pro, FUZEMeeting, ClickMeeting and others, but the above three should get you started. Once you have explored the world of virtual meetings, you may want to explore premium choices that can include things like a whiteboard, private chats with select participants and other options.

If you are searching for event space Miami has to offer, we invite you to contact us at Soho studios. Soho Studios is a multi-purpose facility with 65,000 square feet of available space. It can be used for small and large meetings and conferences, art shows, fashion shows, concerts, photography and videos, trade shows and virtually any event you can create. We have an experienced team that can help you deliver on your promises, because we deliver on ours. Looking for venues in Miami? Consider South Florida’s premier space…Soho Studios.

How to put on a music festival

Early bird and advanced tickets for Ultra Music Festival in Miami sold out in minutes. That’s pretty remarkable, considering the event is 10 months away. Advanced ticket sales have already ended for Coachella in California, even though the show isn’t until April of 2014. In Tennessee, The Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival draws hundreds of thousands to a 700 acre farm in the middle of, well…Tennessee.

How do these festivals do it?

The first ingredient is time. Building a successful event is like building a successful business. Be prepared for the long haul. Your first year event might not be a good as your 3^rd year event. But if you build it properly, they will come.

The venue and atmosphere is critical. Where the event is held and how the event is perceived will add to your success. Bonnaroo uses their remote location as an asset, a venue that leaves your troubles behind. Miami music festivals like Ultra Music Festival, held during the same week as Winter Music Conference, tend to take advantage of the city’s vibe. It helps that there are such eclectic venues in Miami.

Many music festivals in Florida and elsewhere will have a charitable tie-in. Among the many charities that Coachella supports is The Painted Turtle, a camp for children with serious medical conditions. Offering support to charitable organizations allows for some additional exposure and potential access to a group of event volunteers.

Successful music festivals offer a variety of fan experiences from general admission to VIP upgrades and artist meet-and-greets. They also start selling their tickets close to a year in advance, and limit the amount of tickets each individual can purchase. This creates a year-round buzz about the event. People plan their year around some of these festivals.

Having a strong artist line-up with loyal fan bases is also important. Many festivals load their line-ups with up-and-coming artists that are rapidly gaining fans. They bring this momentum to these festivals.

If you are considering event space in Miami, Soho Studios is a 65,000 square foot, multi-purpose venue. It is located in the Wynwood District, home of Art Basel Wynwood. From music events to fashion shows, Soho Studios is Miami premier facility. See why worldwide brands like Ford Motor, Evian, Absolut, Puma and more have trusted Soho Studios with their name. We invite you to talk with our team and let's explore the possibilities.

Would you buy concert tickets from Facebook?

For years concert promoters have recognized that concert tickets are best sold by word of mouth. With the Facebook Buy Ticket button, word of mouth ticket sales have taken a big stride with social media.

Facebook’s Buy Ticket button allows music lovers to buy concert tickets right from their Facebook page. The online ticket sales app will post the purchase to the user’s news feeds, and allow them to invite others to the show. The app promises to spread the word of tickets sales online more quickly through the social media giant.

Not only is the app expected to help promote and sell concert tickets, but it also is tied in with Spotify. This relationship tracks the type of music the Facebook user is interested in and can make them aware when artists they listen to will be performing in their area. This particular application also ties in the "likes" of a Facebook user, making it a powerful marketing tool especially when used for lesser known artists who do not get mainstream press.

At Soho Studios, we are the premier concert and event space Miami has available. While there are lots of party venues Miami offers, our facility has a staff experienced in setting up every type of concert, from intimate acoustical performances to arena style shows. Our 65,000 square foot, versatile facility located in Miami’s trendy Wynwood District, has been host to shows like Art Basel Wynwood. Soho Studios is even used as a photography studio Miami photographers have come to rely on for our creative use of space. Our list of worldwide customers includes Ford Motor, Absolut, Telemundo, Evian and Puma.

If you are considering staging or promoting a concert in South Florida and selling tickets online, consider employing use of the Facebook Buy Ticket button, and consider working with us at Soho Studios. From planning through promotion through post-concert wrap-up, we will be there to help make all your events in Miami a success.

Sound for all types of events

When putting together audio for your event it is important to consider what sort of experience you will be putting in front of your audience. Event production is a craft that requires fine skill matched with detailed information given ahead of time to achieve to best results. A sound engineer can work magic when backed into a corner but like any other trade, the more prepared they are going in then the better the results will be coming out the other side. If possible, try to give them a Technical Writer with your sound requirements well ahead of your event.

Selecting the correct type of sound system for a live show, electronic act or keynote speaker is vital to good production. Selecting a sound engineer with the right equipment is crucial. Utilize the sound system that is supposed to be used with your particular type of event. For example, choosing the PA for a keynote presenter at a convention will be different than the PA you would need for a performance based act, such as a live band or DJ.

It is important to match your audio needs for all events including functions such as trade shows and conferences.  Although many party venues in Miami come with in-house sound production, not all of the venues in Miami will. In this case you will need to hire a mobile sound production companies. Most sound production companies are equipped to handle everything from live music, DJ’s, corporate events and various other types of events.

Your guests and attendees should be talking about the night for a long time to come, this means that the event production has to be flawless. Hire a professional sound engineer for your event that understands everything from your equipment needs to the acoustics of the venue.

A professional audio experience will have the audience focusing on the event. A negative one will have them talking about the poor production value at your event. Make sure the hype is positive! It can make all the difference to your sonic landscape.

Fairchild’s Garden Music Festival

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is a true gem, decorating metropolitan Miami. Here you can walk beautiful garden paths surrounded by nature’s beauties and wonders and enjoy the breathtaking sight of butterflies and birds flying all around you. Moreover, you get the chance to meet with some of the best of their kind in science, conservation and horticulture and also enroll in classes on practically everything in the garden world, from grafting to photography.

South Florida has a chance to provide stimulating educational opportunities for its young citizens, while visitors can connect music with a natural wonder. Among the numerous events that take place in a heart-stopping place like the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is the Fairchild Garden Music Festival. Here you can indulge yourself in fascinating chamber music that will take you back in time and relax you. At last year’s Fairchild’s Garden Music Festival attendees were left with a sweet taste and memorable experiences.

The combination of music with the idyllic setting of the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden creates an enchanting effect to visitors, and many grab the educational opportunities given to them throughout the festival’s duration (March 25th – May 4th 2013). In events like the Fairchild’s Garden Music Festival one can get both food for the mind and soul in a strong balance, given the opportunities springing up during the event.

What is more, there are «surprise» concerts for the visitors to enjoy that are unknown until the festival starts and you can treat yourself with some fine chamber music through open rehearsals that are held outdoors. Meeting with the musicians and connecting with them is an engaging experience that will trigger your creativity and allow you to experience the music on a more personal level. Other than that, you can just take delight in the magnificent surrounding while it blends with the musical experience of high-quality chamber music.