**Wilderness Festival |** MAMA Group

Founding Member

SUMMARY

As a founding member of Wilderness Festival, I played a pivotal role in shaping its creative and operational foundations. My contributions spanned across various domains, with a particular emphasis on public relations, content development, and strategic partnerships. I was instrumental in the roll-out and adaptation of the festival's unique identity, ensuring that our messaging resonated with diverse audiences while fostering strong relationships with key partners. Successful partnerships were brokered with War Child, Nordoff Robbins, Wired, Psychologies, and Huffington Post, and key collaborations secured with Headspace, Last Tuesday Society, and Old Vic Tunnels. My efforts helped establish Wilderness as a celebrated and innovative event, blending music, arts, and wellness in a way that has continued to captivate and grow its community, in addition to winning Best New Festival at the UK Festival Awards.

STRATEGY AND APPROACH

The launch of the first-ever Wilderness Festival in the UK in 2011 involved a well-orchestrated PR and partnerships strategy. Wilderness, a boutique festival combining music, arts, food, and well-being, aimed to differentiate itself from other UK festivals. Here's an overview of the strategies we employed:

PR AND PARTNERSHIP OBJECTIVES

The PR and partnership objectives for the Wilderness Festival launch aimed to position it as a premier cultural event. Key goals included:

Establish Brand Identity: Create a distinctive brand that sets Wilderness apart from other UK festivals by highlighting its unique mix of music, arts, food, and wellness for a sophisticated audience.
Generate Media Coverage: Secure extensive coverage across major UK publications and platforms through exclusive previews and interviews to raise festival awareness.
Build Strategic Partnerships: Form alliances with notable cultural, culinary, and wellness brands to enhance the festival’s appeal and credibility.
Drive Ticket Sales: Boost sales with early bird and VIP packages while creating exclusivity through tiered ticketing and special offers.
Engage the Local Community: Collaborate with local businesses and promote sustainability to build positive relationships and integrate local talent.
Create Long-Term Loyalty: Establish Wilderness as a key UK festival by delivering a high-quality experience that encourages repeat attendance.

These objectives guided the festival’s PR and partnership strategies, ensuring a successful launch and setting the stage for future growth.

APPROACH

Positioning and Branding: Wilderness Festival was marketed as an "experiential" event, blending music, arts, gourmet food, wellness, and outdoor activities in scenic Cornbury Park. We targeted an upscale, culturally sophisticated audience and emphasized nature, wellness, and authenticity in our branding.
Strategic Partnerships: Collaborations included prestigious cultural institutions like The Old Vic Theatre and The Royal Opera House, renowned chefs like Yotam Ottolenghi, and wellness brands offering yoga and meditation. Media partnerships with outlets like The Guardian and Vogue helped position the festival within the cultural mainstream.
Public Relations Strategy: We secured extensive media coverage and engaged influencers through exclusive previews and launch events. The PR strategy focused on storytelling about the festival’s return to nature and authenticity, supported by a strong social media presence.
Experiential Marketing: Wilderness featured immersive experiences such as pop-up performances and interactive installations, generating buzz and leveraging word-of-mouth from early attendees.
Local Community Engagement: We collaborated with local artisans and promoted sustainability, enhancing community relations and aligning with eco-conscious trends.
Ticket Sales and Exclusive Offers: Tiered ticket pricing with early bird and VIP packages created urgency and exclusivity, appealing to the festival’s target demographic.

RESULTS

The PR and partnerships strategy successfully established Wilderness as a distinctive and high-quality festival experience. It quickly gained a reputation for its unique blend of cultural, culinary, and wellness offerings, securing a loyal following and becoming a fixture in the UK festival calendar.