What happens to the festival industry in a year when the greatest show on earth, Glastonbury, takes a year out, asks Orla Ryan of ignis

When Glastonbury, a festival the size of Southern England’s seventh largest city, takes a fallow year, you would think that the rest of the festival calendar would reap the rewards – but has it?

Yes, some of the events have filled their fields, some have even hit record numbers. Others have struggled, some have even fallen by the way-side. By no means has it been a bumper year for the industry. So where have the Glastonbury masses gone? And how do you ensure your brand is  investing in an event that is going to deliver?

With 135,000 tickets on offer and two million applicants, each year’s Glastonbury show brings disappointment to roughly 1,865,000 people. That’s a lot of people who have gathered to plan and plot their festival attendance. Having collectively bought into the concept of the festival experience, all it takes is for one of the group to ask, ‘so where now?’ and plans are re-plotted elsewhere. In a year without Glastonbury, these fledgling festival plans never got off the ground, and the disappointed masses were simply not there to be absorbed.

So, what does it all mean for next year? We have digested the 2018 season, beyond the promoter stats and demographics, to analyse some of the trends when considering brand investment in festivals in 2019.

It’s a sell out! (or is it…?)

The true attendance figures of each festival are always difficult to unpick. No show ever wants to admit that they have under-achieved. Having rattled around festival fields for a few years now like we have, you get the feel (and the data) to tell you when an event is under-performing, and 2018 has seen a few of those.

As a brand, how do you know whether or not to believe in the audience figures that are being sold to you? The only answers I can give you are knowledge, experience and a view of the wider picture than the individual promoter is selling you. Be sure of the credentials behind new events, beware of exaggerated growth claims and consider whether the event is delivering ‘best in class’ in the genre in which it exists.

With the disappointed 1,865,000 back in the mix and with so many great events on offer, 2019 has all the credentials to be a booming festival year.

Does the experience outweigh the effort?

Emerging onto the scene in 2004, Bestival and Secret Garden Party were refreshing new concepts – music festivals that were not about the music.

Now, 14 years later, Secret Garden Party is no more, and Bestival has been refreshed after a few tough years. But why? What went wrong for these festival pioneers?

I don’t believe that the concept of putting on a fabulous party is, or ever will be, dead. It’s more that the rest of the festival industry caught up with the realisation that a festival is about experience, and so there are now more events than ever delivering truly great experiences, and the competition is fierce.

In essence, in order to attract the audiences, it comes down to whether the experience is worth the effort of the festival hardships: the travel, the weather, the tent, the port-a-loos… The cons list is long.

When you are no longer the stand out and most unusual event of the year, you need to remove obstacles to remain relevant. For example, in order to survive, Bestival removed one significant obstacle – the Isle of Wight ferry – by shifting location from the island to the Lulworth estate in Dorset!

Urbanisation

One genre of festival that cuts out a number of the festival obstacles is the urban festival. For those less keen on the idea of three days of camping and with more attainably-priced day tickets on offer, urban events become a more accessible option.

With articles on ‘how to ace a one-day festival’ appearing in this year’s Time Out festival guide, you get a real sense of the growth of these events.

The ‘promoter chess’ (which has seen Wireless move to Finsbury Park, Lovebox to Gunnersbury, Field Day to Brockwell and All Points East stake a claim in Victoria Park) just shows how much competition and appetite there is.

London is not the only city hosting these Urban shows – TRNSMT, Parklife and Tramlines are increasingly popular events held in Urban spaces across the country.

These urban parks are also playing host to a wide array of events, aside from pure music festivals. Melas (from the Sanskrit for a gathering, festival or fair) delivering culture and creativity, and festive shows taking winter residencies, provide colour and choice to the event space. The diversity of events on offer provide distinct audiences and an array of opportunities relevant to different brands.

With a reduced initial outlay, and fewer days to budget for, the on-site spend at these events is often much higher, which can make them an attractive option where sales are a factor.

Outstanding in their fields

So which events looked tipped to thrive in 2019?

From the Michelin stars and champagne bars of Wilderness to the immersive theatrical spectacle that is Boomtown, these events are producing true ‘best-in-class’ offerings. Creamfields is another event that has a single-minded purpose in delivering the best EDM (Electronic Dance Music) experience going.

These events attract wildly differing audiences, but they know what they stand for and strive to produce the best in what they do.

Reading and Leeds, on the other hand – with a diversified line-up – missed the mark this year. Their line-up, still an important factor for most music festivals, was found lacking. The traditionally Rock’n’Roll based pair of festivals branched out into a much more Urban scene this year which, rather than attracting a more diverse audience, left it confused. I am sure these festival giants will be back on track next year, but it just shows that even the big events can get it wrong some years too.

Do it different

So how should a brand engage within the festival arena for 2019? It is about fitting in and standing out at the same time.

Find a fit with the festival-going human and be relevant to them. Don’t, however, slavishly follow the standard festival format. Expecting consumers to hunt out your allotted 10 X 10 space is not going to give you the return that you are looking for.

Look to stand out. Do different. Think about how the audience will engage, and what your brand offers that is unique. Consider how you can generate a buzz about your brand, not just about the brand space that you could create.

Hot

Immersive events – the experience is everything

Urban events – making the festival experience more accessible

Whatsapp – the unglamorous glue that holds a festival squad together

Not

Middle of the road – know what you stand for and be the best at it

Secondary ticketing – the rebellion against over-priced tickets is on

Single use plastic – Glastonbury has banned plastic water bottles in 2019

Orla Ryan is Head of Experiential at ignis, a multi-award winning independent brand experience agency based in Fulham. Over its 29-year history, it has worked for a wide range of clients ranging from Jameson Whiskey, Sheraton Hotels and Fuller’s, to Betfair and Cuticura. A member of the Institute of Promotional Marketing, ignis won two Gold trophies and a Silver for its #JamesonBeOriginal360 experience work for Pernod Ricard Travel Retail and Jameson in the IPM Awards 2017; the same campaign then went on to win a Silver and a Bronze in the pan-European IMC Awards.

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Branston, the UK’s best-selling pickle brand, is to launch a UK sampling tour this month, as part of a wider marketing initiative to aimed at reinforcing the pickle brand’s positioning as ‘the perfect partner for cheese’.

The activity will amplify the success of the brand’s ‘Please The Cheese’ campaign and bring Mr. Cheddar, the down to earth hero of the TV ad, to life. At each event, Mr. Cheddar will greet consumers with samples and tap into the nation’s love affair with cheese by encouraging them to pose and upload photos on Instagram using the #PleaseTheCheese hashtag.

The tour will take place at 11 events and 12 supermarkets and comprises of 39 live activities across the UK from now until the end of the year. Key dates include Lambeth Country Show in London (21-22 July), Bristol Balloon Fiesta (9-12 August) and Bournemouth Air Festival (30 August-2 September).

At the events, consumers will be able to try different products from the Branston pickle and chutney ranges, accompanied by Cathedral City cheese and Jacob’s crackers from the Branston sampling van. With up to 5,000 samples distributed per day, Branston’s sampling activity aims to reach more than two million consumers in total and recruit a new generation of pickle lovers by reminding them of the delicious taste combination of cheese and pickle.

Branston lunchboxes, key rings and goodie bags will be handed out and consumers will also be given recipe cards, Branston dip pots and money off coupons for Branston pickle.

Nisha George, senior brand manager at brand owner Mizkan, says: “We wanted to bring this association to life in an impactful way to reconnect with our loyal customers, engage a host of new ones and to invigorate the pickle category nationwide.”

The Branston brand is owned by Mizkan Euro, the European subsidiary of Mizkan, a privately-owned Japanese business started in 1804, which is the number one Sushi seasoning supplier in the world. Mizkan is a global business with over 210 years’ experience in producing high quality products. Mizkan Euro brands include Branston Pickle, Hayward’s Pickled Vegetables, Sarson’s Vinegar and Dufrais vinegar.

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Asahi Super Dry, the Super Premium Japanese beer, has launched a significant outdoor and online advertising campaign, as well as embarking on a series of partnerships – including this weekend’s Arcadia Festival – that will see the beer at the forefront of immersive experiences across London this summer.

The ‘Remastered by Japan’ OOH campaign has been featuring on more than 600 digital road, rail and London Underground display sites this month, along with larger scale placements in prominent locations such as Shoreditch and Borough High Street.  A heavy-weight social media campaign will also run nationally, creating significant impact for the newly relaunched brand.

The brand has also signed a number of partnership deals which will see it featuring in a number of immersive experiential activations.

For the first time, Asahi Super Dry is the official beer partner of Secret Cinema Presents Blade Runner – The Final Cut: A Secret Live Experience. The 1982 cult classic, set in a dystopian world, explored themes that were way ahead of its time, aligning perfectly with the values of Asahi Super Dry as a progressively minded brand. There will be 80 secret live experiences running until the end of June.

The brand is also the lead beer at dotdotdot London’s latest release, VR experience Somnai, mixing live performance and multisensory elements with immersive technology, while this Bank Holiday weekend (May 5th and 6th) Asahi Super Dry will partner with Arcadia for its 10th anniversary spectacular.

In addition to the above, Asahi Super Dry will be celebrating summer with an array of music gigs and films at the Somerset House Summer Series and Film 4 Summer Screen across July and August.

Laura Mitchell, Director of Brand Marketing at Asahi UK Ltd, says: “When we relaunched Asahi Super Dry earlier this year, we wanted to ensure its marketing would reflect the identity of the brand and put us at the heart of forward-thinking experiences, with a mix of Japanese culture. We’re delighted to be partnering with some truly exciting experiences that feed consumer curiosity and showcase the brand in a contemporary manner.  We strongly believe the ‘Karakuchi’ taste of Asahi Super Dry will make a huge impact, but it is equally important we pay homage to the brand’s heritage and we are very excited to launch into the marketplace with a number of intriguing activations.”

Asahi UK Ltd. (formerly Miller Brands UK) is the UK subsidiary of Asahi Europe Ltd. Asahi UK Ltd. has responsibility for the development of the following Super Premium brands across the UK and Ireland: Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Asahi Super Dry, Pilsner Urquell, St Stefanus and Kozel.

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Naked Juice invited visitors to Festival No.6 in Portmeirion, Wales, to step into the brand’s Colourtopia experience, an experiential activation which the brand has been taking round a number of festivals this summer.

Naked says that with a communal family-friendly atmosphere and creative vibe, the boutique Welsh festival was selected as a natural fit for the third instalment of its live engagement campaign, as it prioritises creativity, while the audience of 25-40-year-old ‘dynamic doers’ mirrors Naked’s. Naked Juice Colourtopia also delighted visitors at the Latitude (July 12th to 15th) and Wilderness (August 3rd to 6th) festivals this summer.

Starting as a stark white wilderness full of interesting sculptures, Naked puts the power of colour and creativity into the hands of festival-goers, prompting them to create a vibrant, dynamic environment filled with positive, feel-good energy. Armed with a Naked smoothie and colourful, fruity stickers that reflect the ingredients of the smoothies, people are encouraged to go wild with colour, putting the stickers wherever they want within the space.

The Colourtopia activation, created by integrated agency Initials, builds on the brand’s highly successful experiential activity in 2016. The objective is to drive trial and awareness of its smoothies and convey the “weird and wonderful spirit of its brand”, Naked says.

Under the banner of Naked Juice’s “Power. Full. Smoothie” positioning, attendees of Festival No.6, which took place from September 7th to 10th, were encouraged to try Naked’s different smoothies before being welcomed into Colourtopia,

Danielle Mendham, Brand Manager at Naked Juice, said: “At Naked, we are dedicated to creating the best-tasting smoothies made from the most delicious ingredients and nutritional boosts. There’s no better place for people to get to know our brand and experience ‘the Power. Full. Smoothie’ than at a festival. Initials’ work on Colourtopia embodies the imaginative, adventurous spirit of the brand, providing festival-goers with an engaging environment in which to get creative and colourful, while driving brand awareness and purchase.”

Naked Juice is an American company that produces juices and smoothies. A subsidiary of PepsiCo, Inc., Naked Juice products are now distributed in international markets including Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and France, as well as across the US.

Initials is one of the UK’s fastest-growing independent agencies, with expertise in brand planning and brand activation, spanning Promotional Marketing, Shopper Marketing and Live Engagement. Initials delivers innovative marketing for clients on a local and global scale including Arla, Fiat Group, Heineken, McLaren Automotive, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Philips and Samsung.

Festival N°6 is an annual family-friendly art and music festival, held in and around Portmeirion, Wales. The name comes from the cult 1960s TV series, the prisoner, starring Patrick McGoohan, which was filmed in and around Portmeirion.

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The Institute of Promotional Marketing has announced that established events, brand and media partnerships company What If London has joined its network of influential brands, agencies and service providers in the promotional marketing space.

Carey Trevill, Managing Director of the IPM, says: “Partnership marketing is hugely important to brands and agencies running promotional campaigns, so I’m delighted that What If London has decided to join the IPM. As the UK industry body with responsibility for promotional marketing, it’s important that the leading practitioners in each of the sectors we cover are working with us to deliver work for client brands that grows business in a professional and responsible way.”

What If London manages a growing portfolio of partnerships, experiential marketing campaigns and major festivals and has a proven track record for creating value, increasing brand exposure and achieving client vision. The company also represents a number of stars from the entertainment world.

Companies and brands What If London has worked for include Kopparberg, Mondelez, McDonalds, Swarovski, Vimto, Oreo, Pepsi Max.

The IPM is the UK marketing industry trade association which represents brands, agencies and service providers engaged in promotional marketing across all media channels. Its remit also covers staff, employee and channel motivation activity. It is a stakeholder in the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP), the body which writes the rules governing advertising and marketing in the UK and represents the interests of the promotional marketing industry with government, the business community, academia and other interested bodies.

The IPM owns www.promomarketing.info.

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Leading Rioja brand Marques de Caceres is bringing the sights, sounds and tastes of Spain to Manchester this September, after its UK importers, Halewood International, signed up as title sponsor of the city’s Festejar festival.

Marques de Caceres is one of the biggest selling Riojas worldwide. Halewood’s title sponsorship of Festejar includes all branding, on- and offline advertising and sampling of Marques de Caceres wines across the four days of the festival, including the Crianza, Rose, White and Reserva labels.

Festejar, which returns for a third year, takes place in the city’s Albert Square, kicking off on September 1^st with a one-off performance from one of the world’s leading Spanish tribute bands, The Andalus Band. The following night, Ibiza comes to Festejar as DJ Miguel Manzano presents an electronic musical story tracing the story of dance music on Ibiza.

Over the course of the four day festival, other activities will include Spanish dance lessons, crafts, food and drink stalls and daily live music and entertainment.

Andrew Turner, Director of Wine at Halewood, comments: “Marques de Caceres is the wine that real Spaniards drink and Festejar promises to be four days of authentic Spanish culture like no other. We are delighted to be sponsoring the event.”

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