Complex Sponsorship Package Offerings from Music Festival Entities.

Securing sponsorship for a music festival is a core part of every organiser's revenue stream planning, but are packages getting too complex? In an increasingly competitive environment where many festivals are fighting for limited sponsorship budget, the presentation of available packages is crucial. What sponsorship packages are organisers currently selling to potential sponsors.

Music festival entities have to offer more to potential sponsors to make their packages stand out from the competition. The move is towards more of a partnership arrangement rather than simply selling advertising space, and sponsors are looking for interesting alternative packages that go beyond a logo. There is now a bigger focus on access to data plus opportunities for measurable engagement and a clear return on investment. What are the considerations for festival organisers when creating great sponsorship packages?

Increased Complexity of Sponsorship Packages.
The traditional gold, silver and bronze packages have largely disappeared as music festivals have become more complex operations. Potential sponsors are looking for more flexibility with a focus on what is important to them rather than being driven by what organisers think they want. Festival organisers now must consider how to share digital assets and offer more immersive experiences with proven engagement opportunities. Effective measurable return on investment is a high priority, so organisers must design sponsorship programmes that act as a strategic marketing platform rather than a collection of branding opportunities. Organisers now need to create packages that reflect what sponsors want structured in a way that meets budgetary requirements.

Typical Structure.
The latest sponsorship package structures now include a title sponsor or presenting sponsor followed by platinum, gold and silver plus services sponsors. This provides potential sponsors with different levels of involvement depending on their budget. A presenting sponsor will usually be offered visibility through event marketing and across an event site with recognition and numerous engagement opportunities. This can also include joint social media posts, marketing activity, and inclusion in pre-event interviews, for example. Aside from extensive site wide visual branded placements, they may also get mentioned in audience announcements. Presenting title sponsors receive exclusive on-site hospitality and VIP services plus VIP tickets and opportunities for product sampling and distribution. Some organisers also offer stage sponsorship and although at a lower level of benefit, they do get similar branding and engagement opportunities to a title sponsor but at a reduced cost. The cheaper packages give sponsors a lower level of benefit and fewer opportunities for involvement with the event's marketing and branding. The increased complexity and variety of sponsorship packages on offer does give potential sponsors more choice about their investment and level of sponsorship and provides an environment where they can test their involvement without spending too much.

Brand Visibility and Digital Assets.
Despite a greater focus on long term partnerships, greater engagement and a demonstrable return on investment sponsors still require extensive branding opportunities for their involvement. This typically includes placement on stage banners, LED ribbon displays, site maps, wayfinding signage, wristbands, artists and crew lanyards, accreditation passes and water stations for example.  More valuable than branding signage will be the digital assets that an organiser can offer which typically include dedicated online links to a sponsor's own landing page, push notifications, involvement in festival email campaigns, integrated social media posts, competitions, livestream branding and video content opportunities for example. The modern music festival operates increasingly in a digital environment, and sponsors expect to get aggregated audience insights throughout their relationship with the event. This can include specific details of audience demographics, spending patterns, engagement with sponsor activations, lead generation and product trial conversions, for example.

Services Linked Sponsorship.
These sponsorship opportunities have been increasing in availability and popularity and relate to specific services that a festival needs for its successful operation. A specific sustainability sponsor is a relatively new concept and is relevant to providers of renewable energy, electric vehicle charging, water refill stations, food waste programmes and other operators of sustainability projects or initiatives. Official technology sponsorship opportunities are being created for providers of Wi-Fi networks from telecoms companies or providers of other services like RFID wristbands, digital ticketing and mobile charging stations, for example. Wellness and safety at a music festival is critical, and providers of medical facilities, safe spaces, hearing protection and accessibility services all provide sponsorship opportunities.

For festival organisers planning their next event using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, site planning, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

Image by Yan Krukau by via Pexels

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