Coachella 2025: A Masterclass in Brand Storytelling
The New Coachella Headliners: Brands Take the Spotlight
The biggest Coachella headliners this year weren’t the artists on stage—it was the brand logos on gift bags off the stage. Coachella 2025 proved once again it is more than just a music festival—it’s a new-age branding playground where the biggest and trendiest brands showcase their products with fun, eye-catching activations designed for maximum social media buzz. After Weekend One, we are left asking: Is Coachella still a music festival—or has it become a three-day brand activation disguised as one?
Photo via Lex Gallegos for Aperol
From Product Pushing to Experiential Marketing
Brands have officially mastered a seamless integration of their public relations strategies into the Coachella chaos. Out-of-home advertising and IRL brand moments have been all the rage recently. For example, the Barbie Café takeover, Blank Street’s picnic pop-up, and the Jacquemus bowling pop-up—yes, that really happened. It’s clear to us: brands are not just selling products to us, they are curating experiences. And honestly, it tracks. Gen Z is more focused on vibes, rather than billboards. With the information overload that gets forced upon consumers every day—Gen Z craves something we can touch, feel, and make aesthetic Instagram stories about.
Influencers: The True PR Megaphones
And the bonus for brands? All the aesthetic décor, curated vibes, and a large chunk of the marketing budget pays off big time once it gets turned into user-generated content by their attendees. It’s organic PR at its finest. Attendees are not just festival goers anymore—they are mobile marketing teams. So of course brands are going all in to create Instagrammable and TikTok-worthy activations at Coachella. Because of this, it’s more than just a festival, it is a branding ecosystem.
At the forefront of these clever Coachella campaigns? None other than 818 Tequila, Kendall Jenner’s brand. The 818 Outpost was a resort-meets-retro dream, supported by a branding oasis with custom lounge chairs, beach balls, and pool floats, tailor-made for the desert vibes. Of course where one sister goes, the others follow. Guests could stop by and grab a vodka soda from Kylie Jenner’s brand, Sprinter, or snag a Good American bandana from Khloé Kardashian’s vending machine—perfect to protect the scalp from the desert heat or, equally as important, a good IG selfie.
Despite the family affair, the 818 collab that made the most noise was the partnership with Rhode Beauty, Hailey Bieber’s viral skincare brand. Together, they launched an interactive photo booth with a free lip tint and a mini 818 Tequila bottle—literally turning skincare into currency with branded tokens. One Instagram reel of the booth racked up 4.9 million views, showing the wide reach well-executed experiences can have.
Photo via Shop Drop Daily
This immersive experience led to Rhode earning the title of top-performing beauty and wellness brand at Coachella, generating $3.63 million in earned media value (EMV), according to Business of Fashion.
These brands are demonstrating the shift from a “sell, sell, sell” mindset to something more powerful: immersive, lifestyle-driven experiences for their consumers. It’s no longer about just pushing products—it’s about selling the aesthetic and vibe to their audiences. Coachella has become the ultimate stage for brands to do exactly this.
At the heart of this shift? Influencers. Brands are realizing the immense power that influencers have on reaching their audiences. They are not just pretty faces—they are the gatekeepers to their key publics. Especially with Gen Z, influencers are seen as trustworthy—almost as if they are an internet bestie. In a sea of overly polished brand campaigns, their recommendations are gospel.
Influencers are the megaphone to amplify these brand experiences. A company could dedicate half of its PR budget to a Coachella activation—but if no one is there to vlog it, film a GRWM, or post an OOTD, did it even happen? People, not the media, are generating the conversation now more than ever. With this power shift comes a new risk: one mistake, one TikTok, and a brand can find itself stuck in the middle of a PR crisis.
BÉIS Luggage Pop-Up: A PR Crisis Case Study
Take the BÉIS Luggage pop-up in California this past March as an example. BÉIS hosted a pop-up human claw machine, where consumers are hoisted into the air and have the chance to grab a free suitcase, to celebrate the launch of their new Berry collection.
Sounds fun and cheeky, right? Well, one consumer posted a video detailing their experience—only to have the remaining luggage taken away just as she was about to grab it. The video racked up over 22 million views, and soon after, BÉIS social media comments were flooded with people expressing their disappointment.
One TikTok user summed it up perfectly: “When you thought it was gonna be good PR but turns out the exact opposite.”
The incident was quickly resolved by the BÉIS team, who gave the original poster a suitcase to make amends. However, the video had already gone viral, leaving the BÉIS team on the defensive.
Revolve Festival: Creating a Mini Universe of Pop-Ups
Influencers are the true drivers behind campaign reach. Take the Revolve Festival, the annual Coachella festival hosted by Revolve, as an example. They created their own mini universe, complete with pop-ups from luxury brands like Fendi and Dyson, alongside crowd favorites like Raising Cane’s, Red Bull, and SipMARGs. Custom activations, like the mirrored sculptures with reflective cool-tones, not only capitalized on the hottest trends but captured the essence of Coachella.
The majority of the content created and posted to the official Revolve brand account garnered around 25k views per video. In contrast, a video about the event posted by influencer Nicoleisgod on TikTok racked up over 3 million views. Further demonstrating the fact that influencers are the true gatekeepers of trends—determining what goes viral and what fails to provide a substantial ROI.
The Power of Storytelling
If Coachella 2025 has shown us anything, it's the fact that digital campaigns are crucial—but the brands that truly generate the most impact are the ones committed to storytelling and creating immersive experiences. These brands show that they don’t just have products to sell—they have a story worth sharing, and influencers are there to assist.
