The Benefits of Getting a Music Festival Senior Director in the Media

It is not uncommon for a music festival spokesperson to be a senior member of the organising team. What are the benefits to the festival entity of getting these senior people to act as the public face of a festival organisation rather than utilising an in-house public relations team.

The most senior member of a festival organisation can vary from founders to CEO’s or other directors, these are often just titles which will vary depending on the size of the event and how the organisation is structured. Irrespective of the title used having the most senior decision maker in front of the media making public statements can help with a variety of aspects that ultimately will benefit the festival organisation. 

Brand Building and Public Persona. 
Having CEO statements issued, and interviews arranged with media can increase the festival's overall visibility and exposure because journalists often take these more seriously than a regular marketing department release. This exposure can help to drive ticket sales and attract sponsors and vendors to the event as the event's credibility is enhanced lifting the festival's brand presence.

Leadership Expertise. 
The senior member of the festival's organising team facilitates the opportunity to convey their industry expertise and thought leadership. This can have a positive impact on staff and volunteers who feel they are being led by someone who has their interests at heart. Good regular media exposure can also gain traction with industry bodies and journalists who make the CEO their go-to resource for opinions on anything happening in the music festival space. 

Stakeholder Engagement. 
A key objective of getting a CEO to be the public voice of the festival organisation can be increased engagement with financial stakeholders involved with the festival. In addition, this senior spokesperson may specifically target local communities or strategic and financial partners particularly local business and sponsors for example. 

Crisis Management. 
Some music festivals can suffer from a barrage of media criticism if anything goes awry during a festival. Whether it’s festival-goer complaints about the festival organisation, the impact of adverse weather or cancellation of headline artists a well-crafted statement form the CEO demonstrates that concerns and issues are being taken seriously. Whist some issues may be difficult to defend a compassionate statement that accepts accountability for any problems clearly shows transparency and a commitment to make improvements for future events. This can reassure sponsors, vendors, investors and festival-goers when considering future events. 

Media Training. 
Not all CEOS, senior directors or founders are natural public speakers, and it is common sense to ensure that spokespeople are given suitable media training. This can equip them to handle difficult questions or public criticism by being suitably prepared for the unexpected. 

For festival organisers planning their events using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

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