How FatFace Used Live Event Branding to Elevate Their Campaign
According to a report, the market size of the global events industry is expected to reach $2.5 trillion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of 6.8% from 2024 to 2035. And there is a reason brands are choosing this mode of marketing.
When it comes to creating emotional connections that stick, nothing competes with the power of live experiences.
Consumers today have endless digital stimuli vying for their attention, and it is live event branding that has the potential to cut through the noise and create unforgettable, embodied moments that resonate long after the event ends.
This was precisely the goal behind FatFace’s Rock Up and Sea event, a celebration designed around the brand’s identity and values.
Read on as we unpack how live event branding played a central role in elevating FatFace’s campaign, why this approach works so well for modern brands, and what lessons marketers can take home when planning their own event branding strategies.
What Is Live Event Branding And Why Does It Matter
Before diving into FatFace’s campaign, let us establish what live event branding actually is.
It refers to the practice of combining a brand’s identity, values, and story into an in-person experience.
It means every sensory encounter, including visuals, activities, interactions, environment, and emotion tell the brand’s story.
Effective live event branding transforms passive observers into active participants. It can boost recall, loyalty, and social sharing.
Unlike digital impressions that fade with a scroll, memories created in real, physical spaces tend to stick, and that is why live event branding remains a powerful tool.
Lifting a Lifestyle Brand Beyond Products
FatFace is a lifestyle fashion brand that has long positioned itself as more than just clothing. It represents adventure, creativity, community, and coastal culture. But selling this identity through traditional ads or e-commerce alone does not capture the experiential essence of the brand.
So FatFace partnered with creatives at Bigger Agency to envision Rock Up and Sea, an event where the brand came to life through lived experience.
The team set up a festival-style activation that echoed the very lifestyle FatFace promotes.
The Rock Up and Sea Experience: A Case Study in Live Event Branding
Held on Lusty Glaze Beach in Newquay, Rock Up and Sea was a day-long celebration filled with music, movement, workshops, and community energy. More than anything, it was designed to foster connections between people, between people and the brand, and between attendees and the ocean environment.
1. A Visual Identity That Felt Authentic
Live event branding starts long before anyone sets foot in the venue. For “Rock Up and Sea”, that meant creating visuals that felt right at home by the sea, relaxed, coastal, and unmistakably FatFace. Nothing looked overdesigned or corporate.
From the signage to the merch, every visual detail helped turn the beach into a FatFace space, making it easy for guests to feel like they were stepping into the brand rather than just attending another event.
2. Activities That Suited The Brand Values
Great event branding is about what people actually get to do.
For Rock Up and Sea, FatFace was very intentional about the experiences they offered, making sure each one felt true to the brand.
There were surfing and paddleboarding sessions that tapped into the spirit of adventure and the brand’s natural connection to the coast. Arts and crafts workshops brought in a creative, family-friendly energy, while yoga sessions added a slower, more mindful pace to the day. On top of that, environmental workshops run with partners like the Marine Conservation Society reinforced FatFace’s commitment to protecting the spaces it celebrates.
Together, these experiences showed, in a very real way, what FatFace stands for.
3. Main Stage: More Than Entertainment It Was a Brand Narrative
At the heart of Rock Up and Sea was a main stage that brought that story to life through music, conversations, and shared moments.
From laid-back indie performances to talks with Olympic athletes and sustainability voices, every person on stage felt like a natural fit. The line-up was chosen because it made sense for the FatFace audience and the values they care about.
What really set the event apart, though, was the sense of togetherness. Designed as a relaxed, family-friendly festival, it gave people space to connect, not just with the brand, but with each other. Those shared moments, whether in a workshop, on the sand, or in front of the stage, are what people remember long after the event ends.
What Live Event Branding Achieved for FatFace
While traditional campaign metrics like click-through rates and impressions still matter, Rock Up and Sea delivered on qualitative metrics that are often more important for long-term brand health:
- Increased brand awareness among target audiences through lived experience
- Enhanced emotional connection between brand and consumers
- Amplified social word-of-mouth through attendee sharing
- Reflected and reinforced brand values in a lived, memorable way
Lessons for Marketers: How to Approach Live Event Branding
If you’re considering live event branding as part of your marketing strategy, here are key takeaways inspired by the FatFace experience:
1. Start With Brand Values And Not Just Event Logistics
An event should be a narrative extension of who you are. Begin with your brand’s core identity, and ask:
What experiences will help audiences feel what our brand stands for?
FatFace asked this and built an event where adventure, sustainability, and community were experienced, not just talked about.
2. Design Every Touchpoint With Intention
Live event branding succeeds when every touchpoint, from visuals and signage to activity formats, speaks cohesively and authentically. Inconsistencies dilute trust; cohesiveness builds identity.
3. Craft Emotional Dimensions, Not Just Activities
Activities shouldn’t be random. They should serve a purpose, reflect values, spark emotion, or foster community.
Remember: people don’t remember facts; they remember feelings.
4. Use Environment as a Brand Amplifier
Place matters. FatFace’s choice of Newquay’s seaside literally set the scene for the brand ethos. Your choice of location should amplify your brand narrative.
The Future of Live Event Branding
Marketing today is louder than ever. Feeds are crowded, ads blur together, and attention spans are shrinking fast.
That’s why more brands are leaning into real-world experiences as a core part of how they build their brand.
Conclusion
“Rock Up and Sea” was never just a day at the beach.
It was FatFace brought to life. Every detail, from the setting to the activities, reflected what the brand stands for and how it wants people to feel.
Through this activation, FatFace brought people together, created shared experiences, and turned a single moment into something memorable.