Trade mark registered: Sponsorship within the Australian Indie music festival scene

The present article investigates the impacts of branding and commercialization on the Australian indie music festival scene through an in-depth examination of the use of corporate sponsors. In particular, it investigates the ‘experience enhancement’ techniques used by sponsors and festival organizers of the Big Day Out and Falls festival. It will explore the festival goers' views on the commercialization of the contemporary festival space and the discursive strategies they use to negotiate this scene. It is further argued that the commercialization of the festival scene ultimately impacts on the meanings created by the festival goers.