QB Festival: festival marketing strategy

The full story

Where it started

QB Festival was a competitive entertainment experience at Boulevard City in Riyadh, running for 32 days. Teams of content creators and celebrities competed, and the audience was part of the competition.

The format was new to the public. People had to hear about it before day one, follow it day by day, and keep buying tickets up to the closing ceremony.

What I did, in order

I was responsible for the marketing strategy and for every marketing funnel, from the first teaser to the moment the winners lifted the cup.

1. A plan for each stage

I built the strategy in stages: the teaser before launch, the competition days, then the final and the closing ceremony. Each stage had its own goal, content and campaign.

2. A story people follow every day

I led the content across platforms around one story: who moves up, who goes out, and who reaches the final. That gave people a reason to come back on each of the 32 days.

3. Influencers inside the competition

I managed the influencers and content creators taking part. When the influencer is a competitor, their audience follows the result and cheers for them.

4. The website and paid campaigns

I built the festival website and improved its content, and ran the paid campaigns that supported each stage of the funnel.

The result in 32 days

Ticket sales and revenue came in above expectations.

QB is the start of a Saudi IP in competitive entertainment. The aim is to grow it across the Kingdom first, then take it abroad.

What to take from it

When an event builds a community around the influencers taking part, it sells the tickets and keeps the audience with it until the final. Plan for every day of the event, not only the opening night.

If you are planning an event or a launch, send me the idea and the dates, and I will tell you where I would start.