Creating the Connected Festival

Published 13 April 2021

Author
Julia Errens

In 2020, experience became virtual-first. With new digital habits of congregation locking into place, we highlight key strategies for experiential branding for the connected consumer. From outdoor augmented reality art festivals to at-home interactive rave missions and geolocked online concerts, brands and entertainers are joining forces to shape the future of the phygital festival.

When the Covid-19 pandemic pulled the plug on mass gatherings across the globe, the festival community followed consumers into online social spaces. The next stage of digital hangouts en masse will enable people to interact spontaneously with each other, and empower them with creative participation.
Tentpole experiences that celebrate specific fandoms and culture communities activate immediate intimacy through shared affinity – and unlock huge commerce opportunities. As innovative outfits like Ntwrk take exclusive and elaborate events to online audiences, they create the next stage of accessible but unmissable culture moments.
The pandemic has driven a surge of localism that will outlast the end of restrictions. Lockdown measures turned global consumers' focus towards their local communities – from February to May 2020, local groups on Facebook grew by 3.3 times (Facebook, 2020). Brands have to work with these smaller networks at a mass scale to craft authentic connections.
A year into the pandemic, social distancing restrictions have become opportunities for innovation. As consumers get comfortable in virtual spaces, brands are providing online experiences with direct connections into the physical world, blending digital interactions with physical rewards.
The latest in camera lens AR technology and 5G data networks are laying the groundwork for turning the real world into an interface for ultra-localised, hyper-social, phygital activations (see Pop Culture Primer 2021). Brands are enticing consumers' sense of exploration, drawing them into geolocated AR art experiences and second-screen perspectives for multichannel immersion.

Creating the Connected Festival

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?

Topics

Music & Sound
UI/UX
Race and Cultural Diversity
Coronavirus
Leisure
Social Media
Media & Entertainment
Influencers
Publishing & Broadcasting

Want to see the full report?

Offering access to over 350 consumer and cross-industry reports annually, Stylus Membership is your window to tomorrow’s most exciting opportunities.

We already arm more than 500 of the world’s most forward-thinking brands and agencies with the creative insights they need to make transformative business decisions.

We’d love to do the same for you.

Book a demo with us today to discover more.

Membership

More Reports From Stylus

Short Read|Pop Culture & Media
07 August 2026
Report|Pop Culture & Media
14 July 2026
Video|Pop Culture & Media
26 June 2026
Report|Pop Culture & Media
19 June 2026
Report|Pop Culture & Media
16 June 2026
Report|Pop Culture & Media
22 May 2026
Report|Pop Culture & Media
15 May 2026
Report|Pop Culture & Media
01 May 2026
Report|Pop Culture & Media
22 April 2026
Report|Pop Culture & Media
21 April 2026

Content Creator Shifts Round-Up

The content creator landscape is in flux as digitally fatigued netizens re-adjust their social media feeds with relatability, originality, and simple, human joys in mind. We round up three must-know shifts and how brands can navigate them, including the ‘influencer recession’ ushering in ‘nano’ creators, the evolving AI...

1/10