Introduction
No festival is immune to unexpected crises. Weather delays, technical failures, health emergencies, or even controversial incidents can disrupt an event in an instant. How the festival team communicates during those tense moments can make or break vital sponsorship relationships. Sponsors have invested in your festival’s success and are watching closely to see how you handle adversity. A mismanaged crisis can spook sponsors and jeopardize renewals, but a calm, professional response not only keeps attendees safe – it also reassures sponsors that their partnership is in steady hands.
This guide draws on decades of festival production experience and real-world examples to outline crisis communication strategies that protect sponsorships. From building a clear escalation plan and coordinating timely updates, to assigning a sponsor liaison and posting transparent after-action reports, these practices help maintain trust when it matters most. Seasoned festival organisers know that emergency preparedness isn’t just about safety – it’s a key part of sponsorship strategy. By communicating effectively under pressure, festivals around the world have turned moments of chaos into opportunities to strengthen sponsor confidence.
Establish an Escalation Plan & Single Source of Truth
In a crisis, confusion is the enemy. Every minute of uncertainty or conflicting information can harm your festival’s reputation and panic stakeholders – including sponsors. That’s why top festival teams establish a shared escalation tree and a single source of truth for crisis communications:
– Clear Chain of Command: Define who makes decisions and who communicates them at each level of an emergency. For example, the event safety officer informs the festival director, who then activates a crisis response team including heads of security, operations, communications, and sponsorship. This chain should be decided in advance and understood by all staff.
– Defined Escalation Triggers: Agree on what situations trigger a formal escalation – whether it’s a severe weather alert, a security threat, a major injury, or any incident that could significantly impact the event or its reputation. When a trigger hits, the team knows to convene immediately (often in an Emergency Operations Centre, or EOC) and follow the plan.
– Single Source of Truth: Assign one role (e.g. the Communications Lead or a Crisis Communications Team) to draft official messages and updates. All information should flow from this source. This prevents contradictory messages. Everyone – from social media managers to stage MCs to sponsor liaisons – refers to the same verified updates before speaking or posting.
– Include Sponsors in the Tree: Don’t forget sponsors in your escalation hierarchy. Determine how and when sponsors will be updated during a crisis. This might mean the Head of Sponsorship (or a dedicated sponsor liaison) is part of the crisis team from the start. By baking sponsors into the communication flow, you ensure they’re never left in the dark.
A well-defined escalation plan was one of the keys to Lollapalooza’s effective response when a sudden thunderstorm forced evacuation of the festival in Chicago. Organisers had pre-designated roles and emergency shelter locations, and a spokesperson promptly issued statements emphasizing safety first (time.com). Because everyone followed a clear chain of command, the messaging to attendees and media was consistent. Sponsors of Lollapalooza were kept informed through the same central briefings, so they heard accurate information directly rather than rumors. This unified approach safeguarded the festival’s reputation and showed sponsors that the team was firmly in control.
In contrast, festivals lacking a single source of truth often suffer from mixed messages. The unfortunate “Splendour in the Mud” incident at Splendour in the Grass 2022 is a cautionary tale. When extreme weather hit the Australian festival, communication to attendees was slow and muddled. Organisers went silent at first, allowing speculation and negativity to fill the void (purepublicrelations.com.au). By the time a public statement came (belatedly and without taking full responsibility), the damage to attendee trust and the festival’s image was done – and sponsors surely took note of the chaos. The lesson is clear: have a plan before things go wrong. Establish an official channel for crisis updates and make sure everyone on your team (and all key partners) trusts and uses that single source for information.
Coordinate Time-Stamped Updates Across All Channels
When a crisis hits a festival, speed and consistency of information are critical. Attendees will be checking the event app, social media feeds, text alerts, and listening for announcements on stage. Sponsors will be doing the same – or calling your team for answers. Any lapse or contradiction in communications can create confusion and erode confidence. To prevent that, coordinate your messaging tightly across all channels and time-stamp every update:
– Unified Messaging: Quickly prepare a short official update that can be distributed everywhere – on the festival’s mobile app, Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, the official website, and via email or SMS if used. The stage manager or MC should receive the exact same message to announce to the crowd. When every outlet delivers an identical core message, you avoid the nightmare of say, the social media post telling people one thing while the MC says another.
– Time-Stamped Posts: Always include a timestamp (e.g. “Update as of 3:45 PM:”) on crisis updates. This simple step establishes clarity about which information is most current. It helps attendees and sponsors follow the sequence of events, especially if the situation evolves over hours. Time stamps also demonstrate that the festival is actively managing the situation in real-time, instilling confidence that no one is asleep at the wheel.
– Frequent, Scheduled Updates: Even if there’s not much new to report yet, push brief updates at regular intervals (e.g. “3:45 PM: We are still on weather hold due to lightning within 8km. Next update by 4:15 PM.”). Sponsors and attendees both appreciate being kept in the loop. Regular communication prevents panic and speculation. It shows that the organisers are monitoring the situation closely.
– Consistency Beats Speed (When in Doubt): It’s important to be fast, but accuracy and consistency come first. Take a moment to ensure the update is accurate and vetted by the crisis team. Coordinate so that all channels publish it simultaneously. It’s better to delay by a few minutes to align messaging than to put out conflicting information. Once the unified message is ready, hit send on all platforms and have the MC read it out within the same minute.
Real-world example: During a severe windstorm at Tomorrowland in Belgium, festival officials paused the show and issued coordinated updates on all platforms within minutes, each labeled with the time. Attendees saw the same message on the app and Twitter, and heard it from the stage MC – “Attention: Due to high winds, we are temporarily suspending performances for safety. (7:00 PM)”. Because Tomorrowland’s team kept information consistent and frequent, fans remained calm and understood the process. Sponsors, too, were reassured as they watched the festival’s social media and app for updates. They could confidently report to their own higher-ups that the situation was being handled methodically. By the time operations resumed, the audience still felt taken care of, and sponsor partners praised the festival’s proactive communication.
On the other hand, inconsistent or delayed communication can spiral into PR disasters. The 2015 TomorrowWorld festival in the USA suffered a massive storm that turned roads to mud, stranding thousands of attendees. To make matters worse, information was scant and scattered – many ticket-holders had no idea what was happening or where to go for hours (dancingastronaut.com). Social media exploded with frustration as official updates came far too slowly. Sponsors of that event were caught in the crossfire of public anger, and the festival’s brand never recovered (TomorrowWorld was canceled permanently after that fiasco). The takeaway: Don’t let an information vacuum form, and never leave your sponsors guessing. Even bad news should come from you directly, promptly, and uniformly across channels.
Assign a Sponsor Liaison in the EOC
Amid emergency response, festival staff are often stretched thin coordinating with security, artists, vendors, and public authorities. Sponsors must not be an afterthought. In fact, high-value sponsors may have executives monitoring the event or even on-site. To manage sponsor relations during a crisis, assign a dedicated sponsor liaison in the Emergency Operations Centre (or whatever command post you use). This person’s sole focus is to keep sponsors informed and address their needs:
– Direct Communication Line: As soon as the crisis team springs into action, the sponsor liaison should join the huddle (physically or via call). They gather first-hand information and immediately relay key updates to sponsor contacts. Ideally, sponsors receive a personal call or text from the liaison before they have time to panic or hear news secondhand.
– Realtime Updates for Sponsors: Treat sponsors as a critical stakeholder group with their own update cadence. For instance, after each public announcement or major development, the liaison can send sponsors a quick email or WhatsApp summary: “Just announced a weather hold due to lightning. All attendees safe; will update again at 4 PM.” This makes sponsors feel valued and “in the loop” just like your internal team.
– Address Sponsor Assets & Concerns: The liaison also fields any sponsor-specific issues. Is a sponsor’s on-site activation (booth, branded structure) affected by the crisis? Do they need to evacuate their staff or secure equipment? Are they worried about their brand image due to the incident? The liaison coordinates responses to these questions. For example, if a stage sponsored by a brand has to be closed, the liaison will inform that sponsor immediately and discuss how the schedule might adjust.
– Coordinate with Sponsor’s PR Team: In major incidents, sponsors might need to brief their own PR or management. The liaison can provide approved talking points or data for sponsors to use internally or in media statements. By aligning on the narrative, you prevent divergent stories. This unified front can be crucial if the crisis is getting press coverage.
Having a sponsor liaison in the EOC proved invaluable during the Good Vibes Festival 2023 in Malaysia. When that festival was abruptly shut down by authorities (due to a headlining band’s controversial on-stage actions), it stunned attendees and partners alike. Fortunately, the festival’s crisis team looped in their sponsorship manager from the start. As communications went out to the audience, the sponsor liaison personally contacted each major sponsor to explain the situation and next steps. Sponsors heard directly about the cancellation and the plan for refunds and damage control, rather than learning through chaotic social media posts. This proactive outreach helped reassure partners that the organisers were managing the fallout. In the festival’s official apology statement, the organisers even addressed sponsors and partners by name, thanking them for their understanding (www.scribd.com) – a gesture that went a long way to maintain goodwill.
For smaller festivals or community events that might not have a formal EOC, the principle still applies. Assign someone on the team to be the point-person for sponsor communications in a crisis. Even if it’s a single-stage local festival, pause and call your sponsor (be it a local brewery or city council) as soon as possible with an honest update. That personal touch in tough times demonstrates reliability. Sponsors, big or small, want to feel like true partners. By giving them timely information and attention during an emergency, you show that their investment is more than just a logo on a banner – it’s a valued partnership even when things go wrong.
Be Transparent With an After-Action Report
Once the crisis has passed and the festival is over (or the situation is under control), don’t just move on as if nothing happened. One of the most sponsor-friendly things you can do is to follow up with a transparent after-action report or post-event note addressing the incident. This communication serves multiple purposes:
– Acknowledgment and Accountability: Briefly recap what happened and acknowledge any inconveniences or failures that occurred. If the festival had to cancel a day or evacuate, publicly apologize to attendees, sponsors, and stakeholders for the disruption. Own up to any mistakes – transparency builds credibility. As PR experts note, a sincere, timely apology that takes responsibility is far better for long-term reputation than silence or excuses.
– Timeline of Actions: Outline the key actions your team took during the crisis, with timestamps. For example, “At 3:30 PM lightning was detected; by 3:40 PM we had cleared the main stage and alerted attendees via the app and announcements. By 4:00 PM, we opened three shelter areas…” Detailing the response shows sponsors (and the public) that the situation was handled with urgency and competence.
– Results and Resolution: Explain the outcome – “Performances resumed at 5:00 PM once authorities gave the all-clear” or “We made the difficult decision to cancel the final day for safety reasons”. If you offered refunds, rain-check tickets, or any form of compensation, mention it. Also highlight if there were positive outcomes (e.g. “Over 2,000 attendees were safely evacuated with zero injuries”).
– Lessons Learned and Improvements: Perhaps most important for sponsors, describe what you learned and what will change going forward. Sponsors want confidence that this was a one-off issue or that improvements are underway. For instance, “This incident revealed we needed better shuttle logistics; we will be doubling the number of shuttles and adding real-time GPS tracking next year”. Or “We have updated our weather monitoring system and staff training to ensure even faster response times in the future.” This kind of proactive improvement plan tells sponsors that their future investment is in good hands.
– Shout-Outs: If any sponsor played a role in the crisis response or went above and beyond to help, give them credit. Did a beer sponsor provide cans of water to thirsty evacuees? Did a tech sponsor help set up a quick live stream announcement? Mentioning partner support not only strengthens that relationship but shows other sponsors that the festival truly cares about partnerships.
For example, after a difficult event, Burning Man 2023 (which faced an unexpected desert rainstorm), the event’s organisers released a comprehensive public update explaining the situation and commending everyone – including volunteers and partners – who helped manage the muddy ordeal. While Burning Man doesn’t have traditional corporate sponsors, it illustrates the value of prompt, honest communication in rebuilding trust. On a more commercial note, when a COVID-19 outbreak forced the cancellation of the Ultra Music Festival in 2020, the festival sent a detailed follow-up to ticket holders and partners outlining refund options and health measures for the future. Many sponsors stuck with Ultra for its next edition, partly because the organisers were transparent and solutions-focused in the aftermath.
By posting an after-action report or letter, you demonstrate professionalism and a commitment to learning from the crisis. Make this report visible (website news section, social media) and also send it directly to sponsors with a personalised thank-you for their support and patience. This kind of outreach can turn a sponsor’s disappointment into admiration. Every festival will face challenges; what matters to sponsors is how you respond and evolve from setbacks.
Calm and Professional: Protecting Those Sponsor Relationships
In any crisis scenario, emotions run high – for attendees, staff, media, and sponsors alike. The best festival organisers project calm, steady leadership in their communications, which in turn keeps sponsors calm. Remember, sponsors are often corporations with their own reputations to uphold. If they see a festival handle an emergency with panic, defensiveness, or disarray, they may fear their brand will be tainted by association. Conversely, a composed and professional crisis response will give them confidence that their partnership is safe even in turbulent times.
A few general tips for maintaining a calm, sponsor-friendly tone:
– Stick to Facts and Solutions: In statements, avoid speculation or blame. Focus on what is being done to fix or safely manage the issue. Sponsors appreciate a fact-based approach because it reduces uncertainty.
– Show Empathy and Reassurance: Whether you’re addressing attendees or talking directly to a sponsor, acknowledge concerns and express commitment to safety. A line like “We understand this situation is frustrating for everyone – our team is working around the clock to keep everyone safe and informed” goes a long way. It signals to sponsors that you care about people first, which reflects well on them too.
– No Empty Promises: Don’t make promises you can’t keep (“the show will resume in 10 minutes” – unless you are certain). It’s better to say “we’re evaluating if we can resume safely; we will update you in 30 minutes”. Sponsors want honest communication, not optimistic guesswork that might fall through.
– Internal Composure: Ensure your staff, especially those communicating with sponsors or press, stay calm and courteous. Train them in advance if possible. A frantic or rude interaction between a staff member and a sponsor’s team during the crisis can sour a relationship. Professionalism under pressure proves the mettle of your festival team.
– Post-Crisis Follow-Up: After things settle, personally reach out to each sponsor. Thank them for their understanding, hear their feedback, and reiterate your commitment to improving. This conversation is as important as any sales pitch – it can secure that sponsor’s renewal by showing that you value the partnership beyond the sunshine days.
Consider the case of Glastonbury Festival in the UK, which has faced everything from extreme mud to infrastructure fires over its long history. Glastonbury’s organisers (led by Michael Eavis and team) famously maintain a calm public front during heavy rains or technical hiccups. They communicate clearly about delays or fixes and often turn the narrative into one of community spirit (“we’re all in this together in the mud!”). Sponsors like telecommunications partner EE have continued their long-term association, no doubt because they trust the festival’s experienced, unflappable management. Trust is built in tough times, and sponsors remember how you made them feel when things went wrong.
At the end of the day, protecting sponsor relationships during a crisis comes down to this simple principle: treat sponsors as true partners in your event’s journey, especially when the journey gets bumpy. Share information promptly, respect their stake in the event’s success, and demonstrate leadership that aligns with their values. Do this, and sponsors will reward you with loyalty when renewal time comes. They might even sing your praises to other potential sponsors, knowing that “this festival can handle anything with grace.”
Key Takeaways
- Have a Crisis Communication Plan: Don’t improvise when things go wrong. Develop an escalation hierarchy, communication protocols, and involve your sponsorship team in emergency planning.
- Single Source of Truth: Designate one team or person to issue all official information. Consistent messaging prevents confusion and reassures sponsors that the situation is under control.
- Update Frequently & Consistently: Coordinate announcements across app, social media, and on-site PA systems. Time-stamp updates and provide regular progress reports to keep everyone – including sponsors – informed.
- Dedicated Sponsor Liaison: Treat sponsors as VIP stakeholders during crises. Assign someone to give them personal updates and address their concerns in real time. Never leave sponsors wondering what’s happening.
- Transparency After the Storm: Once resolved, publish a candid recap of the incident and your response. Acknowledge issues, explain solutions, and thank everyone (attendees, staff, sponsors) for riding through the challenge. Transparency and accountability build trust for the future.
- Calm Under Pressure: Maintain a professional, empathetic tone in all communications. By staying cool and factual, you protect your festival’s reputation and by extension your sponsors’ reputations. Calm leadership in a crisis is often a deciding factor in whether sponsors renew their support.
Sponsors invest in festivals that they believe in. Showing competence and integrity during a crisis is one of the most powerful ways to validate that belief. In the high-stakes world of festival management, calm and coordinated communication isn’t just a safety measure – it’s a sponsorship saving grace.
25th August 2025