NEW YORK—Serving as the kickoff to the U.S. summer music festival season, Governors Ball once again drew high-profile and up-and-coming musical acts to Randall’s Island Park in New York. But the ninth annual festival, held May 31 to June 2 and produced by Founders Entertainment, didn’t end its three-day run on a smooth note, thanks to severe weather. The final day of the festival was delayed nearly seven hours because of the forecast (canceling numerous acts) and once the gates opened at 6:30 p.m., only 11 acts performed before the festival was evacuated due to thunderstorms; headlining performances from the Strokes and SZA were canceled. The weather-induced chaos also involved angry attendees struggling to make their way off the island during the downpours. Organizers provided attendees information on how to get refunds for the final day and also hosted a Reddit forum to address attendees' grievances.
Despite a frustrating conclusion, the first two days of the festival delivered memorable performances from artists such as Tyler, the Creator; Lil Wayne; Kacey Musgraves; and Florence & the Machine. Off the performance stages, the festival partnerships were highlighted with activations that offered festivalgoers colorful, summer-theme photo ops; innovative ways to win brand swag; and branded environments to enjoy local artists, play lawn games, and take a break from the crowds.
Here’s a look at how festival partners including Pepsi, Asics, Campo Viejo, State Farm, OGX, and more engaged with attendees at this year’s Governors Ball.
Governors Ball 2019
The ninth annual Governors Ball music festival took place May 31 to June 2 at Randall’s Island Park. The first two days of the festival ran smoothly, but the festival was delayed and ultimately canceled on the third day due to severe weather. The festival is giving refunds to all Sunday ticket holders.
Photo: Charles Reagan Hackleman
Governors Ball 2019
The festival welcomed attendees with giant block letters, provided by Founders Entertainment.
Photo: J. N. Silva
Governors Ball 2019
Founders Entertainment commissioned a Statue of Liberty sculpture, which featured on-theme graffiti and a rainbow torch.
Photo: Charles Reagan Hackleman
Aperol Spritz Italian Social Club
The Italian aperitif, now a summer cocktail staple, celebrated its 100th anniversary with a garden oasis, located in the 21-and-over section of the festival grounds. The activation, which was produced by Swell, welcomed guests with marquee signage and an oversize silhouette of the brand’s orange bottle.
Photo: Courtesy of Aperol Spritz
Aperol Spritz Italian Social Club
Guests could pose for photos on orange swings in front of a step-and-repeat, which featured orange flowers and a marquee-style sign that read “Together We Joy.”
Photo: Courtesy of Aperol Spritz
Aperol Spritz Italian Social Club
Activities for guests included branded bocce ball.
Photo: Courtesy of Aperol Spritz
Asics Underground
As part of a multi-year partnership with Live Nation, Asics is creating on-site experiences for fans at major festivals across the U.S. this year, starting with Governors Ball. The shoe brand partnered with Founders Entertainment and Live Nation to create the activation, which featured subway turnstile entrances.
Photo: Courtesy of Asics
Asics Underground
Activities for guests included a GIF booth decorated with neon light fixtures (pictured) and a gamified vending machine where guests could win prizes.
Photo: Courtesy of Asics
Asics Underground
The activation provided a space where attendees could have their sneakers cleaned.
Photo: Courtesy of Asics
Asics Underground
Another section of the activation offered sneaker customizations done by a local artist.
Photo: Vikram Valluri/BFA.com
Bud Light Dive Bar
Bud Light brought its traveling music festival staple to Governors Ball for the first time. On the second day, the beer brand celebrated its long-standing partnership with Glaad and the beginning of Pride month by decking out the dive bar activation in gay and transgender pride flags. Emerging L.G.B.T.Q. artists performed on the branded stage. Engine Shop produced the activation.
Photo: Courtesy of Bud Light
Bud Light Dive Bar
The activation featured a Pride wall with cutout letters that showcased Bud Light’s limited-edition bottles, which were sold onsite. $1 of every Pride case sold goes to Glaad.
Photo: Courtesy of Bud Light
Bud Light Dive Bar
The back of the activation featured imagery welcoming guests, along with dive bar-inspired decor and seating. The wall was plastered with vintage Bud Light ads and neon signs.
Photo: Vikram Valluri/BFA.com
Campo Viejo
Spanish wine brand Campo Viejo celebrated its Live Uncorked campaign with a station that featured a vintage New York taxi cab overflowing with colorful flowers. Street sign props displayed the campaign hashtag. IMG Live, a division of Endeavor Global Marketing, produced the activation and B Floral created the flower bomb display.
Photo: Alive Coverage, Freedom Film LLC
Campo Viejo
The wine brand also presented a colorful take on the trendy wing photo backdrop. Guests could pose in front of the wings at a photo booth, which was helmed by Halleloo Creative.
Photo: Courtesy of Campo Viejo
Pixel Pass Lounge & Night Sight Experience Presented by Google Pixel & T-Mobile
Google Pixel owners and T-Mobile customers were given access to an activation, which housed two spaces: the Pixel Pass Lounge and the Night Sight Experience. The lounge offered charging stations and UV tattoo station, and the Night Sight Experience featured four futuristic, back-lit photo backdrops. Scenes included a neon-industrial cityscape. Google partnered with Live Nation to produce the activation.
Photo: Freedom Film LLC
Pixel Pass Lounge & Night Sight Experience Presented by Google Pixel & T-Mobile
Another photo backdrop invited guests to pose as if they were getting abducted by aliens. Photos were emailed to guests and also displayed on a giant Pixel outside the entrance.
Photo: Courtesy of Google
American Eagle A.E. Experience
The clothing and accessories brand, a returning festival partner, created a two-story activation to debut a new line of merchandise for attendees that included denim jackets, T-shirts, hats, and more. The mirrored interior of the activation showcased a neon, paint-splatter aesthetic with signage from the brand’s #AExME campaign. Guests were led to color-coded “mood rooms,” which offered interactive photo ops.
Photo: Freedom Film LLC
American Eagle A.E. Experience
The activation’s roof deck offered views of the festival’s main stage, giveaways, and stations for guests to customize their merchandise.
Photo: FreedomFilmLLC.
Bacardi Bay
Located next to the Bacardi stage, Bacardi’s space featured an island-theme bar that served specialty cocktails and had a rooftop viewing area for guests. Mosaic produced the activation.
Photo: Cindy Ord/Getty Images for BACARDI
Bacardi Bay
Attendees could relax and mingle in a branded boat.
Photo: Cindy Ord/Getty Images for BACARDI)
OGX Beauty Playground
Hair care and beauty brand OGX offered attendees hairstyling and color treatments in an eye-popping pink-hued space. The activation was produced by Founders Entertainment.
Photo: Vikram Valluri/BFA.com
OGX Beauty Playground
The brand also had satellite styling stations at the festival’s V.I.P. areas, where guests could do their own touchups.
Photo: Alive Coverage, Freedom Film LLC
Honda Seat Belt Forest
Along with a main stage at the festival, Honda’s partnership with Governors Ball included a colorful installation created with 600 hanging seat belts. Guests were invited to roam the 5- by 20-foot installation and pose for shareable GIFs and photos. At night, the seat belts were illuminated with LED lighting. George P. Johnson produced the activation.
Photo: Freedom Film LLC
Pepsi Swing Into Summer Activation
Pepsi’s experience was tied to the brand’s #Summergram campaign, highlighted by augmented-reality Instagram filters, which feature a variety of summer-theme statements and icons. The brand brought one of those icons to life in the form of rainbow photo booth and swings hanging from balloon clouds. ThinkMotive produced the activation.
Photo: Ian Zelaya/BizBash
Fader Fort Artist Lounge
Music publication the Fader partnered with Russell Athletics on a private artists lounge, where talent and media could relax and enjoy swag from both brands. Russell apparel was displayed on vintage-style lockers. A collage of Fader covers served as a photo op.
Photo: Ian Zelaya/BizBash
State Farm Neighborhood of Good Pop-Up
State Farm’s music-theme pop-up, which is traveling to eight music festivals across the country this summer, encourages fans to take a small action—through dancing, singing, performing, or listening—to support local organizations that give access to music education for underserved students. The pop-up, which was produced by the Marketing Arm, offered stations including a record store, a silent disco, an infinity room-style recording studio. Every interaction in each station was converted into currency, with State Farm contributing as much as $500,000.
Photo: Courtesy of State Farm
State Farm Neighborhood of Good Pop-Up
Guests could test their drumming speed and agility playing a custom drum set, which was housed in a mini music venue.
Photo: Freedom Film LLC
Jameson Barrel Lounge
The Irish whiskey brand used barrels as decor for its lounge, which served specialty cocktails. Local artists graffitied New York’s five boroughs on Jameson barrels. Pernod Ricard partnered with Legacy Marketing to produce the lounge.
Photo: Courtesy of Jameson
