What makes Coachella more than just a music festival?
As a digital marketing student—and someone living vicariously through my friend attending this year—I couldn’t help but look at Coachella 2025 through a marketing lens. And let me tell you: it’s an experiential branding goldmine.
This year, the desert wasn’t just filled with music—it was filled with moments. Brand moments. Influencer moments. Viral Reels. Carefully curated activations. It’s clear that Coachella isn’t just about who’s on stage anymore—it’s about who’s on your screen.
Here’s how Coachella 2025 is redefining event marketing in real-time.
Branded Experiences Are Built for the ‘Gram
Brands are creating interactive spaces that encourage attendees to engage and share their experiences:
- 818 Tequila: Hosted a desert-themed “Outpost” featuring signature cocktails and a photo booth dispensing rhode skin lip glosses, creating a buzzworthy moment that attendees eagerly shared on Instagram.
- rhode skin: Collaborated with 818 Tequila to provide a pastel-toned photo booth, aligning with the “clean girl aesthetic” popular among Gen Z and millennials.
These activations are designed to be Instagrammable, encouraging user-generated content that extends brand reach beyond the festival grounds.
Reels or It Didn’t Happen
Instagram Reels completely took over the social scene this year. Here’s what dominated:
- Outfit-of-the-day transitions synced to tracks by Lana Del Rey and Doja Cat
- Behind-the-scenes clips like getting ready in a camper van or waiting in line for merch
- POV Reels from the front row of sets, the Ferris wheel, or a secret afterparty
What makes Reels so powerful is how effortlessly they blend personal storytelling with discovery. And for brands? It’s free marketing if you’re in the background or in someone’s caption.
Influencers, but Make It Lifestyle
Unlike typical sponsorships, Coachella brands now lean into experience-based marketing. It’s no longer “hold this product”—it’s “live the brand.”
The Revolve Festival pulled top influencers into a separate luxe experience filled with floral walls, open bars, and poolside DJs. One look at influencer content, like the post below by @theacaciamcbride, and it’s clear: this isn’t just about showing up—it’s about glowing up.
Celsius, on the other hand, turned hydration into hype at their Oasis Lounge—a chill zone turned content studio that became the backdrop for dozens of glam Reels.
Even if you didn’t get an invite, watching influencers post from these events triggered major FOMO—and that’s powerful marketing fuel.
Influencer @theacaciamcbride sharing her Revolve Festival prep featuring Revolve Beauty and glam brands like Anastasia Beverly Hills and Charlotte Tilbury.
Coachella Goes Global with Livestreaming
Not at the festival? You’re not missing out—at least not entirely. YouTube’s Coachella livestream gave fans around the world front-row access to headliners like Ice Spice, Tyler, the Creator, and Justice.
People at home made their own Reels—dancing in their bedrooms, reacting to surprise guests, or showing off their #CoachellaFromHome setups. Even brands ran geo-targeted Reels ads and sponsored filter campaigns during the livestream.
The real win? Coachella became a digital-first event, even while being on-ground.
Viral Moments You Just Can’t Script
Coachella 2025 delivered a series of unforgettable surprises that captivated both attendees and online audiences:
- Billie Eilish joined Charli XCX on stage: During Charli XCX’s set, Billie Eilish made a surprise appearance to perform their collaboration “Guess.”
- Bernie Sanders introduced Clairo: U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders made an unexpected appearance to introduce Clairo, delivering a speech on climate change, women’s rights, and economic equality before her performance.
- Fan’s viral journey to a VIP pass: After a TikTok video showed her friends winning backstage passes without her, Coachella granted the fan a VIP pass, showcasing the power of social media.
These moments quickly gained traction online, with brands and fans sharing reactions across social media platforms.
Final Thoughts: What Marketers Can Learn from Coachella 2025
🎯 Experience > exposure
📲 Reels > static content
💬 Creators > ads
Whether you’re a digital marketing student like me, a brand manager, or just a content nerd, Coachella 2025 is a live case study in everything modern marketing should be.
If your brand can make people feel something worth sharing, congratulations—you’re no longer interrupting content. You are the content.
Mansi's Blog 
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