If I was the CMO of a brand that just spent more than $300K at Coachella I would have A LOT of questions this week. Here’s a few of them: • “Rather than providing me with impressions, reach and assumed earned media value, please summarize how this created long term brand impact or an increase in ATV and customer retention.” • “Please provide the % of how many of our influencers properly disclosed the partnership under FTC guidelines.” • “How many other brands did our influencers work with while they were there and what were the brands they worked with?” • “What was the total number of foot traffic in our _______ and the average cost per visitor?” • “In comparison to our competitors who were there, how much of a % of the conversation on our campaign did we drive vs. their activations?” • “How successful was this activation at driving digital engagement for non-festival goers?” • “Was this worth it? In your opinion.” • “What would you do different next year with the same budget?” • “What was an activation at Coachella that you think was something we can learn from (you cannot say Duolingo). 🖖
I don't disagree with your thoughts here, but working in the experiential business, this one hits tough: “What was the total number of foot traffic in our _______ and the average cost per visitor?” This formula simply doesn't work for brand experience—we'd never produce anything. 🤣 The most successful activations happen as part of a holistic marketing mix, which means fusing live experience with influencer engagement, organic and paid social, other PR initiatives, etc... that's where ROI starts to come into play. If brands are just dumping dollars into Coachella activations without a broader plan in mind, they will most certainly fail.
Truly these questions should be used for any campaign or activity Nathan Jun Poekert. Big numbers look great at first glance but what do they really mean for business impact over time...that's the real question brands should not only be asking but demanding as part of strategizing and implementing. And that impact is what should drive future campaigns and activities. It helps brand stay focused, provide better output and reduce confusion for their target audiences.
Big brands missed. Small brands, like Hot Girl Pickles, won by showing up differently. The founders created standout content, got scrappy with product distribution, skipped the influencer playbook, and leaned into a grassroots vibe. That approach works. The era of influencer-heavy Coachella campaigns? Over. Also brands need to be clear on their primary goal when planning activations, whether that's driving revenue, reach, or content. Secondary goals are fine, but focus matters. The most effective brands create multi-touchpoint, multi-channel strategies that extend beyond the event itself. That’s how they drive meaningful results.
Such smart, valuable questions. Not only do they push teams and partners to think beyond vanity metrics and get real about impact, but the responses will be just as telling: who's confident enough to dig into the data, who's open about where there's room to grow, and who's really thinking long-term. That level of transparency and thoughtfulness is where real brand growth happens.
These questions are gold...especially the one about FTC disclosures. It's easy to overlook, but compliance can make or break trust. I’d also ask about how the activation measured up against other channels—Coachella costs are steep, so the ROI needs to really shine!
If you can’t connect the activation to long term impact or lower CAC, it’s a branding expense, not a growth move. And that’s fine... as long as everyone’s clear on that.
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6moThis is exactly the kind of post every growth-focused brand exec needs to bookmark. Too many campaigns chase attention and aesthetics, but when you zoom out… there’s zero tie-back to lifetime value, retention, or actual buyer behavior. I see the same thing happen in paid media businesses pour thousands into Facebook and Instagram ads without clear positioning, funnel logic, or post-click strategy. Vanity metrics everywhere, but no real impact. These questions are uncomfortable, but they’re the right ones. Because if your marketing can’t hold up to scrutiny, it was just a performance, not a strategy. Brilliant breakdown.