Anyone who has been to a festival recently, probably found themselves sporting a pretty funky looking wristband at some point. They have become an increasingly popular feature of most events now to help make sure that people are where they are supposed to be and can gain entry to the right points. They have even become a bit of a status symbol for some visitors who do not remove their wristbands for weeks after the festival has closed its doors.
These wristbands have gone from being a simple tool to an essential part of the festival experience, and it seems to be a trend that is here to stay. They can be tied into your brand marketing, sponsorship opportunities and even your social media presence as well as providing added security while the festival takes place.
Brand awareness
There are times when festivals can almost seem to take on a cult status amongst those who visit them, and the wristbands that are issues at the time have become a large part of the identity of each event. Most wristbands are adorned with the branding of the festival, slogans associated with it and even the dates, all brought together in some bright and eye-catching colours that are hard to miss.
This can play a huge part in brand awareness as it will serve as a constant reminder of the great time each person had at the festival, every time they look at it. As these get worn long after the festival has disappeared into the sunset, they can also be a talking point amongst friends who notice them, meaning the message of the next festival is spread far and wide, making your branding instantly recognisable.
In addition to this, you can also add sponsor or partner logos to your wristbands. This can help to raise their profile during the festival and bring in added revenue for the organisers, as many brands will want to see themselves in such a premium spot.
Enhancing security and access control
Wristbands were first brought into festivals as a form of access control. It means that anyone leaving the site who might want to come back in can simply show their wristband instead of worrying about tickets. It also means that tickets cannot be passed on to others as a way of sneaking in.
Wristbands have also been found to be a useful weapon in the fight against counterfeit tickets as they can include technology making each one unique. As a wristband cannot be removed and reattached, it makes it impossible to pass on to anyone else in order to help them gain unauthorised access.
They have also proved to be a useful tool when it comes to managing the crowds inside a festival. Different coloured wristbands can grant visitors access to certain sections of the festival, ensuring people are in the right place at the right time, and all with a simple glance at a wristband.
It means that access can become much more efficient, cutting down on queues and frustrations, as well as ensuring everyone within the festival remains safe by limiting how many people can be in a specific area at any given time.
Souvenirs and keepsakes
Whilst wristbands were once thought of as something which just needed to into the bin at the end of the event, they have now become things which carry a lot of sentimental value with them. Festivals are exciting times which live in the memory for a long time, and the wristbands can help festival-goers to cling on to the experience for a little bit longer. Some choose to wear them for as long as they can, whilst others keep them as part of a cherished collection.
As something that you wore during the event, they can bring back much more important memories and can create a massive sense of nostalgia when looking back at them, far more than tickets or programmes might do. They have now become collectors’ items, with many festival fans citing them as one of their precious possessions.
Engagement in person and on social media
Wristbands have come a long way in recent years and have developed far beyond what they were originally intended for. Not only do they provide access into the festival, but they also help visitors to open up a whole new online world.
Wristbands now feature many different things aside from simply including a logo. These days, they can now be adorned with interactive features such as QR codes or hashtags which make it even easier for people to follow what is going on and share their experiences online. Other forms of technology can also enable cashless purchases at concessions on the site, allowing added convenience and reducing the risk of theft as people will no longer be required to carry money.
This has turned out to be a proven method of encouraging social media promotion, as visitors are given a hashtag that they can all used or can be linked to accounts that they are then able to tag. User generated content can often be some of the most effective promotion there is for a brand, so giving people an easy way to do this can give the social profile of your festival a massive boost.
All of this added connectivity not only raises the profile of your festival, but it also gives you a way to stay in touch with festival goers in readiness for next year. Once they have posted and used your suggested tags or hashtags, it will be much easier to track them down and target them with advertising the next time around.
Festivals now cover many different genres and age groups, making them massive events that create memories people treasure forever. Something as simple as a wristband can play a large part of the experience of that festival, for both the young and the old, and they have now become something which is a very effective marketing tool for many years after the event has even been held.
Design your custom wristband today!
Don’t plan a festival without your very own custom wristbands, at We Print Lanyards, get started with our wristband design tool where you can upload your own images and artwork to create one-of-a-kind festival wristbands for your event! Or if you’re looking for something different, we also have a whole range of Lanyards, Ribbons and accessories.