Weaving brands into 'cultural moments'

Most activations at Governors Ball are custom-made for the event, Joffe said, and his team collaborates directly with brands' marketing teams and agencies to create spaces that attendees will like, that will fit into the festival's aesthetic and layout, and that will help convey the brand's message.

The tight integration between brands, agencies, and Founders was evident in an activation for hair styling brand göt2b developed by Complex, a media company focused on youth culture that has built its reputation on helping brands reach savvy millennials.

"We're always looking to find a natural way to take brands and products and interweave them with big cultural moments," Chris White, Complex's senior director of brand partnerships, told Business Insider.

For this year's festival, Complex helped göt2b develop an on-site "braid bar" where hair stylists provided festival attendees with a "curated menu" of various braids, colored hair attachments, and accessories, and a photo station to show off the new look. The activation, which coincided with the launch of the company's #got2standout campaign was booked solid throughout the weekend, with 400 attendees receiving makeovers and waiting times of more than three hours.

"The whole festival experience is about creating that individual look and feel," said White, who added that Complex saw the "braid bar" as a way for attendees to "customize their look while providing an opportunity for them to socialize it" in the festival setting.