No matter how well-established your brand is, there will always be highs and lows: sometimes, you will sell out, and others, you will struggle a little—or even have product left—that is how the markets work.
Today, we will talk about a very well-established and high-end brand that, for the first time in years, seems to have had a bit more issues selling out than others.
Let’s talk about Burning Man.
What is Burning Man?
Well, Burning Man is… Burning Man.
If you ask someone with limited knowledge of the event—a.k.a. ME the first time I came across it—Burning Man is an event where a bunch of people burn a giant sculpture of a man. Simple, right?
Wrong.
Burning Man is more than just an event; it is a whole culture. As per their website, “Burning Man is a network of people inspired by the values reflected in the Ten Principles and united in the pursuit of a more creative and connected existence in the world”. It all started with a small group of people back in 1986 who gathered “for the first burn”, and, turned into an event that in 2023 held 74,000 people and an additional 95,000 people participating in official Regional Events around the world.
Big.
For years, getting tickets to Burning Man was an achievement in itself. With a limited amount of tickets for sale along with other prerequisites (like the fact you had to register for each sale), the event will usually sell out within an hour of the tickets becoming available, leading to people paying thousands of dollars on the second-hand market for a ticket to attend the event.
But something changed this year—for the first time in the last 12 years, and, despite the fact the event started this past Sunday—there are still tickets available. And that is surprising.
What happened?
Honestly, it has been a couple of tough years for Burning Man, starting with COVID, which led to the festival getting cancelled for the first time since the 80s—which, BTW does not mean that people did not meet up, there were a couple of unofficial meetings during the COVID years—to bad weather during the last couple years and even now with someone reported dead during the first day of the festival.
But that might not be all.
Some people say that Burning Man has strayed from its roots, and others mention how the cost to attend has increased (it can cost thousands of dollars to attend). Whatever it is, one thing is certain: this might not be the best year for The Burning Man Project.
Now, let’s talk about what matters: branding.
How Will This Affect The Brand?
For a brand as iconic as Burning Man, this won’t be the end—I said it, Burning Man is not going anywhere anytime soon—but there would be both immediate and long-term impact on the brand.
The Burning Man Exclusivity
Burning Man has long been associated with exclusivity, counterculture, and a sense of belonging that transcends the typical festival experience. However, the difficulty in selling out this year may signal a shift in perception. Tickets were hard to get, and attending was a badge of honor for many.
Since tickets are still available after the event’s start date, the event’s exclusivity might be questioned. For a brand that thrives on being a once-in-a-lifetime experience, this could lead to a change in the perception by both loyal attendees and potential newcomers.
Staying Into The Burning Man Roots
Burning Man has never branded itself as a festival—it’s a community with a set of guiding principles. However, as the event has grown in scale and mainstream attention, the perception that Burning Man has become more commercialized could erode the brand’s authenticity, making it less attractive to those seeking a genuine countercultural experience.
Maybe the decrease in attendees is a way for the community to rebuild itself.
The question remains: will this year be a one-time anomaly, or does it signal a deeper shift in the Burning Man brand? If the event organizers address all issues correctly, Burning Man could bounce back stronger. However, if these issues persist, we might see a gradual decline in the brand’s power and influence: how The Burning Man Project responds to these issues will determine its future as a cultural movement, strengthening the brand or contributing to its decline, and only time will tell which path it will take.
Would you consider going to Burning Man if it was within your possibilities?
