The Future For Gen Z At Music Festivals & Engaging With Brands Is Female, Raw & Unfiltered

With the Australian festival scene not too far away, it would be interesting to see what overseas brands did this northern summer to get on Gen Z’s radar when they headed to music festivals to hang out, chill, and party.

Of course, the rules have changed because Gen Z has redefined festival culture.

For instance, getting wasted on alcohol isn't as high a priority as earlier generations. A study from Pion found that only 27 per cent of UK Gen-Zers and 17 per cent of their US equivalents were partial to drugs and alcohol at festivals.

Instead, 43 per cent (UK) and 50 per cent (US) said that what excited them most at a festival was “hanging out with friends” and meeting others like them. Hence, their interest in ComicCon, food fests, film/TV conventions, and influencer-run events.

Two separate studies from the two biggest festival promoters in the world, Live Nation and AEG, came up with ideas last month on how their brand sponsors could reach the festival crowd.

The first thing to do, Live Nation admonished, is to stop approaching them as stereotypes.

It reported, “Our research shows that more than half (51 per cent) of people aged 18 to 60 years old in the UK attend live music events. That’s the equivalent of nearly 20 million people.

“Yet, so often, marketers either segment this huge group into stereotypes or rely on overly broad demographic data like age, gender or geography.”

SIX APPEAL

Live Nation divided the gathering of the tribes into six segments so brands could engage more meaningfully with them.

Relentless Enthusiasts: 

Behaviour: spontaneous, outgoing, and sociable, they're go-to party planners. They’re passionate about live music and new experiences. Their spare cash, which they have much of, goes mainly on shopping, especially for the latest products.

Brand appeal: “We found they were motivated by social expansion, building new connections and immersing themselves in high-energy experiences. 

“It’s all about a core need for play and social approval, so highly creative, entertaining and connection-focused campaigns will probably resonate.”

Hyped Curators: 

Behaviour: They are not the ones who plan a group trip, but they keep up with the latest trends and are keen on live events such as music, sports, and comedy. 

They support new brands. “Laid-back and image-conscious in their day-to-day lives, they can turn into party animals after hearing a few sets.”

Brand appeal: open to relationships with brands that have partnered with new or innovative events. They’re “often showing up to satisfy an innate desire for uniqueness. 

“This could lend itself to on-site brand activations that give them the chance to document exclusive experiences and share it with their social network.”

Experience Embracers:

Behaviour: These hardworking high achievers let loose in their leisure moments. Their motivation to attend live events is “variety, excitement, and exploring the unknown.”

Brand appeal: They’re forever trying to discover something new. “They love exploring new brands, too, and are open to switching or adding new brands if they align with their values.”

Mass Mainstreamers:

Behaviour: They love the atmosphere of big-name concerts and festivals, but discovering new acts and music isn’t necessarily a high priority.

Brand appeal: Safe and laid-back they might be, “but they’re also savvy shoppers “and remain loyal to trusted brands.

Music Aficionados:

Behaviour: They live and breathe music and discover what’s cool long before it becomes popular. “They’ll go above and beyond to experience their favourite artist live.”

Brand appeal: They stick to the brands they know and trust and are loyal to those “that support their deep-rooted musical interests.”

The Sidekicks:

Behaviour: Their main reason for attending a music event is not the music but to catch up with friends and experience their friends' joy from hearing acts. 

They are most likely to check out brand activations while their mates squeeze into the mosh pit. Family and financial security are their top priorities.

Brand appeal: Functional or entertaining physical activations are the most sought-after.

“With live music so deeply embedded in British culture and an abundance of concerts and festivals available across the country, our fans span a wide range of life stages, personalities, and live music preferences," according to Gina Ha, Head of Research & Insights at Live Nation UK.

BRAT OUT OF HELL

The more female performers break through and stand as role models, the more they draw female music fans and future female performers.

An interesting stat from this year’s Taylor Swift seven shows in Australia is that 40 per cent of the crowd – young and old – were attending a concert for the first time.

P!NK attracted more fans this year than ever before. She drew 975,000 across 20 stadiums in Australia and New Zealand, a leap from the 635,000 from her last tour.

Joining the role models list are veterans like Beyoncé, trenders like Charli XCX, Karol G, Olivia Rodrigo, SZA, and Gracie Abrams, and new kids on the block like Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Renee Rapp, and Latto.

It remains to be seen how this shift affects marketing to them. However, it should also be considered how Brat Summer, this year’s trend, will change the game.

Since Charli XCX’s hit new album Brat arrived in June, slime green merch (replacing last year’s Barbie pink), party animal antics, memes-creating, messy & sexy, and trashy cool-girl attitude have taken predominantly Gen Z female fans by storm in everything from TikTok to fashion runways.

Charli XCX summed up the Brat ethos as “me, my flaws, my fuck-ups, my ego all rolled into one.” Searches for items in Brat-style “slime green” surged 17 per cent in the first two weeks after the Brat album’s release, according to global shopping platform Lyst.

Live Nation advises brands that the way to reach Brat Summer Gen Zers is to keep the message simple, raw and unfiltered; encourage fan-made individuality, reject mainstream marketing around women’s bodies and faces, and let the audience, not the brand, create the conversation.

LOYALTY

Australian and New Zealand music fans aged 18 to 54 are two of the most engaged consumer groups in the world when it comes to brand loyalty, according to Live Nation’s fan insight study Driving Loyalty in February.

There is a strong membership of loyalty programs, led by retail (91 per cent), fast food (59 per cent), clothing apparel (57 per cent), and travel (55 per cent).

Currently, 91% are members of a retail loyalty program, followed by 59% in fast food, with 1 in 3 redeeming rewards on a weekly basis. This is closely followed by 57% in clothing apparel and 55% in travel. 

Three in four would sign up for a new brand loyalty program offering live music perks. Discounted tickets are the most sought-after among Gen Z, and “comfort” VIP experiences are important among the older millennial and Gen X generations.

According to AEG’s sponsorship arm, AEG Global Partnerships, Gen Zers are most open to brands, products, and experiences at music festivals. The research ranked these at a high 74 per cent.

The AEG study reported that of the 18—34 age group, 83 per cent valued brands that offered exclusive perks or discounts at live events. Up to 76 per cent of this group would buy/use products from brands that offered a chance to win tickets to live music events.

The research showed that “just the possibility of being able to see their favourite artists live is enough to tempt young music fans towards brands.”

Based on its findings at its BST Hyde Park festival in London, “The perception of the brand as ‘exciting and fun’ soared by 61 per cent, while the view that the brand is ‘different from other brands’ increased by 51 per cent. Brands that were recalled on site by fans also experienced an average trust uplift of 36 per cent.”

Paul Samuels, Executive Vice President at AEG Global Partnerships, said: “Gen-Z is one of the hardest audiences to reach, but when they are at live events, they are more open-minded to new ideas and products, which presents a great opportunity for brands to grow their customer bases. 

“Ultimately, people come to festivals to have fun, and brands that can help to take the experience to the next level are valued and remembered long after the event is over, resulting in long-term loyalty.”