April 30, 2025
6 Influencer Activations That Stole The Show at Coachella 2025
Coachella is no longer just a music festival – it’s a cultural phenomenon.
As star-studded artists like Charlie XCX took to the stage to announce the end of Brat Summer, some of the world’s biggest brands descended on the desert, transforming Coachella into a mecca for experiential marketing. From immersive installations to content-worthy photo opportunities, brand activations are now just as headline-worthy as the performers.
Coachella is the ultimate real-time ad campaign, engineering viral moments. What sets it apart is its unique audience overlap of concentrated trendsetters and a hyper-engaged, social-first audience. Despite a year that saw its slowest sales to date, it typically attracts around 125k attendees daily. This year’s festival saw countless influencers in attendance, many brand-hosted. In fact, we’ve seen a rise in TikTok personalities appearing as top influencers over traditional ‘celebrity influencers’, speaking to the 40% Gen Z attendance rate we saw in 2024. With this shift in demographics, how are brands bolstering their image to the forefront of their audience?
Let’s take a look at some of the standout Coachella 2025 influencer activations and what they teach us about navigating future activations:
Pinterest: From mood board to reality
Searches for Coachella start spiking at the start of the year on Pinterest, giving the brand a sneak peek into the trends that will likely shape the upcoming festival season. This insight led to the creation of their latest activation designed to bring Pinterest’s digital aesthetics to life.
Drawing inspiration from the top festival trends seen across the platform, Ramisha Sattar (154k) transformed the space into a walk-through mood board, complete with interactive experiences and stylish setups. Attendees could explore and remix their festival looks with the assistance of Pinterest’s on-site stylists to create their perfect pin, and curate their own Pinterest boards in the photo-worthy space.
The platform garnered attention from celebrities and social media influencers, including singer Chappell Roan. With the installation’s endless photo opportunities, the organic content from this installation generated widespread visibility, showcasing Pinterest as a key player in trend forecasting.
Snapdragon x Elite: Powered by Goat
Of course we had to include one of our own.
This year, we teamed up with Qualcomm Snapdragon to showcase the power of the Snapdragon x Elite. Featuring influencers Jaz Smith (393.6k), Lala Baptiste (1m) and Ana Stowell (1.8m), the campaign took their followers along on the full Coachella journey – from road trips to downtime – all powered by Snapdragon x Elite devices.
Throughout the campaign, their content shared their immersive, real-time experience, demonstrating how the tech kept them connected, entertained, and ready to capture every moment, long after the music stopped.
The result? A dynamic and relatable look at how Snapdragon X Elite can elevate experiences across the board, proving it’s more than just a tech device – it’s a game changer.
To summarise
If there’s one thing Coachella 2025 made clear, it’s that brands who nailed their activations didn’t just put their logo on a tent and call it a day. They built worlds, crafted experiences, and gave influencers and other attendees something valuable to promote.
Here’s what we’ve learned from this year:
The value in relatability
The most successful activations felt like an extension of the brand itself. Whether it’s Sol de Janeiro’s Brazilian scent-driven story or Hailey Bieber partnering with longtime friend Kendall Jenner for Rhode’s activation, none of it felt like a hard sell – and that’s why it worked. The key takeaway? People love brands that know who they are and market the same way.
Gen Z are the influencers
With Gen Z appearing more frequently at Coachella, brands are increasingly platforming TikTok creators and other influencers who resonate with their audience. As we move forward, it’s crucial for brands to not just show up, but truly engage with Gen Z. This means partnering creators and creating activations that can be communicated across Gen Z’s most active platforms.
Building moments
While being visually engaging is important, activations should also be experientially engaging. The best activations invited attendees to actively participate, making the experience more memorable, impactful and shareable.
It’s okay to dial it back
Yes, elaborate setups certainly have their place, but some of the most impactful moments were the simplest. Think about Rhode’s photo booth or the practical value Neutrogena added with its sunscreen stations, sometimes refocusing on genuine engagement and simplicity can create the most powerful connections.
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Looking to enhance your brand activations? Get in touch with Goat if you’d like to discuss your upcoming festival activations.
