Festival Merch & Experience
Osheaga, Montréal, Summer 2023
Summer festival season is upon us, and the vibrant world of electronic dance music (EDM) festivals is in full swing. The roots of EDM festivals trace back to the late 1980s and early 1990s, when rave culture began to flourish in unused warehouses, barns, and fields. These often illegal events were as much about the journey to find them as they were about the music itself. With MDMA/Ecstasy playing a significant role in the scene, organizers quickly incorporated elements that heightened the sensory experience, such as laser light shows and bounce castles. Over time, as the rave scene grew, it began to commercialize, attracting sponsors eager to engage with festival-goers through these immersive events. While underground, non-commercial events still occur worldwide, many festivals are now managed by major corporations like Insomniac and Live Nation/C2, striving to maintain authenticity despite their corporate roots.
A key aspect of EDM festivals remains the creation of a comprehensive sensory experience. This includes not only the music, with its powerful light and sound displays, but also extends to food, carnival attractions, art installations, sponsorship activations, and shopping. These elements are designed to captivate attendees and keep them engaged, often leading to significant spending. Festival-goers typically save up for these events, ready to invest in having a memorable time without worrying too much about their expenditures. This emotional connection and desire for a "good time" place them in an ideal state to spend money, making festivals lucrative ventures for organizers.
Festival shopping primarily focuses on event-specific merchandise, such as logo t-shirts, ball caps, water bottles, and towels. This merchandise serves as an essential revenue source for festivals and helps market the event and foster community. Festivals also allocate space for artists to sell their own merchandise, though often with limitations. With dozens of acts performing across multiple stages, artists are usually restricted to offering just two styles of merchandise. This constraint can hinder their ability to maximize revenue and capitalize on their fans' presence and enthusiasm.
Therefore, it's crucial for artists to think creatively about their merchandise strategies at festivals. Some recommendations include offering digital buying extensions, such as QR codes or beacon signals at the merch table, allowing fans to browse and purchase additional items online, potentially connecting to in-person sales. Another innovative approach is providing digital skins, which are digital versions of merchandise that can be used on social media platforms or in augmented reality (AR) worlds like Roblox. Integrating ticket purchases with promotional products is another strategy, offering exclusive festival merch as part of the ticket package. Additionally, artists can consider mobile pop-up stores, which enhance the festival experience and offer a broader range of products.
New technologies are also emerging, developed by companies like Musique Mode, to further expand the opportunities for artists. These technologies offer exclusive, time-specific, and geo-fenced products and experiences. As CTO Phil Corin notes, "there is a real opportunity to add digital layers, and even a level of gamification, to the experience of festivals and concerts. After all, fans are already using their phones at festivals to capture the experience—why not extend that?"
In summary, EDM festivals play a vital role in the electronic dance music scene by providing immersive sensory experiences that fans eagerly anticipate and save for. While current artist merchandise offerings may be limited due to space constraints and a focus on festival-branded merch, artists can employ innovative strategies to overcome these limitations and offer their fans unique products and experiences. By doing so, they can enhance the overall festival experience and deepen their connection with their audience.
