Festival sponsorship

Festival audiences arrive in a good mood, stay for a long time and share a great deal of what they see on social media. For a brand, that combination offers attention that is hard to buy anywhere else, along with the chance to let people try a product rather than simply see an advert. A well placed sponsor becomes part of the memory of the day, which is why festival partnerships are often renewed year after year.

Festivals also have a strong sense of identity, and brands are keen to borrow some of it. A craft drinks company might want to be linked with an independent music festival, while a family focused business may prefer a community festival on the local green. The more clearly you can describe your festival's character and audience, the easier it is for the right brand to see itself there.

Festivals have more sponsorable assets than most organisers realise. Going through the site map area by area is a good way to build a full list before you decide how to group them.

• Stage naming, from the main stage to a smaller acoustic tent or DJ area, with branding on the stage, in the line up and in the app.
• Bars and food areas, where a drinks partner may want pouring rights or a branded bar, and a food brand might host a dedicated zone.
• Sampling space, giving a brand a pitch or a team walking the site to hand out products and collect sign ups with proper consent.
• Wristbands, lanyards and the festival app, which every attendee carries or checks repeatedly throughout the event.
• Campsite and family areas, including showers, charging points, children's activities and quiet zones that a sponsor can make better.
• Sustainability partners, who might support water refill points, recycling, reusable cups or transport schemes.

Each asset should come with a clear description of what the sponsor gets, how many people are likely to see or use it and any limits on what can be done. Photos of the space from a previous year help enormously.

A festival sponsorship proposal should open with a short picture of the festival, including its dates, location, history if it has one and the type of people who come. Follow this with audience details, the packages on offer and what each one includes, then finish with how you will report results afterwards. Keep it focused on the sponsor's goals rather than the festival's costs, because brands sponsor to reach people, not to fill a budget gap.

Tailor each proposal to the brand you are approaching, suggesting a specific activation that would suit its products. A coffee roaster, for example, will respond better to an idea for a branded morning coffee stop at the campsite than to a generic logo package. For a full template and structure, read our guide on how to write a sponsorship proposal.

Spontzer is a two-sided marketplace where festivals and other rights holders list sponsorship opportunities and brands browse and contact them directly. We focus on the independent, local and regional festivals that the big agencies often overlook, and connect them with brands across the UK and further afield. Each listing includes a detailed digital prospectus with multiple photos and video, is reviewed before going live and is actively promoted to our brand network.

Rights holder membership is £99 a month or £599 a year, with unlimited listings, so you can list every stage, bar and area as its own opportunity if that suits you. Your membership is the only cost, because Spontzer takes no success fee or commission from rights holders, so you receive the full agreed value of every deal while the brand pays a 10% fee on top. See how it works for the full process, or list your festival today.