Marketing failure or misunderstanding: Exploring the depth of Australia’s festival issue
More than 25 music festivals across Australia have been cancelled since 2022 as punters deal with the cost of living crisis and the industry grapples with climbing overheads and insufficient ticket sales. Backpocket founder, Luke Trickett, argues its because of a disconnect between marketers, organisers, and ticket buyers.
Australia’s festival industry has taken a hit with big names like Splendour in the Grass and Groovin The Moo joining the growing list of cancelled events. But the issue isn’t the music – it’s a disconnect between marketers, organisers, and ticket buyers.
Many event organisers have been faced with spiralling costs, higher ticket prices and subsequently fewer ticket sales, yet genre-specific festivals like SouledOut, Ultra and Bluesfest continue to pull in crowds at record-breaking volumes. With 80% of young Australians expressing a willingness to attend live music events at least once a year, it begs the question – why isn’t the momentum experienced by these communities replicated cross-genre?
While the problem is multi-faceted, it stems from a systemic lack of understanding of who festival-goers are, and what they expect from their purchasing journey. The good news is, Australia’s festival fiasco is solvable.
Connecting with a changing demographic
Whilst many of the commentary points have some validity, one major element which has not been raised and is particularly relevant [and not – publicly – acknowledged or addressed by festival operators, many of whom have lobbed their begging bowls at governments’ doors] is that of massive-impact ‘foreign imports’: witness people willing to spend significant amounts, whether in cash or on credit [which must needs be repaid in cash] in the thousands on Taylor Swift. Bkink 182, Pink, et al. With associated travel costs and meals for most, as well as not-inexpensive accomodation for many, it’s perfectly logical that there’s little left to be committed to local entertainment enterprises; and it’s surely the case that many fans would willingly sacrifice other personal pleasures in order to attend a ‘Twift’ or other high-standing performance
It’s not unlike the reverse-twist of there supposedly being a national, domestic belt-tightening because households – according to ‘expert’ commentators – are reeling under cost-of-living pressure not felt since the late 90s, against a background of 2023’s highest-ever [1,216,780 units delivered] new vehicle sales, the majority of which are diesels, which are more-expensive to service than petrol ones and require more-frequent servicing, as well as, in their latest higher-performance iterations, generally significant negative outcomes in terms of engine and component failures
Whilst many of the commentary points have some validity, one major element which has not been raised and is particularly relevant [and not – publicly – acknowledged or addressed by festival operators, many of whom have lobbed their begging bowls at governments’ doors] is that of massive-impact ‘foreign imports’: witness people willing to spend significant amounts, whether in cash or on credit [which must needs be repaid in cash] in the thousands on Taylor Swift. Blink 182, Pink, et al. With associated travel costs and meals for most, as well as not-inexpensive accomodation for many, it’s perfectly logical that there’s little left to be committed to local entertainment enterprises; and it’s surely the case that many fans would willingly sacrifice other personal pleasures in order to attend a ‘Twift’ or other high-standing performance
It’s not unlike the reverse-twist of there supposedly being a national, domestic belt-tightening because households – according to ‘expert’ commentators – are reeling under cost-of-living pressure not felt since the late 90s, against a background of 2023’s highest-ever [1,216,780 units delivered] new vehicle sales, the majority of which are diesels, which are more-expensive to service than petrol ones and require more-frequent servicing, as well as, in their latest higher-performance iterations, generally significant negative outcomes in terms of engine and component failures
Try increasing costs across the board, especially in NSW for health, police and waste management. Also add increased cost for staging, fencing, staff etc and especially insurance, then add the agents who don’t care and put acts into an endless blind auction to be snapped up by festivals who pay too much and then go broke. Then add the sad sight of governments pledging support to help the industry and then go straight to billion dollar multi national giants and forget the local independents.
Music festivals almost used to be a right of passage in this country, however there are so few lineups worth paying the high price for to live like a pig for three days.
It’s just not something people are into any more.
You’ve missed the key and imo, the only point that matters in NSW. Police increased their costs by over 500% YoY and this is simply not sustainable for promotors.
They’re literally the fun police and know that such dramatic increases will force the closure for the majority of festivals.
NSW police are corrupt and don’t want music festivals in the state.