Drinks Companies at festivals/concerts

TheZohanS · 10-05-2011 11:28AM #1

Why do drinks companies that sponsor big gigs and festivals charge so much for a pint/drink at these festivals? Are they just there to cash in on their monopolistic status at these festivals/gigs or are they there to market the brand? Surely discounting their beverages or even selling them at pub prices would make more sense? If I go to a gig and get screwed on the price of a pint, of lets say Heineken for example, I'm not going to be in a hurry to buy a pint of it when I'm in a bar and it would turn me off that particular brand of beverage.

What do you think?

Johnny Favourite · 10-05-2011 11:32AM

<snip>
mod: Shut up.

podgemonster · 10-05-2011 11:35AM

It business! They paid for sponsorship and exclusivity at the gig and the punters pay €5 for a "pint". They are there to make a profit.

In the pub its the same as any other drink and if its reasonable there I'd get it!

Praetorian Saighdiuir · 10-05-2011 11:40AM

Je deteste Heino

conor_ire · 10-05-2011 11:42AM

Would imagine that it is down to a number of things.

The drink company would have to pay a huge chunk of money out to get the rights to sell in the concert.
They would have to pay the staff fairly decent money for the day given how frantic it would be behind a bar.
It would give off the wrong company image to have the brand sold at a below premium price.
It could be considered irresponsible to sell cheap alcohol at a festival where people are likely over consuming anyway. Have to stick with their whole drink responsibly anyway.
The costs involved in setting up in a field and keeping drink being delivered and chilled for three odd days and the clean up after that they are likely responsible at least in part for that.
They would likely have to pay some amount out for insurance for the festival for their staff if not the premises.

As well as the above I'm sure there are a number of costs involved that I have missed. Such as paying for the planning and organisation that goes into the festivals. I would say they probably make a fair amount of money from the festivals but would think that the majority of the benefit comes from brand awareness.

stateofflux · 10-05-2011 11:42AM

because they have a captive bunch of thousands of thirsty people that they can make a killing off as they have restricted 'choice' to 1 beer...

i also doubt that many people would stop drinking heineken after being ripped off at a festival...(thats even if they remember they were ripped off) .not enough to make overcharging unprofitable.

Standman · 10-05-2011 11:48AM

a pint is cheaper at a festival than it is in most bars in Dublin. Stick that in yer pipe and smoke it

Sinfonia · 10-05-2011 11:52AM

TheZohan wrote: »

Why do drinks companies that sponsor big gigs and festivals charge so much for a pint/drink at these festivals?

People will pay it.

Was at the o2 last night:
€6 for a plastic pint glass of Carlsberg (not 100% sure it was a full pint either, it wasn't very tall, although was quite wide)
€3 for a bottle of Riverrock, and they take the cap off and won't let you have it
€4.50 for an average sized hot-dog
€2 for a small packet of Tatyo peanuts

Unbelievably ****ty prices.
Still bought 4 pints though

sensibleken · 10-05-2011 11:55AM

one of the main reasons i dont go to large irish festivals anymore. the crappy drinks and the heavy handed security frisking you everytime you want to see a band. smaller ones like vantastival and body and soul are much better. the english ones like beautiful days and glastonbury are even better

January · 10-05-2011 12:00PM

Sinfonia wrote: »

People will pay it.

Was at the o2 last night:
€6 for a plastic pint glass of Carlsberg (not 100% sure it was a full pint either, it wasn't very tall, although was quite wide)
€3 for a bottle of Riverrock, and they take the cap off and won't let you have it
€4.50 for an average sized hot-dog
€2 for a small packet of Tatyo peanuts

Unbelievably ****ty prices.
Still bought 4 pints though

They take the cap off so you won't use the bottles as missiles

Cool Mo D · 10-05-2011 12:02PM

Standman wrote: »

a pint is cheaper at a festival than it is in most bars in Dublin. Stick that in yer pipe and smoke it

No, it isn't. An average pint in Dublin is about 4.50. Festival, expect 6 euro +

PaudyW · 10-05-2011 12:08PM

get liquored up before you go and bring a hip flask

FatherLen · 10-05-2011 12:09PM

why do they sell it for so much?????

because people will buy it......

Pace2008 · 10-05-2011 12:10PM

sensibleken wrote: »

one of the main reasons i dont go to large irish festivals anymore. the crappy drinks and the heavy handed security frisking you everytime you want to see a band. smaller ones like vantastival and body and soul are much better. the english ones like beautiful days and glastonbury are even better

Got my jollies watching a group of lads brazenly carry a crate of beer into the main arena at about 12pm at Life Festival last year:

Security: Sorry lads, no drink in the arena till the bars close (you can bring in booze when the bars close at 11pm)
Lads: Not a bother, these are for later; won't be touching them till the bars close.
Security (laughing): Carry on lads.

Logical Fallacy · 10-05-2011 12:14PM

TheZohan wrote: »

Why do drinks companies that sponsor big gigs and festivals charge so much for a pint/drink at these festivals? Are they just there to cash in on their monopolistic status at these festivals/gigs or are they there to market the brand? Surely discounting their beverages or even selling them at pub prices would make more sense? If I go to a gig and get screwed on the price of a pint, of lets say Heineken for example, I'm not going to be in a hurry to buy a pint of it when I'm in a bar and it would turn me off that particular brand of beverage.

What do you think?

People who go to concerts and festivals generally get the shakes and start to drool or gibber at the thought of going more than 2 hours without alcohol...so it's easy money.

Dravokivich · 10-05-2011 12:19PM

Tend not to drink at concerts / festivals meself, but that's mainly due to there being so many other people around. I think it's nuts getting drunk in that kind of athmosphere.

enda1 · 10-05-2011 12:21PM

benwavner wrote: »

Je déteste Heino

At least get it right!

gosuckonalemon · 10-05-2011 12:22PM

Just smuggle a plastic bottle full of vodka/whisky/rum into the main arena at festivals and then just buy mixers. Keep your beer drinking for the campsites.

Gigs the same deal but sure you'll probably only have 2-3 in there anyways (assuming your half pissed goin in)..

Biggins · 10-05-2011 12:28PM

January wrote: »

They take the cap off so you won't use the bottles as missiles

Which is why I always bring spare tops.

sensibleken · 10-05-2011 12:45PM

does anyone have any recomendations for a good festival drink?

I cant stand warm beer and poisoned myself with neat captain morgans last at the last one. I did discover that koperberg mixed berry is really nice warm, even though i wouldnt drink it normally

January · 10-05-2011 12:57PM

sensibleken wrote: »

does anyone have any recomendations for a good festival drink?

I cant stand warm beer and poisoned myself with neat captain morgans last at the last one. I did discover that koperberg mixed berry is really nice warm, even though i wouldnt drink it normally

Use the chill rooms at Oxegen! That's if they have them this year :eek:

sensibleken · 10-05-2011 12:58PM

January wrote: »

Use the chill rooms at Oxegen! That's if they have them this year :eek:

wouldnt be caught dead at oxegen tbh

Captain_Generic · 10-05-2011 01:03PM

sensibleken wrote: »

wouldnt be caught dead at oxegen tbh

Every year there's a rumor that someone was caught dead

bonzodog2 · 10-05-2011 01:14PM

sensibleken wrote: »

does anyone have any recomendations for a good festival drink?

I cant stand warm beer and poisoned myself with neat captain morgans last at the last one. I did discover that koperberg mixed berry is really nice warm, even though i wouldnt drink it normally

If you drink cider, Aldi do a cheap one that I found was nearly as nice when not chilled as when cold. I haven't tried it warm though. The name escapes me right now, sorry [edit:Taurus]. Its pretty cheap too.

jester77 · 10-05-2011 01:19PM

Must be an Irish thing. Price of a beer at the festivals here in Germany are similar to what you pay in the pub.

Fighting Irish · 10-05-2011 01:21PM

TheZohan wrote: »

Why do drinks companies that sponsor big gigs and festivals charge so much for a pint/drink at these festivals? Are they just there to cash in on their monopolistic status at these festivals/gigs or are they there to market the brand? Surely discounting their beverages or even selling them at pub prices would make more sense? If I go to a gig and get screwed on the price of a pint, of lets say Heineken for example, I'm not going to be in a hurry to buy a pint of it when I'm in a bar and it would turn me off that particular brand of beverage.

What do you think?

Sinfonia wrote: »

People will pay it.

Was at the o2 last night:
€6 for a plastic pint glass of Carlsberg (not 100% sure it was a full pint either, it wasn't very tall, although was quite wide)
€3 for a bottle of Riverrock, and they take the cap off and won't let you have it
€4.50 for an average sized hot-dog
€2 for a small packet of Tatyo peanuts

Unbelievably ****ty prices.
Still bought 4 pints though

Yes they are, and fair fooks to them for making money

Minstrel27 · 10-05-2011 01:32PM

Sinfonia wrote: »

Unbelievably ****ty prices.
Still bought 4 pints though

And they will continue to be ****ty prices.

Earthhorse · 10-05-2011 01:32PM

TheZohan wrote: »

If I go to a gig and get screwed on the price of a pint, of lets say Heineken for example, I'm not going to be in a hurry to buy a pint of it when I'm in a bar and it would turn me off that particular brand of beverage.

Despite what you say, your long term loyalty to any particular brand won't be influenced by this. You'll drink the drink that you like best, given the choice. Of brands you are indifferent too you may stop drinking them but you probably wouldn't have drunk them too much in the first place so there's little lost there. Finally, as all of the big companies sponsor some festivals you'll more than likely be ripped off by all of them at some point leaving you with nothing left to discriminate on apart from what you'd like to drink.

TheZohanS · 10-05-2011 01:46PM

Earthhorse wrote: »

Despite what you say, your long term loyalty to any particular brand won't be influenced by this. You'll drink the drink that you like best, given the choice. Of brands you are indifferent too you may stop drinking them but you probably wouldn't have drunk them too much in the first place so there's little lost there. Finally, as all of the big companies sponsor some festivals you'll more than likely be ripped off by all of them at some point leaving you with nothing left to discriminate on apart from what you'd like to drink.

Yes but the target market for these drinks companies, the most lucrative growth market, is to turn the customers that might consume their product sporadically into consumers that drink their product on a regular basis. I think greed is causing these companies to miss an opportunity here. They're savaging this market for maybe 3-4 concerts a year, which is worth maybe 12 pints a head to them, whereas if they had been more consumer orientated they could discount those 12 pints(or sell them at pub prices) for the consumers loyalty and sell 10 times the amount to the same customer throughout the year.

UglyBolloxFace · 10-05-2011 02:02PM

January wrote: »

They take the cap off so you won't use the bottles as missiles

Because a bottle isn't a missile unless it has a cap on it

But yeah, in case someone pisses in it and then lobs it at somebody on stage.

flas · 10-05-2011 02:38PM

Sinfonia wrote: »

People will pay it.

Was at the o2 last night:
€6 for a plastic pint glass of Carlsberg (not 100% sure it was a full pint either, it wasn't very tall, although was quite wide)
€3 for a bottle of Riverrock, and they take the cap off and won't let you have it
€4.50 for an average sized hot-dog
€2 for a small packet of Tatyo peanuts

Unbelievably ****ty prices.
Still bought 4 pints though

they are not full pints in the o2...

Drinks Companies at festivals/concerts

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