Scene2’s Top 10 Brand Activations at Festivals EVER!
Andy Dixon - July 2017
With this summer’s festival season upon us, Mel Wakely shares her top 10 festival brand experiences EVER…
So, what makes a successful festival brand experience? Probably the most important thing is to ensure that the experience is enhancing the festival experience in a non-spammy way. Festival-goers are happy to have brands at the event so long as what they bring to the party adds lots of value to their experience.
1. TIMBERLAND FESTIVAL EXPERIENTIAL – CORNBURY & CAMP BESTIVAL 2011
Agency: Sense Marketing
Production: Scene2
Reinforcing the Timberland Earthkeepers brand amongst the festival crowds, Scene2 up-cycled a couple of skips and a 45ft shipping container, transforming them into “Sun Terraces & a Power Camp” for festival-goers.
Visitors to the “Timberland’s Earthkeepers Power Camp” queued to jump on either a log-roll or an exercise bike to generate power to the stand. In turn, boiling kettles and smoothie blenders were activated and visitors were rewarded for their hard work with a refreshing drink on the sun terrace above while an integral retail area gave an opportunity to shop.
This 45ft shipping container was converted into this hugely popular experiential interactive 14m x 5m outdoor space. Our transformations did not end there. Dotted around the vast festival campsites were “Timberland’s festival Recycling Sundecks” which stood out as landmark meeting points. Eye-catching and resourceful these converted skips held eco-credentials to make us feel good about ourselves too.
2. EE CHARGING BULL, GLASTONBURY 2015
EE created an activation designed to solve one of the biggest festival headaches for anyone (with a mobile phone): getting internet coverage. The activation took the form of a full size ‘charging bull’ in the company’s brand colours, which acted as both a double-speed wi-fi hotspot and Power Bar charging station. The bold use of distinct brand colours meant the bull could be spotted and located from far away.
3. ENERGIZER SPACE BASE, CAMP BESTIVAL
Agency: Frukt
Production: Bearded Kitten 
This creative activation really tapped into the fun, dressing-up vibe of family-friendly Camp Bestival. The experience encouraged festival-goers to customise their own Energizer head torch with various futuristic arts and crafts bits and bobs. Once completed, they could have their picture snapped in a rocket frame before exiting through a wormhole tunnel. Crazy, but brilliantly on brand for Camp Bestival’s audience.
4. LITTER PICKING DRAGON, T IN THE PARK & BESTIVAL
Client: We Are What We Do
Litter is a problem that needs sorting at any festival. This genius idea solves the problem in a theatrical and engaging way that also encourages people to recycle. Winner!
5. STRONGBOW TREE, 2015
Client: Heineken Agency: WhyNot In 2015, Heineken brand Strongbow launched a 12-metre high tree pop-up at both Isle of Wight and Parklife music festivals. The unique activation included a bar, seating, a photo booth, face painters and an apple-shaped DJ booth that hosted a number of top acts. The tree was designed to be seen from any part of the festival and even featured a light laser show at night.
6. WRANGLER JEANS AT LOWLANDS FESTIVAL
Agency: Blend Bureaux Amsterdam
This is another brilliantly executed idea providing a much-needed service for festival-goers… clean clothes. Wranglers Laundromat offered free laundry services to all Lowlands’ visitors including free fashionable Wrangler overalls to wear whilst their clothes were being washed.
8. WORLD VISION AT CAMP BESTIVAL
Production Agency: Scene2
World Vision leads the way in bringing new and exciting ways to connect with their causes and supporters. At Scene2, we are proud to be the 7th year of producing the “Journey of Hope” experiential build and tour logistics.
One of the most successful tour dates was Camp Bestival, which created record sign-ups for sponsorship and donations. Family-friendly activity at the mud huts includes drumming workshops, bead making & face painting. Visitors can enter into the huts and see how children live in Sierra Leone and the changes that World Vision can make to their lives
9. VIRGIN TRAINS – NO.6 FESTIVAL
Production Agency: Ground Control
This activation from Virgin Trains targeted festival-goers planning to travel to No. 6 Festival in Wales using public transport. The promotion offered them exclusive priority fares on Virgin Trains services – an industry first. Virgin Trains created an exclusive train for festival goers which ran from Crewe to Bangor featuring live entertainment, face painting and a bar.
10. BMW MINI at LONDON PRIDE FESTIVAL
Agency: Cunning
Last, but certainly not least, is one of my favourite brand activations from BMW MINI.A PR Stunt from agency Cunning during the launch of the new MINI gave us “Fetish” MINI!So clever was the idea and fabulous the costume, that the organisers of London Pride, invited MINI to lead the parade, even though the brand was not there in any official sponsorship capacity whatsoever!
