Lollapalooza India is evolving from a festival into a cultural ecosystem, highlighting how brands are shifting from passive visibility to immersive, experience-led participation at live events
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Few festivals have reshaped India’s live entertainment landscape as decisively as Lollapalooza India. What began as the Indian chapter of a global music property has swiftly evolved into a cultural ecosystem,one that sits at the intersection of music, youth culture, travel, fashion, food and technology. Today, Lollapalooza India is no longer just about who’s playing on stage; it’s about how deeply audiences and brands participate in the experience.
As the festival returns in a bigger avatar, it offers a sharp lens into a fundamental shift underway in the live events economy: brands are moving from passive visibility to active participation. The era of logo-heavy sponsorships is fading, replaced by immersive, value-driven experiences designed to spark emotional connection and long-term recall.
But what does meaningful brand participation really look like in a high-attention environment like Lollapalooza India? And how are different sectors,travel, FMCG, alcobev, beauty and entertainment,rewriting their playbooks around live culture?
Music as a Travel Trigger
For Airbnb, music festivals are no longer standalone entertainment moments,they are increasingly becoming travel catalysts, especially for Gen Z audiences. According to Amanpreet Bajaj, Country Head, India & Southeast Asia, Airbnb, the rise of festival-led travel reflects a broader shift in how young Indians explore destinations.
“We’re seeing a clear move away from calendar-led trips toward experience-led journeys, where live concerts and festivals act as gateways to discovering new cities, neighbourhoods and communities,” Bajaj says. “For Gen Z, travel is about being part of a cultural moment and engaging more deeply with a destination.”
This thinking has shaped Airbnb’s partnership with Lollapalooza India, which goes well beyond accommodation listings. The brand recently announced a series of Only On Airbnb experiences linked to the festival,from exploring Mumbai through actor Siddhant Chaturvedi’s lens to intimate, artist-led sessions with Ankur Tewari, OAFF and Savera, alongside a behind-the-scenes festival walkthrough led by director Raashi Sanghvi.
“These experiences encourage participation through close-up creative moments and curated city guides that push exploration beyond the festival grounds,” Bajaj explains. “We define success not just by reach or buzz, but by how meaningfully people connect with places and communities.”
Why Live Events Are the New Brand Battleground
At an industry level, this evolution mirrors a larger transformation within India’s live entertainment economy. Samradha Tibrewala, Head – Partnerships and Revenue at BookMyShow, believes live events have emerged as some of the most powerful real-time brand touchpoints available today.
“India’s live entertainment ecosystem has undergone a massive shift,from global festivals putting down roots to sold-out stadium tours and immersive, multi-city experiences,” she says. “Alongside this growth, brands are rethinking how they show up, moving from traditional advertising to participating meaningfully in high-attention environments where youth culture thrives.”
Marquee properties like Lollapalooza India now sit at the centre of the marketing mix, offering what few other platforms can: undivided attention, cultural relevance and emotional engagement.
“At BookMyShow Live, we see large-format events like Lollapalooza India as cultural and social touchpoints,” Tibrewala adds. “Audiences today aren’t just attending performances,they’re seeking connection, community and shared experiences.”
That philosophy is reflected in the festival’s diverse 2026 brand roster, spanning fashion, F&B, payments, travel, wellness, beauty and technology. Brands including H&M, Budweiser 0.0, Johnnie Walker Refreshing Mixer Non-Alcoholic, RuPay, Airbnb, Google Search, NIVEA, Vedica and Lenovo are curating immersive activations that interpret the festival’s cultural pulse rather than interrupt it.
From Sponsorship to “Story-Doing”
For Budweiser, Lollapalooza India has become a live case study in how brands must evolve their relationship with younger audiences. Vineet Sharma, Vice President – Marketing & Trade Marketing, AB InBev India, says the shift has been intentional.
“Gen Z and millennials don’t want to be marketed at,they want to co-create authentic experiences,” Sharma says. “We’ve moved from visibility-led sponsorship to what we call ‘story-doing’.”
That approach comes alive through immersive ecosystems like the Budweiser Brew District, where fans discover new music, engage with culture and become active participants in their own festival narratives.
“The true ROI isn’t just footfalls or impressions,” Sharma notes. “It’s brand advocacy. When a consumer chooses Budweiser weeks later because of a connection made at Lollapalooza,that’s when live events become strategic assets.”
How Legacy Brands Stay Relevant
For heritage brands like NIVEA, festivals offer a critical pathway to stay culturally relevant in a fast-moving youth landscape. Geetika Mehta, Managing Director, NIVEA India, believes the rules of engagement have fundamentally changed.
“Legacy gives us trust, but relevance is something we earn with every new generation,” she says. “Young consumers want brands to show up where their passions live,not speak at them.”
At Lollapalooza India, NIVEA has shifted from visibility to participation through its ‘Baddie But Softie’ positioning, personalised festival anthems and practical skincare solutions tailored to long outdoor festival hours.
“The era of logo-heavy sponsorship is fading,” Mehta adds. “What matters now is how much value a brand adds to the overall experience.”
Entertainment Brands Step Beyond Their Core
The festival has also become a natural extension for entertainment-led brands like PVR INOX. According to Aamer Bijli, Lead Specialist – Innovation, Film Marketing and Digital Programming, Lollapalooza aligns seamlessly with how audiences now consume culture.
“Entertainment today is about engaging audiences across passions,movies, live music and cultural moments,” Bijli says. “Lollapalooza is one of the most influential music festivals for Gen Z and millennials, making it a natural platform for us to connect beyond cinema.”
Through exclusive festival access for select moviegoers and curated food and beverage experiences at the venue, PVR INOX is extending its brand beyond theatre walls and reinforcing its identity as an experience-led entertainment company.
The New Metric of Success
Taken together, the Lollapalooza effect signals a decisive shift in how brands measure success at live events. Visibility still matters,but participation, immersion and cultural relevance now define impact.
As India’s festival economy continues to scale, Lollapalooza India stands out as a blueprint for how brands can move from being seen to being remembered,by becoming an integral part of the experience itself.
In today’s attention economy, the loudest brands aren’t always the most visible ones. They’re the ones that make audiences feel something. And at Lollapalooza India, that transition from visibility to participation is playing out louder than ever.