Unleashing Creativity at Coachella with Unique Brand Activations!
It is well known by now that Coachella - the annual music festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, just 30 minutes from Palm Springs and less than a two hour drive from Los Angeles - has just as much to do with brands and consumer culture as it does music, if not more.
Multiple stages, curated lineups of the biggest breakout pop stars, celebrity-studded and socialite/influencer audiences creates the ideal atmosphere for a brand to make a huge impact on consumers in a setting where everyone “let’s their hair down” and tries to take in as much of the experience as possible.
Brand Activations have been a popular feature at Coachella for decades now, and every year brands make the extra effort to draw attention and create an immersive spectacle that will catch a consumer’s eye.
At this year’s festival on April 11-13 and April 18-20, the most talked about and “shared” brands included 818 Tequila, Absolut, Method, Red Bull, and White Claw.
The Kendall Jenner-owned 818 Tequila brand hosted consumers at the “818 Outpost”, which was 1970’s auto-park themed. While consumers sipped on free 818 Tequila cocktails, Sprinter Vodka Soda, CELSIUS Energy and Saint James Iced Tea, they listened to DJ Pee .Wee (aka Anderson Paak) spin tunes. - you don’t get that experience just anywhere.
Absolut - who was the official vodka partner of Coachella 2025, gained inspiration for its experience from the cosmopolitan cocktail - opening up “The House of Cosmo” with help from Paris Hilton. The air-conditioned space highlighted by hues of pinks, purples, and silvers offered an escape from the heat and served consumers dj sets and cocktails.
Method, the official personal care sponsor of the festival this year, created an immersive experience in a setup that was multi-roomed and primed for capturing content. Method also proved its ability to listen to consumers and act: when a festival-goer posted a viral video of the incredibly long lines for a shower, Method’s employees came to the rescue, meeting disgruntled attendees with shower upgrade tickets, VIP tickets, and free products - how’s that for customer relations?
Red Bull went all out this year with their 20,000 square foot three-story pyramid structure that dominated the festival’s landscape. The “Red Bull Mirage” served amenities and killer views of the festival grounds, while giving consumers the chance to take in dj sets and Red Bull Edition slushies. Refreshing!
White Claw came in with a special idea for this year’s festival. In their “Shore Club”, they hosted White Claw Sessions Powered By Billboard, that included a headline performance by Maren Morris and an opening set by new wave artist Maude Latour - as well as plenty of White Claw to go around!
