This summer, a new festival comes to the Lake Tahoe area called the Wanderlust Festival. I’m extremely excited about this festival, and have already reserved a hotel room and picked up tickets. Now, I’m simply holding my breath and hoping they sell enough tickets for it to happen. Their marketing is poor. They’re selling the festival like this:
This summer a new happening will redefine the destination festival experience. A boutique, three-day experience, Wanderlust brings together the world’s leading yoga teachers and top-tier rock and roll performers, all in a setting of breathtaking natural beauty. This feast for both the body and the senses takes place July 24-26 at Squaw Valley USA, Lake Tahoe, California.
I’ve received this opening paragraph in emails from Jambase, Noisepop and SF Weekly. I’m sure they’ll be doing more and more email marketing as the days pass. But I don’t think they’re going after the proper demographic with this opening paragraph. They’re telling you about a new “happening?” What does that mean? Here’s how I’d sell the Wanderlust Festival.
There’s a music festival going on this summer in Squaw Valley. You take a ski lift to the stage! And there’s only one stage at a time, so you don’t miss any bands. And the lineup is great! Girl Talk, Sharon Jones, Broken Social Scene, Spoon, Andrew Bird, Rogue Wave, Amanda Palmer, Mates of State. Oh yeah, Michael Franti is the headliner. Whatever. And it’s only $125 including everything. Oh, there’s also a yoga thing going on, and if you pay more you can do yoga, if you think that’s worth it. This sounds awesome, though, you just sit on top of a mountain all day watching great bands, and then dance all night in the village to Girl Talk, Mutaytor, Sharon Jones and a bunch of DJs!
I’m strongly recommending to the festival promoters that they tailor some of their email marketing to indie music fans, as they have somewhat of an indie dream lineup. Instead, they’re marketing to fans of yoga and Michael Franti. While this may be their target audience, it’s not the people best served by what they’re offering. Please, Wanderlust people, get your marketing right because I really want this festival to happen.
