The Partner
Electric Forest is more than just a festival - it's a place where dreams come true!
To spread positivity in the community, the Electric Forest (EF) team has introduced a tentpole engagement to rally fans around ahead of their festival. Called “The Wish Machine,” EF commits to fulfilling fan wishes per event in exchange for charitable deeds - everything from gifting wristbands and organizing a Mario Kart tournament for charity in the campgrounds, to hosting a wedding for two participants.
The Challenge
While the concept of “The Wish Machine” wasn’t new in 2024, the EF team was facing a challenge in executing this concept digitally while keeping it easy to interact with. Previously, the team used a simple survey system where they would track responses, however, this wasn’t fulfilling their standard of engagement. For the 2024 Electric Forest they aimed to transform how they delivered this engagement by turning their survey into an integrated form and UGC wall experience to encourage more entries, and to keep fans involved.
Their goal with this engagement was to nurture fan connections with the festival and each other, and to foster a strong online community.
The Wish Machine Campaign
The EF team partnered with Tradable Bits to launch a customized user-generated content (UGC) campaign, where fans were prompted to pledge wishes in exchange for a positive deed.
These pledged wishes were then showcased on the Electric Forest website to create a unique community space where fans could feel seen, heard, valued and connected. As time marched toward the festival, the EF team chose the wishes they would “grant” and shared those stories online to bring the Wish Machine Project full circle.
Distribution
The Wish Machine was given distinct real estate on the EF Website under their “Plug In Programs” section - a piece of their website which serves as an invitation for fans to get more involved. This central “landing zone” combined with vibrant social media promotions (especially on Instagram) created a space for fans to interact ahead of the festival building excitement months before the first note was played on the grounds.
%20copy%202.jpg?width=1200&length=1200&name=Heading%20(1)%20copy%202.jpg)
The Results
- An 83% increase in engagement compared to their prior years
- More than 800 distinct wishes submitted (and good deeds pledged)
The Wish Machine gathered more wishes than ever before, jumping up by almost 500% compared to prior years. Every wish pledged also included fans sharing more information about themselves, and an opt-in to festival communication creating a perfect scenario where EF could learn more about their fans while collecting wishes.
But the magic didn’t stop there.
To raise the bar for future fan experiences, the EF team analyzed all 800+ pieces of data to gain deeper insights into fan preferences. They will also use these insights to tailor their marketing for 2025 and beyond.