The Marketing of Essence Fest: A Legacy in Need of Legacy Thinking

 By Dani Marie



Inspired by Nick Love and “The Marketing Room” on Fanbase

I recently tuned into The Marketing Room on Fanbase, hosted by Nick Love, and the conversation centered around the marketing of Essence Fest. I’ve never been to Essence Fest myself. Truthfully, I hadn’t even been that interested—until recently. But now, life looks different. I’ve got kids. I’m thinking about legacy, lineage, and cultural touchpoints. I’m thinking about who’s going to shape what my children consume, and how we bring them into the fold—not just as bystanders, but as participants.

That’s when the conversation got real.

📉 The Essence of the Problem

Many agreed that this year’s marketing rollout was rushed. There was little to no build-up, minimal storytelling, and a lack of emotional pull. While they did attempt to attract younger audiences through the Coca-Cola and AT&T stages, it felt like an afterthought—reactive instead of intentional. And let’s not ignore the elephant in the room: people are boycotting.

Let’s talk about Target.

Despite controversy and backlash, they showed up to appease the audience—and people still shopped. But was that enough? The brand activations felt disconnected. Logistically, the external vendor experience was chaotic, and the value for smaller brands and independent creators was questionable.

✨ Bridging the Generational Gap

One of my two main contributions in the social audio room chat: We have to bridge the generational gap.

Essence Fest can’t keep playing to one generation when Black culture spans five at a time. Think about what would happen if Essence intentionally centered:

  • Teyana Taylor and her mom
  • Whoopi Goldberg and her daughter
  • Kevin Hart and his kids
  • Toya Johnson and Reginae Carter
  • Mrs. Two Weeks Out & her daughter
  • The McClure Twins and their parents

That's not just content. That's culture. That’s visibility and relatability for Gen X, millennials, and Gen Alpha in a single frame. That’s family-based legacy branding in real time.

We should be showing what it looks like to pass the mic AND the baton.

🎟️ Let’s Talk Tickets and Missed Money

Something else I added to the chat: 2HotTickets is making moves. While Live Nation leaves gaps and Ticketmaster battles bad PR, platforms like 2HotTickets are coming up strong, especially among Black creatives and event curators. Essence Fest needs to get in front of the ticketing revolution or risk being passed up by more agile, community-rooted experiences.

💭 What Does Essence Offer… Really?

Back in the day, Essence was the magazine. It meant something. It showed up in our auntie's living room, our mom’s office, the barbershop, and on coffee tables next to Jet. Now… what does Essence really offer the people outside of one big event each year?

If the Essence Festival is the new flagship, where’s the continuity?

  • What anchors us between July and next July?
  • Where’s the digital storytelling?
  • Where are the mentorship pipelines, family packages, legacy initiatives, or streaming-style replays for those who can't attend?
  • What’s the staple offering beyond nostalgia?

🚌 The Multi-City Pivot: A No-Brainer

Here’s a free strategy: make it a six-city tour.
Take the essence of Essence and bring it to New York, Atlanta, L.A., Houston, Detroit, and D.C. Hit the regions where the culture lives and spends. Don’t expect people to come to New Orleans every year—go meet the culture where it’s growing.

You’ll create more revenue, more brand partnerships, and deeper cultural relevance. You’ll build an ecosystem, not just a one-time experience.

👑 Legacy Deserves Leadership

Essence Fest is a legacy brand, but legacy alone won’t save it.
Legacy must be activated. It must be lived. It must invite in the new voices, the new platforms, the new families, and the new money—without abandoning the original mission.

Let’s rethink the marketing of Essence Fest, not just to sell more tickets—but to sell us back to ourselves.

Because Essence isn’t just about who shows up.


It’s about what we take home.

 


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