In the lead-up to Coachella, slow ticket sales and a noticeable drop in festival-themed content on social media had many wondering if the festival was losing its appeal. However, the real story is about a strategic shift towards engaging with Gen Z.
High Stakes and High Returns
When you fly 47 of the world’s biggest influencers to Coachella on private jets, put them all in luxury compounds, and host A-list afterparties, the result is a flood of content. That’s exactly what Guess aimed for with its latest Coachella activation. The brand set up its third and largest Coachella compound yet, spanning 10 luxury mansions near the festival grounds. The objective was clear: promote the new Guess Jeans line. Celebrities like Ice Spice and J Balvin, YouTube star Bretman Rock, and LA influencers Devon Lee Carlson and Stassie Karanikolaou were all in attendance, tagging Guess and using related hashtags across Instagram and TikTok. “Bitch Guess Jeans really got me out here feeling like a Princess #GuessJeansCompound,” wrote Bretman Rock in a journal entry, sharing it with his 18.9 million Instagram followers.
For Guess, this was a significant investment. Nicolai Marciano, the 29-year-old scion of the brand and chief new business development officer, quipped, “What, this? It was cheap!” But he emphasized the immeasurable return on investment, with influencers posting content non-stop for three days, boosting social media awareness and evolving into long-term brand ambassadors.
While Guess went all out, the slowing ticket sales raised questions about Coachella’s ongoing allure. Weekend two of the festival still hadn’t sold out at the time of writing. Last year, even major celebrities toned down their festival outfits, prompting experts to question the festival’s fashion influence.
Revolve, a giant in influencer marketing, scaled back its annual Coachella-adjacent festival from a two-day, 5,000-attendee event to a single day with 1,200 attendees. Raissa Gerona, Revolve’s chief brand officer, explained that this was partly to save budget for other activations throughout the year, like the upcoming Miami Grand Prix. Despite this, Revolve’s Coachella event generated $6 million in media impact value last year, according to Launchmetrics, making it the most impactful brand activation, followed by Adidas’s in-festival pop-up and H&M’s Coachella brunch.
Coachella’s Gen Z Era
Coachella’s organizers have been prioritizing fresh talent, including international stars like Blackpink and Bad Bunny in 2023, and this year’s Gen Z favorites like Reneé Rapp, Ice Spice, and Doja Cat. This shift presents a golden opportunity for brands to connect with Gen Z audiences. Pinterest, YouTube, and American Express significantly invested in the festival to tap into this younger demographic.
Pinterest, whose 40% of users are Gen Z, set up an experiential space where visitors could manifest their dreams on a giant mirror and receive styling sessions aligned with Coachella trends. Meanwhile, American Express created a Gen Z-focused activation featuring TikTok themes and exclusive merchandise.
Guess leaned heavily into TikTok after last year’s success with Alix Earle, who drove tens of millions of views tagging Guess throughout the weekend. This year, the Guess compound included a TikTok house, featuring UK stars like Madeline Argy and Olivia Neill. “We leaned into TikTok heavier this year because it resonates so well with the younger generation,” said Marciano. “This whole week is about content, and TikTok content has a much higher level of consumption from Guess Jeans’s potential customers.”
Festival fashion has evolved. Gone are the days of uniform crochet outfits. Now, attendees showcase a variety of styles. Hailey Bieber’s minimalist look at last year’s Coachella hinted at this change, and Revolve embraced this diversity by dressing talents in a range of styles, from Western to classic, and featuring corresponding edits on its site.
Building Relationships and Creating Star-Studded Events
For brands, Coachella is about more than just press and impressions; it’s about building relationships. Guess aimed to provide a seamless experience for its talents, believing that if they didn’t have to lift a finger, they would have a better time and post more organic content.
Marciano emphasized that ticket sales at the festival don’t impact the end goal of the Guess compound, which is to drive brand reach on social media far beyond the festival gates. Guess hosted two exclusive parties for 300 people, attracting stars like Leonardo DiCaprio, Billie Eilish, Justin and Hailey Bieber, and Robert Pattinson. “People might expect us to do a 3,000-person party, but it’s not about that,” said Marciano. “Coachella is about having the right people and creating a star-studded event. It’s quality over quantity. We want to show the world’s top talents what we’re about.”
As Coachella enters its Gen Z era, brands are adapting their strategies. Focusing on TikTok and younger creators has proven effective, and the emphasis on quality experiences over quantity is reshaping the festival landscape. For brands looking to activate at Coachella, it’s essential to stay ahead of the curve and create meaningful, engaging experiences that resonate with the evolving audience.
