definitive guide

brandactivations

music festivals

editor

Giles Fitzgerald, giles@fruktcomms.com

design

Sarah Parkinson,sarah@fruktcomms.com

Dan Mather, dan@fruktcomms.com

FRUKT Communications

56 Compton Street,London, EC1V 0ETT: +44 (0)207 017 8181 F: +44 (0)207 017 8199

www.fruktcomms.com

Welcome to Field Work 2011. This report — the only one of its

kind delivering comprehensive insight into the branded festival

sector — is something of a labour of love for us at FRUKT.

We believe wholeheartedly that knowledge is paramount when it

comes to navigating the festival circuit, and that is why we have put

ourselves at the very heart of the festival experience, side-by-side

with music’s biggest fans, in order to conduct our research.

We hope this document acts as both an essential recap of 2011’s activity

and a catalyst to your involvement in the 2012 festival season.

introduction The Festival Road Trip ........................................................1

brand building A Field Guide ..............................................................................2

the big numbers Festival Statistics ....................................................................4

case studies

Coca-Cola 2011 Olympic Torch Tour Interview James Williams ............................................7

Magners Crusher Bar Interview Conor Hardy .....................................................9

Southern Comfort Juke Joint Interview Natasha Pattison ...........................................11

Courvoisier Pedal Powered Punch Machine ......13

Lucozade The Big Yes Interview Matt McKie ........................................................15

Timberland Earthkeepers Power Camp Interview Hannah Scotchmer .....................................17

Tuborg Tuborg Town Interview Christopher Thornhill ...............................19

Bacardi Get Together ..........................................................20

Ginger Joe Moustache Interview Neil Anderson .................................................23

Jägermeister Ice Truck Interview Mike Swingwood .........................................25

Glaceau Vitaminwater Memory Maker ..............27

SPG Travel like a Rockstar Interview Paolo Comparato ...........................................29

Converse The Right To ......................................................30

Lynx Giant Festival Shower ............................................31

Sailor Jerry Ink City Interview Tom Wade ..........................................................33

Persil Pass the Love Picnic .............................................35

Dell Digital Festival Experience Interview James Griffiths ................................................37

Jack Wills Horsebox Interview Freddie Wyatt ..................................................39

Strongbow Festival Pub Build ....................................40

Alpro Soya Breakfast Experience.................................41

Sky Arts Ink Studio & 3D lounge ...............................42

top 5 festival trends

Alcohol Brands Steady Re-Birth ...............................12

Destination Brand Building in Overdrive .......21

Niche Festivals Deliver Opportunities for New Players .......................................................................26

The Rise of Multi-Faceted Festival Activations ............................................................34

Passion Beats Utility Hands Down .......................43

best of the rest

Playstation, KA, Paul Frank, Kobbarberg, Orange, Firetrap, Kraken Rum, Ray Ban, Wagamama, Schuh, Dairylea, Cadbury’s, WKD, Drambuie, Vodafone, Nandos and Monkey Shoulder ...........44

conclusion

2012 and Beyond ...................................................................48

last year frukt communications debuted ‘field work’, a pioneering report uncovering the very best brand activations across the festival sector in the uk, europe and the us. it was snapped up by over 400 major brands and the great and good of the festival industry, all eager to understand the many and varied opportunities the branded festival landscape has to offer.

Presented with another epic year of festival activity, we decided to pack up our tent and do it all again. This time purely focusing in on our local UK market.

Over the key three month summer festival season, we have covered thousands of miles the length and breadth of the UK, from the dizzy heights of Inverness to the Isle of Wight, searching for the most engaging brand activations.

We’ve sampled deep south hospitality in the Southern Comfort Juke Joint, been yanked backwards by Tuborg’s bungee run, partied hard in the Jack Wills Horsebox, and bathed with bikini clad girls under the Lynx Giant Shower - all in the name of research - to bring you a definitive account of brand activity across the UK festival circuit in 2011.

Once again we are struck by the sheer variety of brands involved, with fashion, technology, food and household goods all joining the well established drinks brands this year, proving that there is no sector barrier when it comes to entering this lucrative marketing space.

Whether you are evaluating the effectiveness of this year’s campaign, planning next year’s, or thinking about making your first bold leap into the music festival space in 2012, this report offers a wealth of inspiration and insight, as we uncover the key activations from this summer, unpack the latest trends and hear directly from the brands themselves.

As we rest our weary feet and attempt to recall the bleary eyed highlights of a summer spent knee deep in mud and music, this report offers up a VIP viewing platform, giving you unprecedented and intimate access to 2011’s branded stage.

Giles Fitzgerald, Trends and Insight Editor, FRUKT Communications, giles@fruktcomms.com

1