Fun Fun Fun Fest’s Marketing Keeps It Human

Unlike SXSW, Austin's Fun Fun Fun Fest has remained focused on indie music. But it too is growing and, after five years in a setting accommodating up to 10,000 fans, is moving to Auditorium Shores to double that figure. Part of Fun Fun Fun Fest's success can be attributed to a social media marketing style that has been described as having a "casual, bantering, personal vibe." Stephanie Keller discusses Fun Fun Fun Fest's unique style of social media marketing that relies on:

"original creative content, links to music and festival artist profiles, quirky videos and pictures, and a stream of consciousness voice that sounds much more like an entertaining, smartass, human Austinite than a marketing strategy."

James Moody, co-owner of Fun Fun Fun Fest (FFFF) organizing entity Transmission Entertainment, powers the festival's social media and avoids such techniques as posting on a consistent schedule and speaking in a corporate voice:

"I personally have a firm belief that people don't mind being marketed to…They know it's part of our society and know it's part of our lives, but they no longer want this big-banner-in-your-face-buy-my-shit-moment… They demand respect, they know they're going to be marketed to, they don't even mind it, they're just like do it with care…Have some fun with it and don't just put a laser in my face."

This attitude leads to some interesting Facebook posts include pics such as that of a questionable looking security guard and potential FFFF attendees as well as some oddball statements like:

"ON SITE AT FFF 2011: Sergio Sexy Sax Man Flores. Could be behind the bar, at the ticket counter, or in the porta potty. No where is safe haven from the saxman."

But that doesn't mean he won't work a trend as he did by teasing the 2011 lineup to a couple of hundred people on Turntable.fm leading to coverage in both Fast Company and Rolling Stone.

Though I wouldn't call James Moody's approach to marketing Fun Fun Fun Fest a blueprint, I think it does show that the bottom line in social media marketing is finding an approach that fits oneself and one's audience rather than getting hung up on techniques and timing.

Hypebot contributor Clyde Smith is a freelance writer and blogger. He is currently relaunching Flux Research to pursue his long-standing obsession with web business models. To suggest music services and related topics for review at Hypebot, please contact: clyde(at)fluxresearch(dot)com.