Brandaroo

2010-07-28T15:51:00.001-04:00

Coming soon, live updates from Newport Folk Festival!

Jansport - Way to bring it full circle!

2010-07-02T12:27:00.007-04:00

I thought Jansport did an awesome job at Broo last year. But their effort this year was even better. They said they'd return in 2010 with the custom bags from the community decorated canvas last year, and they did.

Per their press release "This year, JanSport's Reclaimed Canvas will make another appearance at Bonnaroo 2010 from June 10-13 at Planet Roo. In addition, last year's 110 exclusive upcycled rucksacks and totes will be sold on-site for 40 each at the JanSport® tent, located in the Planet Roo section of the festival. All proceeds will go to JanSport's philanthropic partner, Big City Mountaineers, one of the largest non-profits in the country devoted to working exclusively with under-resourced teens by using the outdoors as a transformational element in their lives. Learn more at www.bigcitymountaineers.org."

Ben and Jerry do the Broo

2010-07-02T12:24:00.002-04:00

Launching a new flavor, no less. Bonnaroo Buzz.

Odwalla Fresh Lounge Experience

2010-07-01T16:25:00.007-04:00

Odwalla had a lower key presence at the Roo last year. They sponsored (along with several other brands) the trash and recycling center.

This year, they had a booth with samples and a crazy upside down ceiling look.

Ford Fiesta Garage

2010-07-01T16:15:00.003-04:00

OK, I think this is awesome. The Ford Fiesta Movement has been going on for a few months already, but they did a cool adaptation for the Bonnaroo crowd.

The tent had a cool tech tools that help show the flexibility of the Fiesta - but more importantly, they helped consumers connect with the brand by showing them how relevant American car brands had become.

Add to that, a unique t shit making experience, and 'cool' underground and up and coming artists, and Ford did a damn good job of offering something of value to Broo attendees.

A festival go-ers take on the Ford Fiesta Tent.

No matter what a brand does, there will always be haters. But even this guy relents that they had AC and phone charging. Done and Done.

"It was only a 30 second walk to get into Ford’s Fiesta Garage, which was designed after the stereotypical basement in which American suburban high schoolers smoked weed and talked about music with their friends from the 1960s to the 1980s. As anachronistic top 40 music (Rihanna) played in the background, I saw a bike hanging up on a wall, a bunch of unrelated and beat-up chairs organized around a ratty couch, one odd rug in a corner, some small, old fake-mahogany TVs, old records, an empty guitar case, and dozens of posters. The central couch and surrounding chairs were all oriented towards a central stage, where the likes of Youtube phenomenon Julia Nunes would play a few times a day. There were also two computers and a consistently long line to get a free Ford Fiesta tee shirt. Most importantly, there was a cell phone charging station and decent air conditioning."

Wheat Thins?

2010-07-01T16:04:00.003-04:00

"Kraft Foods/Nabisco Wheat Thins is employing the upcoming Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival as a high-visibility platform for its ongoing "The Crunch is Calling" marketing message.

The cracker brand's presence at this year's festival -- held each June in Manchester, Tenn. -- will include a centrally located "Crunch Den" where attendees can relax, sample Wheat Thins snacks and use a digital kiosk to send friends/family video content, as well as both an advance sweepstakes and on-site opportunities to win."

Jim Low, director of wheat snack crackers for Kraft Foods says that artistic/cultural diversity meshes very well with Wheat Thins' emphasis on the "rich" sensory experience of the crackers, he explains."

I'm calling Bullshit on this. I like that big brands are starting to leverage Festivals, but this is a stretch, no matter how the cracker crumbles.

Although Wheat Thins may be a good snack for festival goers, to say the cracker's brand DNA meshes with Festival DNA isn't true.

Give samples away. Have a fun air conditioned space for people to chill. But don't talk to us like we're stupid.

2009-07-15T17:41:00.010-04:00

A picture is worth a shit ton of words...

Randoms...

2009-07-15T10:05:00.018-04:00

How much did they pay?

2009-07-12T10:19:00.004-04:00

Starting Saturday morning, this Champs rep was handing out these 15% off cards, hung on a lanyard (yea, I said lanyard....wanna make something of it?) and looked a lot like access passes to some better party (media, back stage, VIP, etc.)

For the first few hours, they caught people's attention. "What is that? Did you see that guys pass?" Then, the hype wore off and they littered the grounds.

So, my question is - how much do you think Champs paid to be able to hand these out? Please leave a comment if you have an educated opinion on it.

Toyota rules Rothbury

2009-07-12T09:33:00.014-04:00

I'm going to take a few minutes to praise Toyota. I think some of their success was good planning and some was a fluke. But either way, congrats to them for a good, useful showing at Rothbury.
They had a hybrid test drive station. As I shared from the field, they reserved the right to administer a Breathalyzer. Smart, but I'm not sure that would catch all the intoxicants some people were using.

They also had bandannas and towels. Here's the part they probably didn't plan. It was dusty and dry in the common areas at Rothbury, so people used the branded cloths to cover their mouths and eyes.

Here's where Toyota nailed it. They had commemorative posters. Started in Austin at sxsw, Billy Bishop and team printed limited run posters on the street and shared them with eager fans as the paint dried.
The jam scene in particular has a long history of hand bill and poster adoration, so this limited edition, uber relevant Rothbury poster- with super subtle, almost unnoticeable branding (we appreciate this Toyota), was a huge hit.

They printed 3,000 posters for for the audience of over 45,000. They were released in quantities of a few hundred every few hours throughout the weekend. A line always persisted, and I saw people making a b line for their cars after they had their prized keepsake.

The posters are being sold on ebay....

Toyota had great useful swag like bandannas and towels and the poster was a relevant and highly sought after token that will be displayed proudly by many of it's owners for years to come.

Merrell

2009-07-10T14:50:00.006-04:00

Merrell had a great presence at Rothbury. I'm a nerd for shoes, but coming off the nothingness that Onitsuka was at Bonnaroo, I was excited to see someone get it right.

They had 3 points of contact. Outside the venue, in the lot, they had hula hoop lessons, cornhole, pedal powered cell phone charging bikes, and lots of Merrell's decorating their space.

Inside the general store, they sold Merrells and sister-brand Chaco's. I didn't realize that Merrell was owned by a Michigan parent company- Wolverine Worldwide. I talked to the rep who was in the General Store. He said they had brisk sales by Saturday morning.

Inside the venue, Merrell had another booth set up with cornhole and pedal charging.

Just to point out the sharp contrast between this and Broo, check the line that the Fuse charging center had at the Broo. I didn't see long lines at either one of the Merrell pedal charge stations. Crowd laziness or less reliance on cell phones than Broo? Probably a little bit of each, but overall there was far less emphasis on celling stuff.

Merrell, thanks for the fun and games!

Setting the scene...

2009-07-10T14:27:00.009-04:00

It was very interesting to see the contrasting scenes and vibes of Bonnaroo and Rothbury.

Rothbury had about half as many people attending ~45,000 and the weather was a different trip entirely.

Also, there was a stark difference in the use/promotion/communication through Twitter. At Broo, about 8 or 10 brands had contests on Twitter engaging fans in scavenger hunts and swag giveaways. At Rothbury, there were about 25 individuals tweeting....the entire time. That included Merrell, Umphrees, and a few news papers/blogs.

Highs in the mid 70's, lows in the mid 50's and breezy ALL day long, Rothbury was comfortable. I took bird baths for 4 days and wasn't sweating too much.

At Bonnaroo, the essentials to good brand engagement were often weather related- shade, mister fans, a/c, poncho's, head cover from the rain.

At Rothbury, the weather was so nice, schedule so well put together, and areas for relaxation so perfect, that I really needed the brands there to help me out with the other essentials- snacks, bandannas, commemorative posters, games, knowledge, and cell phone charging. I wanted to set the scene a bit before I really got into reviewing brands from Rothbury. The weather, technological engagement, and vibe were wildly different and some brands had the right idea when catering to the crowd, others missed the mark.

Port-o-johns

2009-07-10T14:22:00.004-04:00

Like most activities that require communal sharing, there is a learning curve to using these portable johns.

A few of the things you learn quickly...

1. Bring your own TP

2. Get in the line with the least amount of women

3. Don't take a drink in there

4. Figure out the cleaning schedule from the tank truck drivers- a freshly cleaned port-o-john is no dirtier than the average rest stop bathroom

5. If you think the bathroom you're waiting for may be unoccupied, it probably is

Rothbury was amazing....

2009-07-07T17:41:00.003-04:00

There were a lot of great brand engagment opportunities, and some brands knocked it out of the park.

I'll be uploading posts and photos over the next few days covering Merrel, Coleman, Toyota, Bee Humble, Ben and Jerry's, MLB, Nintendo, Wow Green, Eco-cooler, Clif Bar, Budwesier, Festaxi, Eno, Rothbury, Spitfire, and more.

Clif bar rep...

2009-07-05T16:07:00.001-04:00

Hands out samples during the Yonder show..awesome!

2009-07-05T16:00:00.001-04:00

2009-07-05T15:33:00.001-04:00

Interlude in Sherwood Forest...

2009-07-05T15:02:00.001-04:00

Before Yonder Mountain String band!

Toyota smartly reserves the right...

2009-07-05T14:44:00.000-04:00

To administer a breathalyzer before a test drive...

Play Nintendo DSi...

2009-07-05T14:41:00.001-04:00

Talk to a guru...

Getting the toxins out of your house...

2009-07-05T14:22:00.001-04:00

One cleaning product at a time...Michigan product seeking new customers...do it up!

$5 eco-cooler...

2009-07-05T14:12:00.002-04:00

Scientists have been working on making repulpable cardboard for over 7 years. Sam and the guys at E-cooler started less than a year ago. Made in Michigan, repulpable cardboard....The official cooler of Rothbury...

Way to bring it back...

2009-07-05T14:06:00.001-04:00

To our local store, where we'll buy more...

Free samples. Nothing for sale!

2009-07-05T14:05:00.001-04:00

Merrell...

2009-07-05T14:01:00.002-04:00

And new sister company Chaco have had brisk sales in their general store location at Rothbury...

Coleman for sale in the general store..

2009-07-05T13:59:00.002-04:00

The Dead on the 4th of July...

2009-07-04T21:12:00.002-04:00

Dr. Ralph Stanley...

2009-07-04T14:19:00.001-04:00

"I told ya' I was gettin' forgetful." Dead Tonight for the 4th...

Thriller...

2009-07-03T21:47:00.001-04:00

$5 eco-cooler...

2009-07-03T15:51:00.001-04:00

From the Rothbury general store...

Power from the people...

2009-07-03T15:31:00.001-04:00

Peddle to charge, carbon neutral cell phone charging...

Ben and Jerry's...

2009-07-03T15:29:00.001-04:00

Free samples go a long way...

Engage decorate and infiltrate...

2009-07-03T15:01:00.001-04:00

Clif

2009-07-03T14:55:00.001-04:00

Free fuel...

Tag worthy to the nth degree...

2009-07-03T14:45:00.001-04:00

A few Tree hammocks provided...

2009-07-03T14:36:00.001-04:00

Otherwise, BYOHammock...

Getting down in the woods...

2009-07-03T14:34:00.001-04:00

Decidedly differant than Broo atmosphere...in a rad way.

On brand

2009-07-03T14:30:00.001-04:00

Limited edition silk screen posters...

2009-07-03T14:12:00.001-04:00

At least 150 in this line. Congrats Toyato Prius, way to know your audience and offer them a relevant token.

Prius test drive stations...

2009-07-03T13:53:00.002-04:00

Seems dangerous, but ok...

Brands with a cause...

2009-07-03T13:51:00.001-04:00

Profitable? Unknown. Prolific? Yes. Beads made from magazines in Uganda- eradicating poverty through fair trade...

Goodwill of western Michigan...

2009-07-03T13:48:00.001-04:00

Smart and well used

Merrell shoes...

2009-07-03T13:29:00.001-04:00

Great set up- 2 tents like this around the ground, one inside, and products at the general store...recharge your cell phone with these pedal powered bikes....

Originally seen at Hampton...

2009-07-03T13:15:00.002-04:00

http://www.dominantprimate.com/

Targeted marketing....

2009-07-03T13:02:00.001-04:00

Lot shirts...

2009-07-03T12:49:00.001-04:00

Often relevant and always appreciated...

Old school...

2009-07-03T12:27:00.001-04:00

Coleman doesn't have a sponsored space here @Rothbury, but their brand is ubiquitous. A mix of old school traditions and new designs, Coleman's presence here around the lot really speaks to their heritage as "The original social network."

Attendance is up...

2009-07-03T11:03:00.001-04:00

We're in an un-named spill over lot. Coming from Bonnaroo so recently, even 50,000 seems like a nice managable crowd.

Sherwood forest night one...

2009-07-03T02:00:00.001-04:00

Happy to be a Verizon customer @ Rothbury...

2009-07-02T00:57:00.003-04:00

PRNewswire -- Verizon Wireless has increased its data capacity by 500 percent and its voice capacity by 300 percent in and around the Double JJ Ranch in Rothbury, Michigan, to accommodate the estimated crowd of 50,000 at this year's ROTHBURY festival, July 2-5.

Verizon Wireless deployed a Cell On Light Truck (COLT), which covers the area where the four-day festival will be held. A COLT is a fully functional, generator-powered mobile cell site that enhances wireless capacity in a specific location. Additionally, the company upgraded equipment on its permanent cell site that provides service to the area to help boost capacity for the event.

Rothbury Bound...

2009-07-01T14:43:00.004-04:00

I need a miracle everyday...

A good longtime friend has hooked us up with tickets to Rothbury.....We'll be covering all the branding, banding, and cultural highlights of Rothbury.

Shout at us @brandaroo on Twitter or check in on the blog all weekend long for live updates from Rothbury.

More randoms...

2009-06-28T11:40:00.013-04:00

Branding done well - Fuse

2009-06-28T09:59:00.018-04:00

They have the most permanent structure on the ground. The Fuse Barn. They've been here before, they're the official music channel of Bonnaroo and they didn't disappoint. With the Barn at least. I've heard mixed feedback on the Fuse TV channel coverage.

We were all wondering what the hell 100% organic music meant. Any insights? Anyone? Seems like a half ass add on to pander to the audience.

Cell Phone charging stations. One of the keys to Fuses success. Even though Budweiser had open sockets during lots of the weekend, the line persisted for Fuse's charging station. I get that Fuse attracts a younger crowd, but they also had an a/c'd place with arcade games, computer access, and lots o' benches.
Below is the line for cell phone charging. It was shorter than this at the beginning and end of the day, but seriously - I'm still waiting for Staples or Best Buy, or god forbid a solar electricity company to come and drop 1,000 sockets from a tree. The line took 45 minutes to get through. You could leave your phone with them to charge for 30 mins. Deal?

Inside the Fuse Barn there was lots to do. They were asking people if they wanted to do Karaoke, a lot.

Outside was one of the coolest and most tag worthy things that I saw all weekend. People waited in line for up to an hour to make their piece of spin art, on a record. If you were at the Roo, you saw people carrying these around all weekend. Like the Jansport backpack project, the spin art project was hands on, creative, tag worthy, and relevant.

Within the little fenced in area, Fuse staff would have tweet and text scavenger hunts. For example, tweet a pic of you with someone in a Phish shirt, someone with a finished spin art record, someone with a hat, etc. They gave away everything from koozies to Fuse branded backpacks full of swag. Good way to engage a captive audience Fuse.

A lucky winner. Quick on the draw for the techno scavenger hunt.

I think Fuse did a great job and connected with a lot of people at the Roo this year. Almost all of the pictures I have off the outside have gnarly lines. Anyway to double capacity next year Fuse?

Morning Yoga

2009-06-27T18:59:00.001-04:00

Troo Music Lounge

2009-06-27T18:32:00.012-04:00

I wrote about the Budwesier Troo Music Lounge and it's solar powered cell phone charging stations, shaded seating, and showcase space for up and coming acts, and I wasn't disappointed when I saw their space.

A high energy performance by Nashville band Heypenny.

As advertised, ample cell phone charging, lots of shade, a great venue for smaller acts, and everyone enjoys the 3ft mister fans on a hot day.

One of the cool things that I wasn't expecting was the Lager Sessions interview area hosted by Spin and Budweiser. Moe talks about their annual shindig, Moe down.
They definitely had some draw with their acts throughout the weekend. Below, Russian Circles blows it out to a packed house.

A pretty cool effort and very user friendly. I hope that Budwesier will continue it's involvment with fesitvals- especially if they keep doing it this well.

Odwalla

2009-06-27T18:01:00.010-04:00

Odwalla made a last minute press release just before Bonnaroo sharing their sponsorship of recycling at the Festival. Additionally, they were hosting Robert Kennedy Jr. to discuss topics of environmental concern on the Solar Stage.

Their presence on site was well coordinated, well branded, and made recycling the path of least resistance for many people who would otherwise have just chucked their aluminum, plastic, or cardboard wherever they could.

When we came through the gates, each group was given a big blue Odwalla recycling bag.

Also, there were Odwalla branded recycling centers were scattered all over the place within the Centeroo area.

It was interesting to see Odwalla's fancy pants, well branded recycling centers juxtaposed with the arts and crafts style of Clean Vibes trash talker stations.
An interesting byproduct of the clean vibes trading post we documented from the Roo (where people trade in recycling for points redeemable towards music, gear,and tickets), is that people kept 'stealing' our recycling. We had about 7 people in an RV space and racked up some pretty astounding piles of bottles, cans, cups, and wrappers. Whenever we came back from shows, the industrious barterers had ganked our recycling and left us a new bag. I hope they won those tickets to next years Broo.
One of the most storied and effective ways to cut through the clutter and connect with people through their blinders, is the hand held sign. I saw several examples of this old school, pre-twitter communication that helped interupt anyone in it's path. I didn't see RFK, but I was glad to see Odwalla being supported outside of their twitter feed and unmanned recycling stations.

What's that smell?

2009-06-27T17:31:00.009-04:00

Maybe it was because I was hot and heavy on their twitter feed all weekend (which was prolific to say the least) or maybe it was because their shampoo/conditioner samples spotted the grounds like weeds, but I felt like Garnier had a strong presence at the Roo this year.

Inside their tent, they had "sing in the shower" Karaoke, free sample products (full size and travel samples), hair washing and styling, and lots of seating for cooling off in the shade. People crowded the booth, many chics toting dudes who were happy for the cold air and shade. There was a paper number system- much like at a deli counter. When we went by the booth, they were on number 607. The number a girl from our crew pulled was 910.

So, with 300 people before her, we knew a wash and style wasn't in her future, but the idea was unique. They also had a self service station where people could try products and primp to their hearts desire.

Garnier may not seem like a natural fit for the crowds of "unwashed hippies." The truth is, I can't think of a place with a longer average hair length than a summer festival. Guys and Girls with lustrous locks flocked to the booth, which was slammed all weekend long.

As I wrote in an earlier post, Garnier also sponsored the pay showers that were dotted around the grounds. Free shampoo samples came with the $7 all you can scrub hot or cold shower.

As my bathing options post breaks down, pay showers and salons may not be for everyone, but those who put them to use seemed to be universally pleased.

Overall, I'd say Garnier has wriggled itself into a nice little spot within the Bonnaroo brand family. Their brand isn't for everyone, but those who were drawn to it did so in droves. Congrats to the Garnier Team for a great showing at Bonnaroo.

Coming Soon...

2009-06-22T11:49:00.001-04:00

Reviews of Garnier, Odwalla, Whole Foods, Spin, Sharpie, Clean Vibes, Fuse, and several others.

Check back for continued updates throughout the week.

Missed Opportunity? Gold Bond powder samples...

2009-06-22T11:23:00.008-04:00

It was super hot and muggy, with very light mud on the main walking roads.

What would you do for showering for 3 or 4 days? The options were...

Baby wipe bath: Name says it all. Go through anywhere from one to dozens of baby wipes trying to wash the party off of you. This is also a refresher between more intense baths.

Water troughs: Throughout the 700 acre site, there were cargo containers with long troughs and dozens of faucets. People did everything from brush their teeth, to wring washcloths that they had just scrubbed their feet or junk with.

Bird Bath: You stand in or next to a small bucket of soapy water; apply water to body, dry in the sun or with a towel.

Gravity shower: Some people brought 3-5 gallon bladders, hung in the sun, and enjoyed the free shower from their tent or camper.

Garnier Fructis was selling showers for $7. They had small stalls, hot and cold water, and free shampoo samples. I had one on Friday morning and I gotta say, it was the best $7 I spent that day.
If you’re lucky enough to have access to an RV shower, do it up. They range from tiny, porto potty sized numbers to bathrooms bigger than most in apartments in NY. I poached a shower from the RV on Sunday morning that was pretty incredible as well.

Playback clothing

2009-06-22T07:48:00.011-04:00

I was excited to see what these guys did at Broo. A really cool concept- shirts and hoodies made from polyester made from recycled plastic bottles.

There is a lot going on at Bonnaroo, and many people have on 'blinders' as they are following the person in front of them, traveling to the bathroom, or walking to a show. I was looking for Playback without blinders on, and it took me 2 days to find them!

I looked for 2 days and finally found their booth set up. Once I found it, I was stoked. Awesome product, awesome story, awesome dudes.

It seems like these guys missed a cool opportunity to let the outside of their booth stand out and let people know they were there. Even a big banner that said "t-shirts from bottles" hung across the white roof of their tent, could have helped draw their brand out from the shadows of their booth.

Also, there could have been tie - in with the trash talkers from Clean Vibes.

By each set of trash/compost/recycle bins, there were "Trash Talkers" telling people about recycling ALL WEEKEND. Every conversation could have ended "and when you recycle your plastic, you could wear it as a t-shirt, like this one, made from Mt. Dew bottles from Playback Clothing, located in Centeroo."

I hope Danny and the rest of the Playback folks had a great time at the Roo and got good exposure that will help spread the word about their awesome product.

Sports!

2009-06-22T07:19:00.008-04:00

I questioned how much traffic a place like the Major League Baseball stop would get. I was surprised at how crowded it was.

The audience skewed male, of all ages. MLB has clearly been here before and did some things right.
I was surprised at how few brands collected emails or contact info. MLB was one of the few. While they waited to use the batting cages, they were asked for their email, and I assume to sign off on a waiver of liability. I don't know if these guys offered up their junk email address (the one from college they don't use anymore, except for crap like this)or their primary email address. I guess it depends on how much they like baseball.

Their set up included batting/pitching cages, a few 20 x 20 shade covered areas, and the MLB electronics trailer that included computers to check the web, and several big ass built in gaming systems with benches.

On their computers, the homepage was set to MLB.com, but you could surf anything you wanted. Interestingly, every 5 minutes, the computer would direct you back to the MLB.com page. Annoying, but good for the brand.
This shady spot was busy all weekend long. I asked the dude running the set up how well received it had been. He said he'd had dozens of requests asking if the baseball chairs were for sale (they weren't, but I hope they have a few to raffle off next year if interest is there), and that people had been sleeping there for up to 3 hours.

Amongst brands who have been here before, there seems to be a better understanding about the needs of festival people. At the very least, they're more understanding of the kid passed out for 3 hours or sitting directly in front of the fan for 5 minutes. I hope that as brands continue to be introduced to our scene, they learn from brands like MLB and Xbox, and go with the flow.

Randoms...from a week ago today

2009-06-21T18:14:00.020-04:00

Bungaloo

2009-06-21T17:40:00.003-04:00

I hadn't heard of Bungaloo before I mentioned them in a post a few weeks ago. I love the idea behind the company- making painting easier, more fun, and less intimidating-all while using colors that actually match.

Their booth at the Roo was pretty straight forward, but their community art project and the academy they sponsored were pretty sweet!

The community art project involved using thousands of hand painted tiles to cover the teardrop shapes that will (from what I understand) be permanently displayed at Broo now. Awesome addition, and a great creative way to let people get hands on with your brand!

I don't know how Bungaloo gauged the success of their project, but it seems to me they made a few thousand good impression with the creative folks at the Roo. I had fun watching their project unfold and seeing all the excited people who got to express themselves, and contribute to the community art project.

Scratch DJ Academy - State Farm

2009-06-21T17:00:00.016-04:00

I've been uninspired by the State Farm hosting of the Scratch DJ academy since we began talking about it 4 weeks ago.

A trip into the Dj academy helped validate my feelings...quickly.

Their space did provide some good head cover, a few couches, a few laptops, and some swag in the form of bandannas, cell phone holders? and chap stick.

The Academy taught people how to scratch. Their skill levels ranged from appalling to inspiring (everyone was learning, so no judging from me...on this point at least).Even Triumph the insult comic dog took a scratch. If you had a chance to see the Conan Triumph clip, you may have noticed that Triumph didn't even call this the State Farm DJ Academy. He called it the DJ academy. I don't think it was intentional (although he gave xbox mad love in their space), but I think it speaks to how loosely linked, or dare I say completely unrelated State Farm's sponsorship of a music academy booth was.

A few weeks before Broo, I talked about islands of control (your car, your tent, your cell phone) and the opportunities that State Farm had to really help us out, esp. with the car bit.

I saw dozens of people in need of gas, with dead batteries looking for a jump, with locked keys in their car- who could have all used a hero like State Farm. But they weren't there. Instead, these dudes were.

I'd say total waste of marketing dollars on State Farm's part, but I don't know how much they spent on it, and they did seed the crowd with hundreds (thousands?) of bandannas and bags- which were quickly co-opted by deft consumers to reflect no branding whatsoever.

Funny Ha Ha...

2009-06-18T13:47:00.014-04:00

As Bonnaroo brand traditions go, there aren't many that have as storied a past and strong association as The Comedy Central Comedy Tent.

This year, Butterfinger took over the comedy tent hosting duties, and did a pretty kick ass job, in my opinion.

One of my few criticisms would be the lack of directional signage outside of the tent. Hundreds of people waited in the wrong line outside of the Sweet Humor tent. Some were there for the multi showings of Triumph the comic insult dog, others were there to get tickets to see Jimmy Fallon later in the day.

The Fallon show sold out (tickets were free, just had to pick them up) quickly and Triumph had a steady and excited audience all weekend long.

The buzz about the Sweet Humor tent was audible all over the Roo, from people talking about the ice cream with Butterfinger topping, the Fallon show selling out (which often spawned another conversation about whether or not Jimmy Fallon was physically painful to watch), John Oliver from the Daily Show (pictured above), and Triumph raging on other brand sponsors in funny and relevant ways- even taking a stab at his host, Butterfinger.

I talked about how well Stanley had multiple points of contact, but as I've gone through my pics, I realized that Butterfinger had a good variety of touch points as well.

One of the most dangerous byproducts of giving out free samples, is the possible wrapper explosion that could litter the entire grounds all weekend long. A cool effort to capture some of the Butterfinger trash before it made its way out of the Sweet Humor Comedy Tent.

Triumph shot some live action stuff around the festival grounds- he got lots of attention wherever he went.

Water Water Everywhere

2009-06-18T13:17:00.010-04:00

I was really excited to see how the Stanley use less bottled water project would turn out.

Stanley sold Bonnaroo limited edition aluminum water bottles, in an effort to lessen the impact of plastic bottles from the festival.

The aluminum bottles cost $22 and free water was provided for all concert goers.

Stanley made a modest effort to let people know about the program ahead of time, so they didn't bring dozens of plastic bottles. When I purchased my ticket, the aluminum bottle was an optional add on. After spending $285 for a ticket (including fee from Ticket Master), I wasn't in a $22 bottle buying mood.

One of the really cool things they did was to keep a tally of how many plastic bottles they were saving. With every aluminum bottle sold, this number inched up by 24.The assumed number of plastic bottles saved is based on 6 plastic bottles per person, per day-but I would say I had at least the equivalent of 8-10 plastic bottles a day, so big ups to Stanley and Spitfire for not gouging when others would have.

One of the things they did really well was staying on message. Through 3 satellite tents, and 4 branded water filling stations, Stanely and Spitfire were able to up their impressions dramatically, over other brands who had just one point of contact throughout the weekend.

Overall, it seems like the venture was a well intentioned step in the right direction. Based on the growing number to the right, they sold at least 5,000 or so. That's 5,000 limited edition conversation starters floating around the country in the hands of do-gooders everywhere. Now, if they could only remember to mention the aluminum bottles brand name...

There was some problem with the water from the stations being dirty, but I'm inclined to pin that on Bonnaroo infrastructure more than Stanley, but I think a negative association could have been made with Stanley and the dirty water fill stations.

Don't sell me stuff, cell me stuff...

2009-06-17T14:32:00.004-04:00

It’s been said (by Keith Reinhardt, among others) that there are digital natives and digital immigrants. Those of us born into the digital world and those of us who have had to immigrate and learn to use the digital space.

At 29, I think I’m right on the edge of that line. When I first started seeing shows, cell phones were not nearly as obtainable as they are now. So, we would have a physical meeting place if we got separated- by the beer cart or near the porta johns.
Smart and well placed tag outside of the Fuse phone charging station, where a line persisted all weekend. I had to ask these chicks to move to take the pic. They were put out.

It’s always been easy to lose people in the crowd, but texting has made reconnecting easier than ever. A group can quickly become separated amongst the throngs of people, but communicate via text and be back together within minutes.

The concern is no longer getting separated from your group, but losing your phone or having your battery die. How can phone companies step up their game to help people with their phones? Because they sure as shit didn't do anything this year. Waiting in line for 45 minutes to charge your phone for 30 minutes?

I wish Staples had a tree with hundreds of hooked up power strips running out of it. And big "Easy Button" bean bags to sit in while you're waiting.

There is lots of room for improvement next year brands and I hope you are starting to realize how important our cell phones are to maintaining control and stability in our festival lives...

Not their first roo-deo...

2009-06-17T13:23:00.012-04:00

Xbox has clearly been to Bonnaroo before, and they continued to improve on past years set ups.

Whether its pouring rain or sweltering hot, head cover is a hot commodity at the Roo. Xbox provided tons of head cover, lots of open seating with massive fans, dozens of gaming stations, and thousands of Xbox ponchos.

The ponchos were clutch on Thursday as it poured rain all afternoon and late in the evening. Your space was a lifesaver for lots overheated folks.

In the evening, the arcade turned disco and provided a pulsing crowd with high energy music and lots of fans. Interestingly, they had lots of Fatboy cushions and furniture around their booth. Although Fatboy was listed as a Bonnaroo Partner, I didn't see them anywhere but here in the xbox tent.
I don't think this is Fatboy, but just before the Phish show Sunday night, a set of xbox or Garnier furniture made it to the main stage. I don't know if these dudes ganked it or it was given with permission, but a pretty funny scene in a sea of people with shitty folding chairs or no chairs at all.

What you got in that bag?

2009-06-17T13:00:00.006-04:00

I was surprised to see Jansport at Bonnaroo, because I hadn't heard any mention of them as a sponsor.

I felt like they really nailed a lot of the aspects of good branding at the Broo- hands on, creative, tag worthy, and relevant.

Jansport has a series of bags made out of recycled parts of old or imperfect Jansport bags and some industrial scraps of material.

At Bonnaroo, they asked fans to share their art on a huge canvas. Whatever they wanted to do- a band logo, a scene, a design- anything, go nuts, and Jansport will use the material in their next line of recycled bags. They even talked about possibly offering the 2009 Bonnaroo bags as a special edition at Bonnaroo 2010- talk about closing the loop, that would be a really cool life cycle for this project. Fans who painted on the community canvas mural could also log onto the Jansport Art site and tag their art work, in addition to having a direct link to Facebook so users could upload and tag a pic of their work there as well.

Overall, a really cool effort and relevant as all get out. If you went to Bonnaroo this weekend- how much did you rely on your backpack?

I know the folks at Jansport and Creature pulled this entire thing together really quickly, but I think it was one of the coolest branding projects on site!

More reviews coming up over the next few days. Please bookmark us and check back soon.

Amazing time had by most!

2009-06-17T12:28:00.003-04:00

Bonnaroo was a great time this year! We got hundreds of pictures, spoke with dozens of brands large and small, saw dozens of bands, and have tons of notes to share. Above, Bruce Springsteen plays "Glory Days" with Phish on Sunday evening. What a great way to end the weekend.

I'll be uploading new posts for the next several days so please check back.

Look for reviews on Clean vibes, Hooked productions, Butterfinger, Jansport, State Farm, Vitamin Water, Budweiser, Whole Foods, Playback clothing, Garnier Fructis, Fuse, Stanley, Bungaloo, Bonnaroo, Odwalla, and many more.

Final day at Broo...

2009-06-14T10:20:00.001-04:00

Look for live updates throughout the day from Centeroo and around the grounds...

Born to run...

2009-06-14T00:32:00.001-04:00

The Boss destroys the Roo

Va's own StarHill Brewery...

2009-06-13T15:32:00.002-04:00

Swag...guitar pics, bottle openers, tattoos, glowsticks and pens...

Troo music lounger...

2009-06-13T15:16:00.000-04:00

Offers the all important charging opportunity...

Budwesier Lager Session/Spin interview..

2009-06-13T15:13:00.002-04:00

Moe talks about MoeDown at the Troo music lounge...

Budweiser troo music lounge...

2009-06-13T15:13:00.001-04:00

Mister fans...

Triumph at Butterfinger comedy tent...

2009-06-13T14:20:00.001-04:00

better pics to follow...

Dead guy ale tattoos...

2009-06-12T16:28:00.000-04:00

Get then for free from the dead guy ale tent...samples too...

Cheap sunglasses...

2009-06-12T16:17:00.001-04:00

Indicator of the state of the economy? The $5 is much busier than the kaenon tent directly across the street...

Music time..

2009-06-12T15:28:00.001-04:00

We'll be posting much more all weekend long...follow @brandaroo on twitter for more pics and updates...be up!

Looking for a bag...

2009-06-12T15:01:00.002-04:00

Cool set up from Jansport bags, paint on the canvas, they produce into bags...www.jansportartcanvas.com to check out the work and learn more...also tag your work if you painted and link up to facebook..smart Janspsort, smart....

Cover is the need du jour...

2009-06-12T14:18:00.002-04:00

Free shade for now and free ponchos for later. Thanks xbox

2009-06-12T14:14:00.002-04:00

Xbox has our backs again with 4ft fans and shade...

2009-06-12T14:01:00.003-04:00

MLB gets some love for its shady booth...rain or shine, head cover is in high demand at the Roo...

Clean Vibes trades you

2009-06-12T13:57:00.002-04:00

Clean vibes offers the tradeing post, bring recycling, get prizes. An awesome incentive to recycle...

Brands you should know by now...

2009-06-12T13:50:00.002-04:00

A brand you should know, been on the scene for years...

Odwalla...

2009-06-12T13:28:00.002-04:00

As mentioned just before we left for TN...Odwalla sponsors recycling for the roo

Phatty phone charging...30 minute max...

2009-06-12T13:11:00.001-04:00

Fuse line for cell charging grows with warm weather...cell phones are more central to our lives then ever...cell phone charging stations in high demand. Check back for more updates this afternoon.

EatMoreKale.com

2009-06-12T10:44:00.002-04:00

Youngest brand ambassadors at the Roo...their uncle's tshirt company...super friendly and totally stoked for energy and variety of the scene. Thanks dudes!

I wish State Farm was here to help me...

2009-06-12T09:23:00.002-04:00

State farm, I'd still rather have you help with my car than teach me how to DJ...clean vibes in full swing

Solar Cafe...

2009-06-12T09:21:00.002-04:00

Solar cafe to get you going...poured last night, tent devistation everywhere...more rain to come today

Xbox ponchos put to use early on...

2009-06-11T15:05:00.002-04:00

Good branding by Food Lion...

2009-06-11T12:11:00.002-04:00

Branding done right. Food Lion in Manchester, TN has music festival t-shirts to welcome fans and help support Children's Miracle Network...

2009-06-11T10:01:00.002-04:00

The first of many lines this weekend...press pass waiting line...

GoRving.com

2009-06-10T20:28:00.002-04:00

Half way there...rv pick up in ATL...

Liquid for lunch...

2009-06-09T15:24:00.006-04:00

Press release from Odwalla just now. I'm trying to get on the short list to meet RFK Junior.

“Odwalla’s mission is to nourish people everywhere and adhere to our guiding principle of respect – respect for consumers and respect for the earth,” said Chris Brandt, Odwalla Vice President of Marketing. “We say Odwalla is an artful mix of taste and nutrition, and Bonnaroo definitely is an artful mix of music, arts and people who really care about the environment. It’s a great place for us to be.”

"As a recycling sponsor, Odwalla will have recycling stations set up throughout the performance area and will also provide recycling bags to attendees as they enter the grounds of this four-day camping and music festival. Odwalla will also be updating festival participants about special Odwalla news, giveaways, and opportunities to meet Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the festival via their Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/odwalla."

So is Odwalla working with Clean Vibes? I guess as long as stuff gets recycled, it doesn't matter who gets the credit.

What the hell did brands do without twitter?

2009-06-09T14:34:00.003-04:00

Updated press release from Butterfinger. Air conditioning, humor, and twitter scavenger hunt. I will be interested to see how many people are actually engaged in all of the different scavenger hunts.

How many people at the Roo even have Twitter? Are brands missing out an an old fashion opportunity for some face time?

"Black and Showalter will help Butterfinger lead a massive scavenger hunt on the Bonnaroo grounds via Twitter. Special clues posted through "tweets" by @MichaelIanBlack or @MShowalter on Twitter.com will lead festival attendees to discover a "Butterfinger Man." Bonnaroo attendees who post a photo of themselves with this character on Twitter can earn VIP upgrades to the festival. Bonnaroo and Butterfinger fans also can find additional sweet news and fun by following @ButterfingerMmm

Comedian Christian Finnegan ("VH1's Best Week Ever") will perform a series of Pop-Up Comedy routines throughout the weekend on the streets of Bonnaroo. Highlights of Finnegan's spontaneous, stand-up performances will be broadcast after the festival on the Butterfinger Comedy Network on Yahoo! "

Yo, Christian Finnegan, I'll look for you. I need a picture with you, it will give me credibility if people think I know the guy from Best Week Ever.

Foreplay...

2009-06-09T14:14:00.008-04:00

We’ve talked a lot about brands that tried to communicate with their fans before Bonnaroo, get their engagement started before the Roo even starts. Modcloth, Whole Foods, Fuse, and Stanley.

At the other end of the spectrum, there are a few partner brands who have said almost nothing about their plans at the Roo.

Aside from a link to their website from the partner page, I have no idea what Sharpie, Fender, Fatboy, or Onitsuka are doing. If you all are doing anything cool, please let us know! @brandaroo

In my opinion, the opportunity for a brand at a festival is to engage people and offer them something of value – tangible or not.

From fixing a flat tire to providing a respite from the heat and chaos of Centeroo, brands spend money to have the opportunity to engage people.

I think that brands who skip out on the foreplay or opportunity to pre-engage their audience are missing a really important opportunity.

I already know what to expect from Stanley and Fuse and Wholefoods and Butterfinger. I've added them to my list of places to see, because I know they have something of value for me (water bottle and filling stations, affordable healthy snacks, wifi and phone charging, and ice cream and air conditioned comedy).

Can't you even give us a hint about what your brand is bringing to the Roo?

You paid for the opportunity, now engage us dammit.

Otherwise, I'm just going to sit around between sets like these dudes, oblivious of your brand.

Scavenger hunt, techno style...

2009-06-08T18:07:00.009-04:00

A few weeks ago I wrote about how we used to use classified ads to trade tapes of live shows, and how spoiled we are that we can stream anything, anytime.

Technology has changed more than how we acquire music, it's changed how we interact with brands.

A few days ago, I wrote about @modcloth and "Hide & Chic" contest they were running, tweeting pics to their followers about hidden goodies at the Broo.

This is a really cool contest that we learned about from the folks @BonnarooShreddr.

"Take the following photos of carbon reduction in action. To enter, all you have to do is photograph the answers to all of the clues below, and then post the photographs on Bonnaroo.com. You must also 'tag' each of your photos with the word '2009energyofchange.'

Take photos of:

* yourself, taking your recycling to the Clean Vibes Trading Post

* your compost area at your campsite

* yourself, putting your compost in the proper receptacle

* your favorite green tip for festival goers

* your favorite green artist playing the Solar Stage

* you and your friends eating at the waste-free café in Planet Roo

* yourself, attending a class at the Academy in Planet Roo

* yourself, signing up to Shred Carbon at the Carbon Shredders booth

Anyone who photographs and posts all of the winning answers to the clues will be automatically entered to win the following prizes:

GRAND PRIZE- 2 Tickets to Bonnaroo 2010- 2009 Merch Package
FIRST PRIZE- 1 Ticket to Bonnaroo 2010- 1 Commemorative Bonnaroo 2009 DVD
SECOND PRIZE- 2009 Merch Package

Pretty cool stuff. We'll follow up with them during and after the festival and see how many entries they got.

Gar-un-tee'd good time...

2009-06-08T17:57:00.005-04:00

Music, all night boozing, potential for flooding? I think we have a great brand match here....
"The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is proud to announce that it will donate $240,000 to a variety of New Orleans non-profit groups. In their continuing effort to promote continued awareness of the rebuilding of New Orleans, festival organizers Superfly Presents and A.C. Entertainment created the “Somethin’ Else – New Orleans” tent at the 2008 event. "

"It was modelled after some of the city’s most distinctive music venues and featured some of its greatest musical talent. Fans were asked to make a donation upon entering “Somethin’ Else – New Orleans” throughout the weekend. The money raised from these donations will be part of the gift that the festival is making."