It’s that time of year again: Celebrities, influencers and everyone in between have flocked to the Californian desert for the very expensive and lucrative Coachella festival. 2025 is no different.
If festivals aren’t really your thing, you’ll still be able to appreciate the genius marketing that brands pull together throughout the festival.
Here’s a look at some of the best brand activations in week one of Coachella 2025 - prepare to be wowed.
818 Tequila
818 Tequila are one of the obvious winners of Coachella week one. They brought the 818 Outpost back for an invite-only exclusive event where guests could drink and party with a curated selection of it-girl brands. It seemed like a mini-festival in itself, filled with plenty of popular businesses looking to collaborate with Kendall Jenner’s tequila brand.
Additionally, Jenner was there herself, along with Hailey Bieber. Their presence at the event gave their marketing a personal touch.
rhode skin
rhode skin was one of the brands that partnered with 818 Tequila. rhode skin returned to the desert with its iconic photo booth, this time with a little gift. Customers would receive an 818 Tequila shot and a rhode skin lip gloss.
The appeal for rhode lip glosses has been huge, especially among Gen Z and millennials. This turned the photo booth into a highly elusive brand pop-up that quickly spread online.
Skechers
Skechers was also present at the 818 party, celebrating the launch of their Hotshot sneakers.
The brand splashed out on a custom sneaker bar, where guests could pick a shoe and customise it. They even invited renowned street artist James Goldcrown to customise sneakers on-site.
One Size Beauty
One Size Beauty, founded by makeup guru Patrick Starrr, was one of the most successful Coachella brand appearances this weekend.
Patrick Starrr made a TikTok explaining that no brands had invited him to Coachella, but instead of feeling upset about it, he was going to take his own brand there.
One Size Beauty is an inclusive makeup brand designed to be sweat-proof - perfect for Coachella’s sweltering desert destination. Influencers were testing the makeup and giving it great testimonials because they were living proof that it stayed perfect in extreme weather conditions.
The also brand appeared at the 818 Outpost, giving away makeup and One Size branded products to influencers and regular attendees alike.
Altogether, these activations turned Coachella into a marketing masterclass, with 818 Tequila orchestrating one of the most memorable brand experiences of the festival.
