From Backstage to Brand Strategy: 9 Years at Coachella

Most brands show up to Coachella chasing relevance. Very few understand what actually makes it work. 

After nine years producing across Coachella, Stagecoach, Electric Forest, iHeartRadio, and Hangout, SoHo’s Production Director, Jacqui Torti, has seen the shift firsthand. Not just in aesthetics or scale, but in what people actually respond to. What they wait for. What they remember. 

Most brands still follow the same playbook

Every brief pushes for the same thing. Do something no one has done before. But across the festival grounds, patterns emerge quickly. 

Iridescent builds. Mirror-heavy installations. Branded lounges designed for the perfect backdrop. Beverage gardens optimized for content. It works. It looks good. People engage. But it also starts to blur. The challenge isn’t execution. It’s repetition. 

Originality at Coachella isn’t about a new material or color palette. It’s about creating a moment people didn’t expect to feel. 

The best activations move people

The strongest brand experiences aren’t static. They guide people through something. They create progression. They give a reason to stay. 

Method’s portal activation is a clear example. Instead of a single footprint, it was designed as a 3-stop journey rooted in transformation. A “body wash” portal with a cryo blast and digital capture. A hair portal layered with accessories to physically change your look. A final transformation portal captures the moment with a room full of mirrors. 

Not just a photo op. A sequence. The difference is simple. Not something to walk past. Something to move through. 

Nostalgia isn’t a trend; it’s a signal

One of the most noticeable shifts at Coachella is what people are actually craving. Less spectacle. More feeling. 

Pinterest made this clear by removing phones entirely, handing out personal lock boxes and encouraging presence. Instead of resistance, people leaned in. 

At the same time, tactile and nostalgic formats are gaining momentum. Bold, playful environments. Charm bars. Physical photo outputs that become keepsakes. Not new ideas. But newly relevant. 

This isn’t about retro aesthetics. It’s about reintroducing human connection into the experience. 

If people can take it with them, they will stay longer

Participation is outperforming passivity. And increasingly, it’s tied to something people can keep. 

Gap’s Hoodie House allowed guests to customize Coachella hoodies with patches. Bella Canvas created a Merch Museum, reprinting archive designs from 1999 to 2005 on demand. These weren’t just walkthrough moments. They were acts of creation. 

The takeaway is clear: when the output is personal, the experience holds attention longer.