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:
818 Outpost: a festival inside a festival
They say it takes a village to create a memorable marketing strategy – and in the case of Kendall Jenner’s 818 Outpost, she actually built the village.
Presented by h.wood group, this 1970s Auto Soiree-themed celebration showcased far more than tequila – it captured a lifestyle. With over 1,500 attendees and 40+ brands present, the 818-outpost was a masterclass in experiential branding.
The event cleverly converged high-end branding with influencer culture, featuring pop-ups like Sprinter Vodka Soda and gifting suites packed with Liquid IV, Havaianas, and more. Guests could customize sneaker laces at the Sketchers booth, chill in the VIP lounge with 818 branded HydroJugs, and sample a variety of food trucks. Influencers and attendees flocked to the Outpost to snap photos, socialise, and indulge in this carefully curated experience.
But what made this so successful?
Everything about 818’s activation was a reflection of the 3 pillars of the brand: valuing community, craftsmanship, and sustainability. From the guest list to the neighbouring brands, the entire event embodied the authenticity of the brand, amplifying its core values through content and connection.
Rhode: A viral Photo Booth comeback
Speaking of 818…
This year, Rhode brought back their viral Photo Booth, teaming up with 818 for one of the weekend’s most memorable activations. Originally launched at Coachella 2024, the Rhode’s vending machine-meets-photo booth combo mixes simple visual merchandising with interactivity, and this year, tequila!
How did it work? Attendees visited the 818 Outpost, inserted a token in the booth, – branded in Rhode’s signature PBJ peptide lip tint shade – snapped a series of Coachella-ready shots, and walked away with a free mini bottle of 818 and lip tint to match.
But what made this activation truly stand out wasn’t just the freebies, but the simplicity and shareability of the experience. With minimal setup and maximum aesthetic appeal, the Rhode x 818 booth created moments designed to be shared across social platforms, driving engagement both on-site and online. Visitors didn’t just leave with products; they left with effortlessly branded, influencer-worthy content ready to spread across their feeds.
The result? An estimated $2.63 billion earned media value, making Rhode’s activation the highest-performing beauty and wellness brand at the festival.
Sol de Janeiro: Bringing fragrance to the desert
Sol de Janeiro made history as Coachella’s first fragrance partner at Coachella 2025 with their 30 ft x 30 ft, tropical-getaway, multi-sensory experience: Casa Cheirosa.
Sol de Janeiro created a landscape deeply rooted in storytelling. Casa Cheirosa was designed to embody the vibrancy of Sol de Janeiro. In the centre of the space were reimagined Orelhão – Brazil’s iconic phone booths – each transformed into scent portals that allowed guests to explore and visualise the fragrances and the culture that inspired them.
What’s more? They handed out mini perfume mist keychains, offering attendees a scent they could carry throughout the weekend. These portable mists, whether sprayed or clipped onto a bag, visually endorsed the Casa Cheirosa brand.
Neutrogena: A spotlight on their brand and your skin
As Coachella’s official sunscreen sponsor for the third year running, Neutrogena used the desert heat to its advantage – spotlighting their Ultra Sheer line.
They kicked off their activation by hosting over 100 guests at their ‘Sun Saloon’ welcome event, with a custom cowboy hat station, a live performance by Alaina Castillo (187k), gifting suites and more. With a combined reach upwards of 223.4m, Neutrogena effectively expanded its brand presence and fostered real-time, organic engagement.
What’s more, with temperatures soaring into the triple digits, they set up complimentary sunscreen stations throughout the festival, ensuring all festival goers could easily reapply skin protectant without the greasy feeling that comes with traditional SPF – because who wants to deal with that?
By addressing the festival’s sun safety needs at the height of the heat, Neutrogena provided a relevant and timely solution while reinforcing its position as the go-to brand for sun protection.
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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