Likes vs life: What Laneway reveals about Gen Z’s online-offline paradox
Amplify’s strategy director, Lucinda O’Brien, shares a few observations – through a cultural strategy lens – on Australia’s chronically online Gen Z and their craving for real-life music experiences, in relation to Laneway Festival.
Earlier this month, I joined 46,000 other Sydneysiders at Laneway Festival to finally experience our God-given right to a Brat Summer (and it’s the same but it’s down under so it’s not).
In a time when Aussie summer festivals continue to get cancelled, and the live music scene feels like it’s crumbling around us, Laneway managed to sell out key cities within hours. So, what does this festival reveal about Australia’s chronically online Gen Z and their craving for real-life music experiences?
Here are a few observations through a cultural strategy lens—examining how this Online-Offline Paradox shapes Aussie festival culture across content, fashion and music.
All this says is that brands and brand strategists continue to feebly try to insert themselves into conversations and “cultural experiences” they were never invited into, and the result is the exact opposite of authenticity. Gen Z will continue to ignore these blatantly confected efforts.
It’s not a certainty, given Laneway bucking the trend in previous years, but in a year when Gen Z decided to spend their money on big pop star shows (Taylor Swift, Billie Eillish, Olivia Rodrigo, Kid Laroi) over festivals, it doesn’t feel like a coincidence that Laneway’s strategy was to secure exclusive shows for Charli XCX, making them the only way to see her in Australia.
Then again, they could just be more in-touch than other festivals.