Popakademie student receive Goldmedia Award

"Do good and talk about it | Investigation into the effective design of sustainable festival communication"

The master's thesis examines the increasing importance of sustainability in the German music festival industry. It analyzes how targeted sustainability communication via social media can help to reduce the decline in attendance and reach new target groups. The study concludes with practical recommendations for successful sustainable festival promotion.

Sustainability has become increasingly important in recent years, putting pressure on the live music industry to implement sustainable practices. This master's thesis examines the design of sustainable festival communication on social media and its influence on consumer behavior at music festivals.

In the first part of the thesis, the current state of sustainable festival communication is determined. Despite the increasing demands of festival visitors with regard to ecological and social sustainability, the communication of sustainability measures is often cautious in order to avoid accusations of greenwashing. However, event organizers are increasingly recognizing the potential of using sustainability as a marketing tool.

Qualitative and quantitative studies confirm that sustainable festival communication can have a positive influence on consumer behavior. Interviews with event organizers and stakeholders provide insights into their previous experiences with responsible communication. Building on this, a survey in the form of an online experiment is conducted to measure the effect on the behavior of the main festival target groups. The results show that information and fact-based messages strengthen the credibility and trust of festival visitors. The integration of external reporting also increases the authenticity of sustainability messages. These approaches promote positive word of mouth and help festivals to differentiate themselves and tap into new target groups.

Based on the research results, concrete recommendations for an effective sustainable communication strategy are derived. Clear, transparent communication and the involvement of relevant stakeholders are key to building trust and increasing reach. In addition, sustainability efforts should be consistently presented across all communication channels, supported by authentic external sources.

Finally, the need for further research is pointed out, especially with regard to the analysis of further communication strategies and channels as well as the long-term effects on consumer behavior and the image of music festivals.

Every year, the Goldmedia consulting and research group awards the "Goldmedia Prize for Innovative Theses in the Media Industry". Graduates who completed their degree (BA, Master's, Diplom, Magister, state examination, dissertation, MBA, etc.) in the year of the competition or in the previous year can apply online to Goldmedia with their thesis.