BLURRING THE LINES: HOW MUSIC FESTIVALS ARE BECOMING MORE THAN MUSIC

AS MUSIC FESTIVALS HAVE EVOLVED SO HAVE THE EXPECTATIONS FROM THE CONSUMERS. ALTHOUGH WE CALL THEM MUSIC FESTIVALS THEY EXTEND SO MUCH FURTHER THAN JUST MUSIC. FROM HIGH TECH AUDIO/VISUAL DISPLAYS, TO IMPRESSIVE ART INSTALLATIONS, AND MOUTH WATERING FOOD VENDORS IT HAS BECOME THE FESTIVAL'S GOAL TO PRODUCE A MULTI-FACITED AND HIGHLY MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE. 

TAKE A PEAK INTO CHOW TOWN, LOLLAPALOOZA'S GOURMET FOOD HEAVEN WITH SOME OF THE CITY'S BEST RESTAURANTS AND MICHELIN STAR RATED CHEFS. SPOILER ALERT: AN ALL STAR CORN DOG IS A FAN FAVORITE, BUT CURVE BALL IT'S MADE OUT OF LOBSTER BY AN AWARD WINNING CHEF

Lollapalooza Chow Town Trailer 1 from Edward Hoke, Digital Media Guru on Vimeo.

HOW 4 BRANDS STAND OUT ACTIVATING AT FESTIVALS

IT IS A NO BRAINER THAT AT THIS POINT,  AS A BRAND, FESTIVAL ACTIVATIONS ARE NOT ONLY CRUCIAL BUT STANDARD AND NECESSARY FOR EXPOSURE TO THE OH SO COVETED MILLENNIAL TRAGET GROUP. BUT IT IS HOW A BRANDS ACTIVATION COMES TO LIFE AT A FESTIVAL WHICH IS WHAT SETS THEM APART FROM OTHERS AND TAKES THE CONSUMER BY STORM. 

TAKE H&M FOR EXAMPLE, A LONG TIME PARTNER OF COACHELLA BEST KNOWN FOR THEIR COACHELLA TAILORED FESTIVAL LINE OF CLOTHING DECIDED TO TAKE THEIR BRAND ACTIVATION TO THE NEXT LEVEL TO LEAVE AN UNFORGETTABLE MARK ON CONSUMERS. 

IN COLLABORATION WITH COACHELLA, H&M DECIDED TO DEBUT THEIR FESTIVAL CLOTHING LINE TO CONSUMERS ON SITE WITH A VIRTUAL FITTING ROOM IN WHICH GUESTS USE AUGMENTED REALITY TO TRY ON CLOTHES FOR A FRESH NEW LOOK AND PURCHASE ON THE SPOT. NO CHANGING ROOMS INVOLVED (AND LETS BE HONEST WHO REALLY WANTS TO BE TRYING CLOTHES ON AND OFF AT FESTIVAL??) 

TALK ABOUT FUN FOR THE CONSUMER AND MOST IMPORTANTLY MEMORABLE AND INNOVATIVE. 

CORONA, INNOCENT, & AEG ON HOW TO LAUNCH A SUCCESSFUL MUSIC FESTIVAL

IT IS NO SURPRISE THAT ASIDE FROM THE MUSIC, VISUAL EFFECTS, AND INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES A FESTIVAL OFFERS TO ITS CONSUMERS, CREATING A BRANDED FESTIVAL AND HAVING THE RIGHT BRAND PARTNERSHIPS ARE KEY. 

CORONA SUNSETS HAS DONE JUST THAT, AND HAS TURNED URBAN CITY ENVIRONMENTS INTO UNFORGETTABLE TROPICAL OASIS'S.  FOR ONE U.K. BASED SITE SUNSETS BROUGHT IN 400 TONNES OF SAND TO CREATE A VERY UNIQUE EXPERIENCE. 

RESEARCH CLAIMS THAT 80% OF MILLENNIALS WOULD PREFER TO SPEND THEIR MONEY ON EXPERIENCES THAN MATERIAL GOODS. THIS IS WHERE BRANDING AND ACTIVATIONS BECOME CRUCIAL AND IT BECOMES THE NUMBER ONE GOAL TO TURN AN EVENT INTO SOMETHING "MORE REAL" THAT PRODUCES BRAND LOYALTY AND AN ELEVATED BRAND EXPERIENCE STANDARD. 

HOW THE $31 BILLION ATHLEISURE INDUSTRY IS BEING INFLUENCED BY ARTISTS LIKE FKA TWIGS & ZEDD

IN A WORLD THAT ONCE CONSIDERED LEGGINGS AND SPANDEX MATERIAL FOR THE GYM OR A YOGA CLASS, ATHLETIC ATTIRE HAS EVOLVED INTO A $31 BILLION ATHLEISURE INDUSTRY WORN AS EVERY DAY ATTIRE ( AND OF COURSE FASHIONABLE WORK OUT ATTIRE). 

AN UNTAPPED MARKET FOR ARTISTS HAVE MADE THEIR DEBUT BREAKTHROUGH INTO THIS INDUSTRY. ARTISTS LIKE ZEDD, PHANTOGRAM, FKA TWIGS AND LINCIN PARK OFFER THE NEXT GENERATION OF CONCERT, SHOW, AND FESTIVAL GOERS A NEW KIND OF MERCH. MANY OF THESE ARTISTS HAVE STARTED SELLING LEGGINGS AND OTHER ATHLEISURE MERCH AT THEIR SHOWS THAT HAVE BEEN SPECIFICALLY CURATED WITH SPECIAL PATTERNS AND DESIGNS TO REFLECT THE ARTIST AND CONNECT DEEPER WITH THE CONSUMER. 

CLASSIC "BAND" TEE'S ARE OUT, ATHLEISURE IN... HAS THIS NEW FASHION TREND OPENED UP A WHOLE NEW SPACE FOR ARTISTS, MARKETING, AND BRAND EXECS TO CONNECT DEEPER WITH THEIR AUDIENCE? 

NEARLY 2.8 BILLION INVESTED IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY - THIS WEEK

TWO MAJOR MUSIC COMPANIES... DEAD... ON THE SAME DAY. DESPITE THE ILL FATED OUTCOME OF THE TWO COMPANIES, RICALL & BLIN.GY THE MUSIC INDUSTRY HAS SEEN $2.8 MILLION INVESTED INTO IT IN ONE WEEK. 

WITH NEW THE STARTUP PATREON (WHICH MONITORS COPYRIGHTS ON USER GENERATED CONTENT) EXPECTED TO PULL IN AN ASTONISHING $150 MILLION BY THE END OF 2017, AND THE SAUDI GOVERNMENT KICKSTARTING FUNDING FOR A NEW COMPANY STRICTLY FOCUSED ON THE GROWING ENTERTAINMENT SECTOR THE COUNTRY HAS SEEN... THE MUSIC INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO BLOSSOM AND GROW WITH NEW OPPORTUNITIES.

NEW RESEARCH REVEALS POWER OF MUSIC FOR BRANDS

IN NEW RESEARCH FROM MARKETING AGENCY FRUKT, 95% OF CONSUMERS PREFER LIVE MUSIC AS THEIR CHOICE OF ENTERTAINMENT AND ANOTHER 73% BELIEVE THAT BRAND PARTNERSHIPS IN ENTERTAINMENT HELP BRANDS STAND OUT FROM THEIR COMPETITION.

WHEN BRAND PARTNERSHIPS HAVE THE ABILITY TO HELP SUPORT THE GROWTH OF THE ENTERTAINMENT THAT CONSUMERS LOVE, THIS IS WHERE THE TRUST IS BUILT, AND BRAND EXPOSURE & LOYALTY IS GENERATED. 

IN ANOTHER VERY REVEALING INTERVIEW, THE VIDEO BELOW FEATURES IEG'S SVP JIM ANDREWS AS HE TALKS ABOUT BIG BRANDS AND THEIR REACH WHEN TARGETING MASS CONSUMERS AND LARGE FESTIVALS. 

IS INDIA DESTINED TO BECOME THE "NEXT EDM HUB" OF THE WORLD?

WITH SUNBURN FESTIVAL RANKED IN THE TOP 10 GLOBAL MUSIC FESTIVALS, TWO POWER HOUSE CITIES (MUMBAI & DEHLI), A MASSIVE POPULATION OF 1.3 BILLION PEOPLE, AND AN EVER BLOSSOMING EDM SCENE... INDIA IS HOME TO A MASSIVE "GOLDILOCKS ZONE" OF EDM CONSUMERS, MEANING HALF OF INDIA'S POPULATION IS 25 (YEARS OLD) AND BELOW. 

WITH GLOBAL POWERHOUSE NAMES LIKE DIPLO AND ARMIN VAN BUUREN PLAYING HERE,  INDIA IS DESTINED TO BECOME THE NEXT SPIRIUTAL HOME OF EDM IN THE COMING YEARS 

 

BASSNECTAR & ELECTRIC FOREST STAND FOR A CAUSE AND WHY ALL BRANDS SHOULD

WHEN AN ORGANIZATION OR AN ARTIST SUCH AS BASSNECTAR OR BIG BRANDS HAVE THE POWER TO USE THEIR GLOBAL PLATFORM AND IDENTITY TO BRING EXPOSURE AND HELP TO WORTHY CAUSES, IT IS TRULY INSPIRING. WHEN BRANDS USE THEIR MICROPHONE TO STAND BEHIND AMAZING MOVEMENTS, IT NOT ONLY AMPLIFIES THE REACH BUT MOTIVATES PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD TO DO THE SAME. 

BASSNECTAR AND ELECTRIC FOREST HAVE PARTNERED WITH NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION "TO WRITE LOVE ON HER ARMS" TO PREMIERE A VIDEO FOR NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION WEEK. 

AN AD EXEC EXPLAINS HOW BURNING MAN IS REALLY A MASSIVE MARKETING FESTIVAL

WHEN WE THINK OF CERTAIN BRANDS, RITUALS COME TO MIND. TAKE A CORONA FOR EXAMPLE, A CORONA DOESN'T SEEM COMPLETE WITHOUT SQUEEZING A LIME INTO THE BEER... BUT FOR BURNING MAN, MARKETING THEIR BRAND AS SOMETHING SO EXCLUSIVE THAT ONCE YOU ARE "IN" IT BECOMES THE MOST INCLUSIVE EXPERIENCE... AND PEOPLE PEOPLE CAN'T STOP COMING BACK FOR MORE. 

FROM RITUALS, TO "BURNER SPIRIT", TO A SECRET CODED BURNER LANGUAGE, AND ITS STRICTLY FOLLOWED 10 PILLAR PRINCIPLE POLICY, BURNING MAN HAS MANAGED TO BUILD THEIR MARKETING STRATEGIES AROUND CULURE, MOVEMENTS, AND THE SENSE OF COMMUNITIES THAT PEOPLE CRAVE TO BE A PART OF.

THE 10 MOST EXPENSIVE MUSIC FESTIVALS IN THE WOLRD

ARE YOU READY TO HAVE YOUR MINDS BLOWN? WHAT FESTIVAL DO YOU THINK HAS THE MOST EXPENSIVE TICKET PRICES AND PACKAGES? AND NO... IT'S NOT COACHELLA. 

WELCOME TO THE EXCLUSIVELY LUXURIOUS WORLD OF THE VIP EXPERIENCE AT SECRET SOLSTICE FESTIVAL IN REYKJAVIK, ICELAND. STARTING COST: 1 MILLION DOLLARS.

YES, I JUST SAID 1 MILLION DOLLARS FOR A VIP EXPERIENCE. BUT DID I MENTION THAT IT COMES WITH ROUND TRIP TRAVEL ON A PRIVATE JET FOR SIX PEOPLE, A 5 STAR VILLA STAY, PRIVATE CHEF, EXCLUSIVE ACCESS AND EVEN PRIVATE SECURITY? 

KEEP READING THE ARTICLE TO DIVE INTO THE MOST EXPENSIVE AND EXCLUSIVE FESTIVAL EXPERIENCES IN THE WORLD!

CAN THIS BLOCKCHAIN STARTUP DEFEAT DECADES OF MUSIC INDUSTRY SHADINESS?

BLOCKCHAIN? OH YES, THE TECHNOLOGY AND BACKBONE WHICH HAS EXPLODED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS AND IS USED INTERNATIONALLY TO FUEL THE ALL POWERFUL AND ESSENTIALLY UN-HACKABLE CURRENCY AS WE KNOW AS BITCOIN . 

BLOCKUR IS A START UP THAT HAS RAISED 1.2 MILLION DOLLARS TO CREATE A CENTRALIZED MUSIC LISENCIG DATABASE IN WHICH THEY HAVE PURPOSELY EXCLUDED ASCAP AND BMI FROM PARTNERSHIP TALKS... ALL IN AN EFFORT TO CREATE A PLATFORM THAT WILL PREVENT ORGANIZATIONS FROM ABUSING THEIR POWER IN THE MARKET PLACE.

BUT WILL THIS WORK? WE SHALL SEE. FIRST MISSION FOR BLOCKUR - HELP MUSIC PUBLISHERS MANAGE COMPOSITION RIGHTS  

MTV TO PREMIERE 'DARE TO LIVE' SERIES STARRING VIDEOGRAPHER RORY KRAMER

IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHO RORY KRAMER IS, WELL...IT'S TIME! SMALL TOWN LAKE KID, A SURVIVOR OF SEVERE DEPRESSION, AN UNSTOPPABLE ARTISTIC MIND, AND A WORLD RENOWNED VIDEOGRAPHER ARE JUST A FEW WAYS TO DESCRIBE THIS HIGH SPIRITED, CRAZY LIFE -LIVING HUMAN. 

MTV'S NEW "DARE TO LIVE" TAKES US BEHIND THE SCENES WITH RORY AND HIS VERY TALENTED ARTIST FRIENDS SUCH AS THE CHAINSMOKERS, MARTIN GARRIX, STEVE AOKI, AND KREWELLA (JUST TO MENTION A FEW) AS HE DOCUMENTS THEIR SHOW THE NIGHT BEFORE AND THEN TAKES THEM ON THE MOST EPIC DAY OFF THE FOLLOWING MORNING! 

A BRILLIANT COMPILATION OF ARTISTIC EDITING & VISIONARY VIDEOGRAPHY, LIFE ON THE ROAD, FACING FEARS, AND CRAZY FUN ALLOWS FANS AND VIEWERS ALIKE TO SEE SOME OF OUR FAVORITE ARTISTS IN THEIR RAWEST FORMS. 

KIDS SEEM TO LIKE THIS "DANCE EDM" THING

IN '99 WHEN EDM WAS STILL CONSIDERED A NICHE GENRE, SPINNIN' RECORDS FORGED ON. JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, NEWS LEAKED THAT WARNER MUSIC GROUP CONFIRMED ITS ACQUISITION OF INDIE DANCE LABEL SPINNIN' RECORDS.

WMG IS NOW THE PARENT OF A DIVERSE AND EXCITING ROSTER INCLUDING AFROJACK, ARMAND VAN HELDEN, DIMITRI VEGAS & LIKE MIKE, MARTIN GARRIX, AND TIESTO. 

TOGETHER FEST HELPS CLOSE GENDER GAP FOR WOMEN IN MUSIC FESTIVAL SCENE

PRODUCER AUDREY JOSEPH AND DJ LEAH JACKSON ARE TWO WOMEN MAKING A DENT IN THE GROWING GENDER GAP IN THE MUSIC FETSIVAL INDUSTRY AND LINEUPS. 

OVER HALF OF THE 32 MILLION PEOPLE WHO ATTEND MUSIC FESTIVALS EACH YEAR ARE WOMEN, BUT ONLY 7 - 34% FESTIVAL ACTS ARE MADE UP OF WOMEN. 

DJ JACKSON SAYS THAT THEY "HAVE THIS OPPORTUNTIY TO REALLY SHOWCASE WOMEN'S TALENTS AND CREATE A SPACE FOR PEOPLE OF ALL GENDERS TO COME AND WATCH GREAT MUSIC TOGETHER." 

AT TOGETHER FEST EVERYONE FROM THE SOUND ENGINEERS TO THE ARTISTS WILL BE WOMEN....ROCK ON! 

SOUND DESIGN & VISUAL EFFECTS TAKE CENTER STAGE

DURING THE LAST WEEK OF AUGUST IN MONTREAL, THIS CITY PLAYS HOME TO ONE OF THE MOST VISUALLY AND AUDITORY STIMULATING FESTIVALS WE KNOW OF! 

WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF MUTEK, WHERE DIGITAL CREATIVITY MEETS ELECTRONIC MUSIC... WHERE MUSICIANS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AND ELECTRONIC NERDS ALIKE COME TO EXPERIENCE RBG LAZERS AND SYNTHEXZIER DEMOS 

AND THE BRANDS PLAYED ON, HOW EDM CAN SELL ALMOST ANYTHING

IN MAY, VOLVO RELEASED AN AD FOR ITS NEW XC90 CAR. THE MAN BEHIND THE WHEEL YOU ASK? MULTI-MILLIONAIRE DJ...AVICII. SURPASSING EXPECTATIONS WITH 10M VIEWS TO DATE IT BECOMES CLEAR THE ELECTRONIC MUSIC CULTURE INDUSTRY IS HOT. SO HOT IT IS SAID TO NET A STRIKING 10 BILLION/ YEAR BY 2020. 

BRANDS FROM 7-UP TO BUD LIGHT TO UBER ARE SPENDING MILLIONS ON EDM RELATED ACTIVITY EACH YEAR. AND THE COOL THING YOU ASK? SOME OF THE WORLDS BIGGEST DJ'S ARE ON BOARD TO ENDORSE THESE BRANDS... JUST AS LONG AS THESE BIG BRANDS HELP BUILD, AUTHENTICATE, AND CARE FOR THE CULTURE.

HEINEKEN CAMPAIGN GETS POLITICAL AND NAILS IT!

HEINEKEN'S LATEST #OPENYOURWORLD CAMPAIGN IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT WE HAVE EXPECTED FROM BIG BEER BRANDS IN THE PAST.

TWO STRANGERS DISAGREEING ON TOPICS SUCH AS CLIMATE CHANGE, FEMINISM, AND TRANSGENDER RIGHTS PROVE TO US THAT HUMAN COMPASION, A DRINK,  AND AN OPEN MIND MIGHT JUST DO THE TRICK :) 

TOP 10 OCTOBER FESTIVALS

FROM MIAMI TO AMSTERDAM AND MANY PLACES IN BETWEEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE TOP 10 FESTIVALS IN OCTOBER THAT ARE ALL FOCUSED AROUND CUTTING EDGE ELECTRONIC MUSIC AND PERFORMANCES.

WE SEE AN INSPIRING MIX OF GENRES LIKE THE XX AND GORILLAZ COMBINED WITH AN INCREASINGLY POPULAR DEMAND FOR WORKSHOPS AND LECTURES.