Quick Summary
- Coachella has raised the bar for experiential marketing. Brands created immersive environments that delivered real value—and real engagement.
- Authenticity and utility led the way. The most effective campaigns solved problems, sparked curiosity, or offered something worth sharing.
- Experience became the new exposure. From teaser billboards to rooftop lounges and scent bars, smart brands built moments designed to stick.
Every April, thousands of music fans, influencers, and culture seekers head to the California desert for Coachella—a two-weekend festival that blends global headliners with fashion, art, and some of the year’s most anticipated brand experiences.
Over the past decade, Coachella has become a proving ground for experiential marketing. Simple booths and freebie lounges have given way to immersive, story-driven activations built for participation and designed to be shared.
These brand moments turn live events into content engines and have played a key role in the rise of experience-first marketing.
In this breakdown, we highlight the standout activations from Coachella 2025 (so far)—and the marketing moves that made them memorable.
How Coachella Sets the Standard for Brand Campaigns
For marketers, Coachella brand experiences feel like part of the festival itself.
The most successful campaigns blend into the rhythm of the weekend, inviting people to interact, explore, and remember.
The brand experience starts on the drive in. Festivalgoers pass a gallery of bold, high-stakes billboards on the road to Indio—each one a teaser, flex, or cryptic promise of what’s waiting beyond the gates.
That promise continues on the ground, where brands deliver on the buildup with immersive installations.
These aren’t ad campaigns dressed up as entertainment. They’re immersive experiences designed to spark emotion, curiosity, or joy. A hydration station that saves the day, a pop-up beauty bar that keeps you glowing in the heat—each adds something tangible to the festival experience.
The audience helps make this work. Coachella draws a crowd that’s socially fluent, visually driven, and happy to share what they find. A single, well-placed logo can spark more attention than a dozen paid ads. This is what sets Coachella apart.
The Brands That Stood Out
Some brands set up a booth. The best ones showed up with a point of view. The events that stood out delivered something useful, memorable, or just plain fun.
One/Size Beauty: A guerrilla masterclass in product-first marketing
One/Size Beauty skipped the glam tents and skipped the guest list. When Patrick Starrr didn’t get an official Coachella brand invite, he didn’t wait for a door to open.
He created his own opportunity.
Armed with a trunk full of sweat-proof makeup, his team created a rogue beauty station right outside the action. It wasn’t polished, but it was personal. And it hit the one thing every festivalgoer needed: performance-ready makeup that could outlast desert sun, wind, and sweat.
@glittrbby222 i love u sm @Patrick Starrr ♬ Puddles – Daniela Andrade
Marketing impact: Starrr used real conditions—heat, crowds, and sweat—as a live demo stage. The product’s flawless performance under pressure became the centerpiece of countless organic social posts, with creators and fans praising its staying power.
The setup positioned One/Size as the approachable outsider, offering a hands-on solution at exactly the right time.
Social traction: TikTok and Instagram exploded with “sweat test” videos, with beauty influencers racking up millions of views by showing how the makeup held up in real time.
Insight: Meet the moment with product confidence. Proof beats polish.
818 Tequila x Rhode Skin: The collab that clicked
This was no glossy photo op with an influencer cutout. The 818 Tequila x Rhode Skin campaign felt like a slumber party that just happened to include two mega-founders.
The centerpiece was a nostalgic coin-operated photo booth, where fans received a Rhode lip balm and a mini 818 tequila bottle with every snapshot.
@haileybieber bestied so hard our brands collabed at Coachella @Kendall Jenner ♬ Sex And The City – Main Theme – Geek Music
The booth was tucked into a cozy, candy-colored corner of the festival. It drew lines, laughter, and lots of selfies.
And then, Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber, the celebs behind the brands, casually strolled in to join the fun.
Marketing impact: The surprise appearance of both founders turned an already playful installation into a marquee moment. Festival-goers walked away with free products, but more importantly, they walked away with stories—and selfies.
Social traction: Instagram reels and Stories featured wall-to-wall coverage of the duo’s drop-in, while branded hashtags for Rhode and 818 trended across platforms for the rest of the weekend.
Insight: When the founders show up, it transforms a giveaway into a conversation.
Red Bull Mirage: The most talked-about real estate in the desert
Not surprisingly, Red Bull went big. The brand dropped a 20,000-square-foot architectural build across from Coachella’s Quasar Stage and turned it into the weekend’s hottest destination.
The structure stacked public lounges, exclusive dining, and VIP rooftops into a multi-level experience that pulled double duty as a product launch and social magnet.
General festivalgoers grabbed a drink and shade at the base. Upstairs, Hailey Bieber curated cocktails and Chef Nobu served a $350 omakase in a private dining room.
@dancing.astronaut The @Red Bull Mirage at @coachella’s Quasar stage. Surely to be a staple of the festival skyline for years to come (🎥: DA’s @alambeau) #coachella #coachella2025 #festival #redbull #housemusic #electronicmusic #housemusiclovers ♬ palm of my hands – Odd Mob Remix – John Summit & Odd Mob & venbee
Marketing impact: The Mirage introduced Red Bull’s Summer Edition White Peach with layers of access and attention.
The rooftop brought in artists, influencers, and A-listers from Kendall Jenner to Leonardo DiCaprio. Each tier delivered a distinct vibe while reinforcing Red Bull’s mix of energy and aspiration.
Social traction: The Mirage filled TikTok and Instagram feeds all weekend, with content ranging from celebrity sightings to panoramic sunset reels. Hailey’s cocktails and the Nobu experience dominated food-and-bev corners of social, giving Red Bull a lifestyle boost far beyond its beverage shelf.
Insight: Build with scale and intent. Architectural storytelling and premium placement can turn a product launch into a destination—and a status symbol.
Sol de Janeiro: A fragrance-fueled immersion
Sol de Janeiro brought the scent of summer to the desert. The brand’s “Casa Cheirosa” installation—a bright, scent-driven space—invited festivalgoers to step into its world of bold fragrances and Brazilian joy.
With mist bars, cooling stations, and sensory design, the experience delivered a moment of refresh that aligned perfectly with the heat and pace of the weekend.
Marketing impact: Sol de Janeiro created an environment built for interaction. Attendees starred in mini music videos, sampled body mists, and played with sensory storytelling that matched the brand’s joyful tone.
Every detail—from the tropical color palette to the immersive scent zones—reinforced Sol de Janeiro’s identity and made the booth a magnet for content creation.
Social traction: TikTok and Instagram filled with slow-mo mist moments, scent reactions, and behind-the-scenes reels. The activation’s bright visuals and sensory appeal gave fans a reason to stop, record, and share.
Insight: Sensory branding sticks. When the experience hits multiple senses, the story stays with the audience.
Lady Gaga: Fans first and strategy-forward
Gaga was arguably the queen of the weekend. She unleashed five acts of theatrical, camera-ready spectacle across one of Coachella’s most memorable performances.
Each act from her new album “Mayhem” came with its own visual theme, costume change, and mood shift—from hyperpop anthems to gothic ballads.
Gaga always gives it all for her fans, but this show was also built for the feed, the clips, and the recaps. Every move onstage became a moment ready to be posted, stitched, and looped.
Marketing impact: Every set piece, lyric drop, and stage transition gave fans something to capture and share. Lady Gaga designed the show to become its own content engine.
Fan accounts and media outlets pushed out a constant stream of clips, GIFs, and live recaps, generating millions of views across TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and X by the next morning.
Insight: A live performance with a clear narrative arc can turn fans into your distribution channel.
Experiential Marketing: The Festival Formula
Gen Z craves more than commercials. They demand hands‑on moments to explore, experience, and share. At Coachella 2025, the standout brands gave fans something to do, not just something to see.
Offer real interaction over canned messaging, and the crowd will join the story. So, skip the filters and logos—experiences that feel alive, useful, or joyful will get the most buzz.
Coachella rewards brands that embrace this shift. Give Gen Z a reason to engage, and you earn social buzz and attention that lasts.
Marketer Takeaways
- Build for experience, not exposure. Coachella rewards brands that create something people can do, feel, or share—not just watch.
- Solve a real need. From sunscreen stations to glam touch-ups, the strongest experiences delivered something festivalgoers actually wanted.
- Design for social. Visually driven, content-ready environments extend the impact far beyond the event.
- Start the story early. Smart brands set the tone with billboards and teasers before attendees even reached the gates.
- Own your identity. Experiences that felt deeply on-brand—through scent, story, or setting—left the strongest impression.
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