Viva La Música: Building Brand Love at Latin Festivals

The rise of Latin music is undeniable. Pop stars like Karol G are shattering records across Europe, while Mexican acts like Fuerza Regida and Junior H sell out tours globally. Latin shows are growing double-digits in the US year-over-year, with similar trends in Europe. This surge indicates a larger trend: Latin music is a cultural touchstone worldwide. From salsa, bachata, and cumbia to regional Mexican, merengue, and reggaeton, people worldwide listen to every type of Latin beat nowadays, making the Latin music industry as inclusive as ever.

Latino populations have about $2.5 trillion in buying power and are 1.5x more receptive to the brands they interact with at live music events. With festivals like Besame Mucho, Sueños, and La Onda curated to celebrate Latin music, culture and fandom, opportunities are endless for brands looking to connect authentically.

Sueños Festival

Chicago, Illinois | May 25-26, 2024

In its third year, Sueños, in the heart of Chicago, boasted 70,000 attendees over the two-day festival. Sueños authentically celebrates Latin culture throughout the weekend, with the latest sounds of Reggeaton, Latin Trap and Urbano filling Grant Park, tons of Latin cuisine options, and even a Mariachi band for fans to dance along with in between sets.

La Onda

Napa Valley, CA | May 31- June 1, 2024

In its inaugural year, La Onda provided a multi-generational experience for Latin music lovers in Napa Valley, becoming an instant fan favorite with 65,000 attendees over two days. With unique activations like the Lucha Libre tent, where fans experienced authentic traditional Mexican wrestling matches between sets, and live remixes of their favorite Latin artists at dancing clubs onsite, La Onda provided something for every one.

Besame Mucho

Austin, TX and Los Angeles, CA | March 2, 2024 (TX) and December 21, 2024 (CA)

Besame Mucho celebrates a fusion of Latin music, art, and cuisine, emphasizing inclusivity across two locations with the message that all Latinos are welcome here, regardless of their background.  Besame Mucho Austin took place earlier this year, packing almost 80 acts from every Latin genre into one day, including Los Tigres del Norte, Grupo Frontera, and Duelo. Later this year, Besame Mucho Los Angeles will come to the iconic Dodger Stadium, featuring a stellar lineup with acts like Shakira, Enrique Iglesias, Pitbull, Los Tigres del Norte, and Juanes.

How can brands enhance the experience at Latin festivals? 

Every Latin festival has its unique environment and microculture. See how brands are getting in touch with Latin culture to make authentic connections.

Celebrando en la Casa Bacardí!

Casa Bacardí keeps the party going all day long with a DJ booth and photo ops for fans. With signature Bacardí cocktails, signage throughout the experience in both English and Spanish and a mix of Reggaeton and Latin music blasting, Bacardí perfectly contributed to the culture of Sueños while keeping true to its roots as a brand.

Verizon

Fans could watch their favorite Latin artists perform with a prime view from the Verizon viewing deck, overlooking the main stage at festivals like Sueños and La Onda. Festival goers could also make custom phone cases with icons from the festival to express themselves and mark the memory with a souvenir. Viva la Verizon!

Corona Discoteca

Not only did Corona provide fans with a VIP platform, seating, and shade at La Onda, but the brand also created its own Corona Discoteca onsite, remixing Latin favorites for fans to dance to in between sets.