The Austin City Limits Music Festival offered far more than audio art. AT&T U-verse, stationed near band favorites, utilized the power of graffiti to promote its new GigaPower television and Internet service. Hosting engagements aligned with the event’s culture, the AT&T U-verse approach stayed true to the music festival while adding its own touch.
Two Long Weekends
AT&T commenced its project over two three-day weekends last fall. It offered local artist demos, a recharge lounge and astounding “quick delivery” giveaways. Additional to its digital tactics was a lifestyle activation event geared towards AT&T lovers abroad.
Festivalgoers began interacting with U-verse several months before the event ever started. The brand’s declaration of Austin City Limits representation featured a speech discussing title sponsorship. U-verse similarly created an Austin City Limits mobile app, engaging consumers within trivia contests, during festival pass giveaways and throughout the event.
AT&T’s support didn’t stop there. Users with big social media presences were invited into one-on-one conversation channels with U-verse. Participation resulted in festival ticket giveaways and visibility across AT&T’s music festival area.
The Tight-Knit Social Media Community
The AT&T U-verse style didn’t create itself. In fact, its influencers spanned across a multitude of online platforms. The brand teamed up with Vine celebs, bloggers, Snapchat favorites and Instagram gurus. Its social media partners told the AT&T story through their lens—which was a remarkably innovative approach to flexible marketing outreach. Vine influencer Frank Danna, in particular, impacted AT&T’s display positively with a four-vine special triggering over 500,000 loops in days.
Of course, the brand’s social community was guaranteed a well-deserved break from the in-event action. AT&T hosted a U-verse footprint refuge, granting attendees soothing relaxation from festival performances. Televised football games and device recharge stations were installed to grow the comfortable couch environment.
Artist Team-Ups
AT&T’s image was boosted by several ACL artists, including Alabama Shakes, the Foo Fighters and Gary Clark Jr. Hosting an exclusive festival documentary, the musicians slated the host footage for a February release. Packing performances, interviews and a unique eye on Austin’s rich culture, the video will soon be available on Direct TV and AT&T platforms.
AT&T knocked it out of the park during ACL. The event’s highlights brought the festival to a peak, pairing the area’s unique culture with an all-encompassing U-verse marketing platform. Rich with confidence and creativity, the AT&T approach to experiential marketing certainly entices the imagination.
