Electronic dance music has seen a sharp rise
in popularity and now, festivals look to social media to stay innovative and
relevant to festival-goers. I am an undergraduate economics student at Northwestern
University with a certificate in integrated marketing, and I have found two
articles that stress how important social media is for festival producers to
stay ahead of the game.
The Atlantic recently published an article
titled How
Fashion Co-Opted Coachella by Alexandra
Cheney detailing how fashion houses are attracting followers away from the
festival grounds and to private parties. The 16-year-old music festival has
developed a cult following of sorts. In the days leading up to this festival,
fans document their journey to Coachella Valley all over social media, tweeting
about who they can’t wait to see to what outfits they plan on wearing. Looks
are becoming more important then the actual music being played. Luxury and
commercial brands aggressively spend to attract influencers, consumers and
“fashionistas” to invite-only pool parties and tented fashion shows. A new
trend in festivals is the creation of external parties like these designer
house pool parties that add an air of exclusivity that everyone wants a piece
of. In fact, many festival-goers go to established events outside of the
festival grounds. “No-Chella” has taken over Coachella – being seen and getting
that exclusive party-invite can be more important than what is happening on the
festival grounds.
http://electronicmidwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/coach.jpg |
Electronic dance music has been dubbed the
music of the millennial generation. We thrive on connectivity. Phil Hudson’s article in the
Atlanta Business Chronicle titled TomorrowWorld
parent studies EDM fans examines how EDM is becoming a culture and
lifestyle for fans. Electronic music thrives on connectivity and fans enhance
their experience by sharing their experiences all over social media. Chatter
about EDM, music festivals and fan preferences take place on the Internet. With
so many festivals emerging across the country, the only way festivals can
differentiate themselves is either by bringing in an impressive lineup or by
doing something no festival has done before. Electronic music is here to stay
and the challenge is in figuring out how to capitalize on the music festival
industry.
There are three action points any festival
producer should consider.
1. Go Social – The most successful festivals
have highly active social accounts with a combination of user-generated
content, popular hashtags and festival announcements.
2. Listen Online – With the majority of
festival goers online, social listening helps you stay in touch with your fans
and hear what they like and dislike.
3. Music First – There’s a reason why they’re
called “music festivals” and not “fashion festivals”. Don’t sacrifice your
sound for the extra fashion show!
Electronic dance music and the festival
culture have taken over the millennial generation. To succeed in the festival
industry, producers need to think of ways to stay innovative and relevant in
the music scene but without compromising the music. Social listening and paying
heavy attention to social media has become a necessity rather than an
after-thought for any serious festival producer.
About the Author
I am a Northwestern senior majoring in Economics, minoring in Asian American Studies and completing my certificate in the Integrated Marketing Communications program. I am currently still seeking a post-graduate job in the marketing industry, ideally looking to work in the music festival scene. Feel free to reach out to me via Twitter or drop me a message at katherinekim2015@u.northwestern.edu. I would love to talk more about the changing music scene!
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