Standing out amongst the crowd
Let’s fast forward. It’s summertime and there are crowds of people flooding the previously desolate parks and farms up and down the country; it’s officially Festival season.
Festivals in the UK hold an increasingly tightening grip on the summer entertainment scene, and as the attendance numbers show no sign of fading, more and more festivals seem to be popping up. To get people through the door, there’s one thing they all have in common no matter their size; brilliant branding and marketing, both pre and post-event. Here are our hints and tips when it comes to standing out amongst those festival crowds.
So, where do you begin?
Every project, especially those that rely on footfall, should begin with extensive market research. Knowing your market is pivotal within event-based businesses, your customers will come if you provide something that interests them. We don’t mean to sound like we’re stating the obvious, but sometimes the explanations in plain sight are the ones often overlooked. When it come to festivals, preparation is essential.
The audience variance at festivals is unlike almost any other business model. From the week-long hedonists, lifelong music lovers and the ‘exist in the moment’ types, each will have wildly different interests which means catering for as many types of people as possible becomes the difference between success and failure.
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Once you know your audience, brand and market to THEM
Branding is something we honestly love, and working alongside open-minded clients is one of the most rewarding jobs. That being said, it’s essential that once you know your audience, you aim your branding and marketing efforts to appeal to their tastes and not your own.
At Create8, we start by designing a custom logo to be the primary identity of the event. This allows your festival to stand out from the crowd, as it is more likely to be recognised as a brand rather than a one-off event. Having a custom event logo also allows you to take your merch to the next level; in the long run, more merch means more money.
If you look around the marketplace, you will get a vibe for what your rival festivals are doing. Generic, bold coloured flyers have become somewhat routine, and those who have developed a concept including a theme relevant to their festival and a custom logo stand out more than ever.
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Social media is your best friend
When it comes to marketing and putting your festival in front of the right people, social media will quickly become your go-to platform. Before Fyre went up in flames as a festival, it saw stratospheric success in the marketing sector, and this was largely down to social media and placing the event in front of those who wanted to attend. OK, we know you’re not trying to sell a paradisiacal island, and you certainly don’t want your event to fall to the ground or result in a prison sentence. Still, there are certainly lessons to be learnt from the whole Fyre disaster. One of the main ones being that in this day and age even influencers are part of your branding.
Using a marketing agency who can help with a social media influencer campaign could be absolutely vital in the long-run. Fyre sold its tickets purely on assembling an ‘A-TEAM’ style line up of influencers and capturing brilliant footage of them on the beach seemingly enjoying the festival. Guess what, it never happened. But still, it was marketed brilliantly.
To look at our previous festival and event branding head over to our work page and if you are looking for more information, please contact us.
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