Why Some Brands Chose Stagecoach Over Coachella This Year

Music festival season kicked off last month with festival promoter Goldenvoice’s two biggest events: Coachella and Stagecoach. Coachella attracted a much larger crowd of 250,000 attendees across its two weekends, while only 80,000 people went to Stagecoach. Still, each festival brought in an array of partners, some different and some crossing over, including Alaska Airlines, Coca-Cola, and American Express. While Coachella is often seen as a better opportunity for brands given its scale both on- and off-site, Stagecoach brings an opportunity to make a bigger impact with a niche but growing community while standing out among less brand clutter. Engaging country fans Brands weighing whether to activate at Stagecoach versus Coachella should consider the demographics. With 80% to 90% of this year’s Stagecoach lineup being country artists, brands that engage with that crowd already were more inclined to show up. "Malibu’s core audiences include those in the Sun Belt states and Gen Zennials," said Kim Haney, director of experiential marketing at Pernod Ricard USA. "Country music is a natural entry point to reach both." Haney pointed to the growth in popularity of country music on social media as an appealing factor that's expanding the festival's audience. "The genre is growing among new consumers thanks to TikTok discovery," she said, adding that Malibu is seeing "more and more opportunities for brand activations at Stagecoach as its audience grows and diversifies." The Malibu Pink Disco Diner at Stagecoach. This year, Malibu's Pink Disco Diner was a retro pop-up featuring line dancing, customizable hats, and Malibu Pink cocktails, supported by a social-first "Get Ready With Malibu Pink" campaign. The brand said its Stagecoach presence drove more than 100 million organic social impressions throughout the festival weekend. American Eagle, which chose to activate at Stagecoach instead of Coachella, also wanted to tap into a growing audience. "Country music is having a major moment, particularly with Gen Z," CMO Craig Brommers said. As the festival's exclusive denim and apparel sponsor, American Eagle built an immersive, denim-forward space featuring Stagecoach performers like Ella Langley and Bailey Zimmerman. A Look at American Eagle's Jean Country with Ella Langley. More than 2,000 guests came through, according to the brand, and the conversation on social extended beyond the activation itself. "Success for us was about creating something people genuinely wanted to be a part of and share, using that to build a stronger brand connection," Brommers said. Establishing a consistent presence The brands that succeed at Stagecoach understand the festival is an opportunity to earn brand loyalty among a growing niche. T-Mobile returned to Stagecoach for its fifth year as a main partner, cementing itself as a brand with a presence that returning fans recognize and plan around. "Stagecoach is a really distinct cultural moment," Jillian Halterman, director of Entertainment Marketing at T-Mobile, said. "Fans aren’t just there for the performances, but for the community that comes with it, which creates the kind of environment where we can build something deeper over time." Inside T-Mobile's Club Magenta at Stagecoach At the center of T-Mobile's marketing efforts was Club Magenta, an oasis in where guests could enjoy lounge seating, charging stations, and elevated sightlines for headliners on the T-Mobile Main Stage. Club Magenta also hosted programming through a brand partnership with musician Teddy Swims, turning the lounge into "Teddy’s Tattoo Shop," where guests received airbrush tattoos inspired by the artist’s real tattoos. A few lucky fans who customized cowboy hats at Club Magenta the day prior also had the chance to meet Swims ahead of his performance. Teddy Swims stops by T-Mobile's Club Magenta. While Club Magenta is built for members, its not meant to be closed off; members could bring in two guests and anyone could peer into the open space to see its programming. T-Mobile was also the presenting sponsor of the Amazon Music livestream, allowing those who can’t attend the festival physically to feel like they were there. "Showing up year after year with something like Club Magenta creates a sense of familiarity; people recognize it, know what to expect, and start to look forward to it," Halterman said. "That visibility and consistency help build real brand loyalty and give us a strong foundation to keep evolving the experience in ways that feel fresh and familiar at other events."

Experiential Marketing

Why Some Brands Chose Stagecoach Over Coachella This Year

Brands like T-Mobile and American Eagle tapped into the buzzy country music festival to reach a growing niche

UNLOCK FULL ACCESS

Bianca Brutus

Creativity

Pringles Offers One Die-Hard Fan a Final Resting Place in a Branded Urn

Chipotle Drops a 'Big A** Bag' to Make Group Dining a Bigger Deal

Aura Wants to Be the Social Network for People You Love, Not Just a Gift for Grandma

How to Resonate With Consumers in the Age of Attention

Sprite Enlists Nikola Jokić to Take Its NBA Play Worldwide

Polymarket Taps Kathryn Bigelow to Court a Wider Audience in Midterm Ad Blitz

Ads of the Week: 12 Campaigns That Caught Our Eye, From Wet Ones to Ikea

Oura Wants Wellness to Mean More Than a Personal Best

Twix Doubles Down on Hallowmas, Bringing Back Zombie Claus for More Fright and Cheer