While Goldenvoice's Coachella Valley Music and Arts festival took over the Empire Polo Club for its buzzier first of two weekends, brands hosted a dizzying number of parties, lounges, and hotel takeovers all over the desert region. From the festival's location of Indio to Palm Springs two dozen miles away, events promoted hosts and sponsors' brand messages in smart and engaging ways. From D.I.Y. swag customization—a popular activation style this year—to inventive signage and logo placement, here are 23 inspiring examples of brand promotion from the desert.
Social content publisher TheAudience hosted an event where sponsor Wildfox offered swag from a claw machine.
Caravents produced PopSugar's weekend-long event programming at the Avalon Palm Springs, where the brand's logo figured prominently on the central cabana structure.
In the DSW suite at the Popsugar event, guests could customize shoes with metallic studs and colorful shoelaces, which hung on a rack nearby in a color-blocked fashion. A curtain, also made of shoelaces, covered suite's window.
For sponsor Netflix, a brightly colored candy bar pulled out juvenile themes and hues from the show Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
A-listers like Leonardo DiCaprio and Kristen Stewart lounged in V.I.P. cabanas provided by the soon-to-open Dream Hollywood hotel at Nylon's popular party. The setups came complete with plush Dream Hollywood robes, hotel room minibars, and “Do Not Disturb” signs.
At designer Rachel Zoe's Palm Springs party, a sign announcing the brand hung from a floral trellis.
The Projects produced the Zoeasis event, where guests could customize their own denim using patches and other finishes under a branded tent.
A flower-decked bike basket held fanny packs ready for guests' customizing touches.
A color-blocked photo backdrop encouraged guests to proliferate the brand name through social media shares.
Palm Springs' striking mountains and palm trees backed a photogenic open DJ booth bearing the name of the party (which also matched the official hashtag).
Racked's intimate influencer event, produced by its senior editor Natalie Alcala, took over a Palm Springs residence. There, a decor piece of subtle, black script typeface adorned a white midcentury modern wall for a graphic look.
At the Racked event, subtle decals appeared as if painted around the walls of the residence.
Silver metallic balloons spelled out the host's name—and provided a clean photo backdrop—on the hedging behind the pool.
Online retailer Revolve presented the debut of its Revolve Desert House this year in Indio, where an open-backed floral wall spelled out the host’s name.
Moet branded life savers and beach balls in a crisp white and gold palette.
Bottles from sponsor Patrón stacked in Lucite cubes served as decor and furnishings.
The Los Angeles bar Tenants of the Trees popped up at the Retreat, announcing its presence with a sign hung on an open-frame outdoor bar. The Retreat took over Palm Springs' Korakia Pensione B&B, with various activations throughout the meandering property, including a V.I.P. portrait studio from Vanity Fair.
Sponsor Amazon offered a theater room within the Korakia Pensione to show its programming in a relaxed environment, as guests might watch it in their homes.
Pandora hosted the third installment of its Indio Invasion, produced by Pandora and Stoelt Productions. This year’s event included aquatic performances from synchronized swimmers the Aqualillies, who posed with branded beach balls.
A photo backdrop created to resemble a vintage Palm Springs postcard flaunted host and sponsor logos.
At the Music Lounge, produced by BMF Media, Las Vegas unveiled its #WHHSH Beer; cans of it comprised a branded backdrop.
The hashtag figured prominently on a hedge wall behind a large-scale game of beer pong.
Brody Jenner and other celebrities were among those tried their hands at a Chevrolet-branded Plinko-style game at the Bootsy Bellows Estate.
