It included an iconic cassette tape photo backdrop.Photo: Courtesy of Live Nation
Despite the stormy skies, a crowd of 150,000 fans rocked out to a roster that included headliners Tyler, the Creator, Olivia Rodrigo, and Hozier. This was the third year that the event was held at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, and Alex Joffe, head of partnerships for Governors Ball and senior sponsorship director at C3 Presents, said that “the venue has unlocked a whole new level of creative potential—it’s truly a living canvas. From wrapping trees in custom artwork to greeting fans with a tattooed Lady Liberty at the entrance, we’ve embraced the park’s energy to create moments that felt distinctly New York.”
Joffe added that organizers “reimagined what sponsorship marketing can look like” by launching the first-ever drone show and creating collaborative merch with Pacsun, for example. More than 25 brand partners activated across the festival grounds including 7-Eleven, which made its debut at this year’s event.
7-Eleven has a “playful and thoughtful approach to music marketing, first through artists like Green Day and Camila Cabello, and now going all in on festivals,” Joffe said. Governors Ball was the first stop on the convenience store brand’s 2025 tour. Festivalgoers were able to cool off with classic Slurpee flavors and snap photos on a NYC-inspired stoop.
Another event milestone, Kiehl’s sponsored one of the festival stages—a first for a beauty brand. “It comes down to timing and positioning,” Joffe said about the brand partnership. “Presenting a stage is a bold, high-impact marketing move. It takes a brand with staying power, cultural credibility, and a meaningful activation plan to truly pull it off well. Kiehl’s delivered all of that and more.”
“We’d been watching the brand incorporate live music and experiences into its campaigns over the past few years, so we approached them with an opportunity that we felt matched their ambition and authenticity—and fortunately for us, they agreed,” he added.
Keep scrolling to see more from brands such as Coca-Cola, Dunkin', and Verizon from this year’s Governors Ball music festival...
























































