Live Music’s Global Stage for Brand Partnerships
Loving live music has no geographical boundaries. Across the globe, our Live Nation Media & Sponsorship team is driven by one common interest – to connect live music fans with brands. As the passion for live music drives a cultural phenomenon, we help brands scale partnerships internationally to connect with global audiences around their most thrilling experiences.
Leading the way in Europe, Therese Liljedahl, SVP of International Partnerships, leverages her decade of experience at Live Nation to inspire and engage our teams across 14 markets. In this conversation, Therese shares tips for fostering cross-cultural collaboration, discusses how local insight leads to successful international partnerships, and provides her perspective on this year’s live music trends across Europe’s live music scene.
In an increasingly global live music industry, with more artists embarking on international tours and festivals expanding around the world, your role is crucial for fostering cross-cultural collaboration across 14 countries. Tell us some of your best practices for engaging teams across cultures and countries to scale partnerships cohesively across Europe’s diverse live music scenes.
Therese Liljedahl (TL): It can be easy to believe that one idea will fit all markets, but our strategy ensures the local team’s input is always considered in multi-market partnerships. We believe this is the best approach since local execution is crucial to the success of an international partnership. My job is to be the glue between the global and local – helping brands navigate the market and understand their fans to make the partnership process easier for everyone.
Every year, as fans immerse themselves in the magic of live music, they reshape the experience and give rise to exciting new trends. What trends can we expect to see from the EU this year?
TL: In 2024, we will see more premium brand experiences and activations onsite for fans prioritizing sustainability and promoting the greater good. Expect brands to be more playful this year at concerts and festivals, leveraging more current cultural trends to engage fans.
As live music emerges as the ultimate destination for brands to reach diverse, global audiences, how do you guide brands through the unique characteristics of each market and ensure partnerships will work well across different regions and cultures?
TL: Our brand partners often have local teams who understand the importance of accounting for local nuances within an international partnership. Together, we identify what works and doesn’t work for a particular market, sharing our previous use cases and best practices for success. Something that works well in Norway may not necessarily work well in the Netherlands. The team and I help our partners navigate Europe’s many different cultures, offering insight into local laws and regulations or trends impacting the market at the moment, among many other areas.
Any partnerships you’re excited to see come to life this year?
TL: Oh yes! I’m excited to see more partnerships in the Beauty and Hairstyling categories – we have a few large collaborations coming soon to several of our EU markets. I’m also looking forward to seeing how we can take existing partnerships to new heights across the region. Stay tuned!
