Editor’s Note: The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival last month shined a light on some of the latest trends in experiential marketing. Chief Marketer Network publication Event Marketer explores how 21 brands activated at the show, with pit stops, perfume pods, airstream trailers and more.
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The desert was hot, but the sets were hotter at this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, hosted April 11-13 and April 18-20 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA. Once again serving as the unofficial launch of festival season, the event boasted headline talent including Lady Gaga, Green Day and Post Malone; top-notch f&b from some of the area’s best restaurants; and sponsor activations that solved pain points and enriched the festival experience for the tens of thousands of creators and other culture-obsessed consumers who attended.
The annual affair has become a vast breeding ground for brand experiences, so we couldn’t cover them all. But we did round up some of the most talked about, and shared, sponsor activations from the grounds at Coachella 2025. Throw on your best festival ’fit and let’s dive in.
818 TEQUILA
Drinks flowed freely and celebs abounded at the Kendall Jenner-owned 818 Tequila activation, the 818 Outpost, which returned to Coachella for a third year on April 11. The one-day pop-up, presented by The h.wood Group, was a 1970s AutoCamp-inspired, desert-themed footprint where VIPs lounged and sipped on free 818 Tequila cocktails, Sprinter Vodka Soda, CELSIUS Energy and Saint James Iced Tea. And they walked away with freebies from a host of other brand partners. Festivalgoers also enjoyed dj talent all day, including a performance by DJ Pee .Wee (aka Anderson.Paak). Ultimately, the one-day affair saw 1,500-plus attendees swing through. (Agencies: Bryant, creative; Revolution Marketing, production)
ABSOLUT
Absolut, the official vodka partner of Coachella 2025, took its cues from the iconic cosmopolitan cocktail, activating The House of Cosmo experience with help from brand ambassador Paris Hilton. The air-conditioned space underscored the brand’s “Born to Mix” messaging, and offered an escape from the heat, dj sets, craft cocktails, self-expression stations, “The Sliving Room” (“sliving” is a Hilton-coined phrase that means slaying and living your best life) that served as a stylish lounge built for connection, and a host of photo moments inspired by the outline of Absolut’s bottle. (Agency: 160over90)
AMERICAN EXPRESS
Consumers and cardmembers alike were invited to stop by the Amex Experience to get a firsthand taste of the perks of being an American Express member. Attendees personalized select merch with festival-themed charms at the “Workshop,” snapped photos in “glimmer”-themed environments, and played dart games to score prizes from small business Cake Monkey Bakery, as well as festival partners Hi-Chew and Coca-Cola. Extra benefits were in store for Amex cardmembers, who could walk up to the Merch To-Go Window to grab a festival bundle that included a bandana, hat and tote bag, while supplies lasted.
To read the full round-up, head to Event Marketer.
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