It goes FAR beyond the "business" of business. It's about what it means to people.
A summer without festivals is almost unthinkable. For me, at least, this has been an integral part of my career and my life for over 25 years, and yet this is exactly what we are witnessing in the southern hemisphere right now... On the back of the 'Europe observing the same during its past summer. There's simply no denying that the music and live entertainment industries have suffered greatly due to COVID. I won't dive into the negatives though, it's too easy to fall into this hole. We miss festivals, we all miss them... For various reasons, I found it quite interesting to examine in detail why FESTIVALS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO THE INDUSTRY (fans are an integral part of what I call " industry”).
Below are (in no particular order) some of my thoughts on the subject.
With new music and new artists.
Festivals have always been one of the most productive platforms for showcasing new music and introducing new talent to audiences. With the absolute absence of festivals and venues, the visibility of new materials and talent has been severely hampered. With the major (forced) shift towards digital and virtual production in the entertainment industry, we've noticed an interesting (but disturbing) phenomenon: Established players have their own major social media platforms as well as their label (and budget PR usually) to make waves in the industry, but newcomers who don't have established platforms or even an audience are almost unable to bring new music to (potential) fans.
Memory Maker
Festival-goers (you know who you are) attach great importance to festivals. Even not-so-diehard fans, who may have only been to a festival or two, will tell you they have very special memories of that carefree time. How many people have had their first kiss at a festival? It's more than music and bright lights... It's a doorway, a path to deliverance, a memory that will last forever and that people need to know more than ever.
Valid causes
Festivals (as part of their overall experience offering) provide the opportunity for stages and branded spaces where highly innovative ideas (beyond music) can be showcased. There are many possibilities for social and environmental concerns to fit into these categories, and there are many examples of festivals where these non-musical attractions create a lot of valuable 'noise', thereby attracting audience attention and engagement.
Business
Festivals (and venues) are at the heart of the business side of the entertainment industry. For us at The Unit, as a multi-business structure, from event management to talent recruitment via communication and marketing, festivals are, among other things, our daily bread. They come with endless hours of hard work and the contribution of talented and dedicated teams, but they are always worth it in the end. Again, I can cite the example of ULTRA South Africa, among others. We like the idea of having "properties" like ULTRA South Africa is a "property" or the Corona Sunsets Festival is a property. You can refine the properties and expand them. This, in turn, helps attract the biggest artists and provide the best fan experiences. We need business to make business...
Chance
Happiness. Happiness. It's funny… shit, words few of us are throwing around too much right now. Again, I will not fall into the black hole but focus on the positive. Festivals bring JOY to many people! You have to understand that it goes beyond the music. A festival is the sum of its parts, it's a much bigger experience than "just" DJs and stages. It represents an opportunity to "let go"... It is an opportunity to connect with someone or a group of people you have never met before and to meet new people and possibly change your direction in life to something new and exciting to change. Take ULTRA South Africa for example. It is Africa's largest electronic music festival and offers partygoers an unrivaled experience with some of the world's most popular artists performing on the most spectacular stages in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Culture
There are few communities less biased and more inclusive than music lovers. Of course, there may be differences within different genres, but when they come together in a festival, the feeling of love and happiness prevails. And we certainly need it now more than ever. In the current global situation, we will be holding ULTRA 2021 (or any other festival for the foreseeable future), sad indeed, but we are working hard on our digital properties and activations and as soon as "live" returns to real life, we look forward to integrating all of this into a unique experience. I hope to see you there soon.
Read Also : Is Pinterest Dead: Everything You Need to Know (2023)
Answered 2 years ago
White Clover Markets
It goes FAR beyond the "business" of business. It's about what it means to people.
A summer without festivals is almost unthinkable. For me, at least, this has been an integral part of my career and my life for over 25 years, and yet this is exactly what we are witnessing in the southern hemisphere right now... On the back of the 'Europe observing the same during its past summer. There's simply no denying that the music and live entertainment industries have suffered greatly due to COVID. I won't dive into the negatives though, it's too easy to fall into this hole. We miss festivals, we all miss them... For various reasons, I found it quite interesting to examine in detail why FESTIVALS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO THE INDUSTRY (fans are an integral part of what I call " industry”).
Below are (in no particular order) some of my thoughts on the subject.
With new music and new artists.
Festivals have always been one of the most productive platforms for showcasing new music and introducing new talent to audiences. With the absolute absence of festivals and venues, the visibility of new materials and talent has been severely hampered. With the major (forced) shift towards digital and virtual production in the entertainment industry, we've noticed an interesting (but disturbing) phenomenon: Established players have their own major social media platforms as well as their label (and budget PR usually) to make waves in the industry, but newcomers who don't have established platforms or even an audience are almost unable to bring new music to (potential) fans.
Memory Maker
Festival-goers (you know who you are) attach great importance to festivals. Even not-so-diehard fans, who may have only been to a festival or two, will tell you they have very special memories of that carefree time. How many people have had their first kiss at a festival? It's more than music and bright lights... It's a doorway, a path to deliverance, a memory that will last forever and that people need to know more than ever.
Valid causes
Festivals (as part of their overall experience offering) provide the opportunity for stages and branded spaces where highly innovative ideas (beyond music) can be showcased. There are many possibilities for social and environmental concerns to fit into these categories, and there are many examples of festivals where these non-musical attractions create a lot of valuable 'noise', thereby attracting audience attention and engagement.
Business
Festivals (and venues) are at the heart of the business side of the entertainment industry. For us at The Unit, as a multi-business structure, from event management to talent recruitment via communication and marketing, festivals are, among other things, our daily bread. They come with endless hours of hard work and the contribution of talented and dedicated teams, but they are always worth it in the end. Again, I can cite the example of ULTRA South Africa, among others. We like the idea of having "properties" like ULTRA South Africa is a "property" or the Corona Sunsets Festival is a property. You can refine the properties and expand them. This, in turn, helps attract the biggest artists and provide the best fan experiences. We need business to make business...
Chance
Happiness. Happiness. It's funny… shit, words few of us are throwing around too much right now. Again, I will not fall into the black hole but focus on the positive. Festivals bring JOY to many people! You have to understand that it goes beyond the music. A festival is the sum of its parts, it's a much bigger experience than "just" DJs and stages. It represents an opportunity to "let go"... It is an opportunity to connect with someone or a group of people you have never met before and to meet new people and possibly change your direction in life to something new and exciting to change. Take ULTRA South Africa for example. It is Africa's largest electronic music festival and offers partygoers an unrivaled experience with some of the world's most popular artists performing on the most spectacular stages in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Culture
There are few communities less biased and more inclusive than music lovers. Of course, there may be differences within different genres, but when they come together in a festival, the feeling of love and happiness prevails. And we certainly need it now more than ever. In the current global situation, we will be holding ULTRA 2021 (or any other festival for the foreseeable future), sad indeed, but we are working hard on our digital properties and activations and as soon as "live" returns to real life, we look forward to integrating all of this into a unique experience. I hope to see you there soon.
Read Also : Is Pinterest Dead: Everything You Need to Know (2023)