Out of the ivory tower and towards the loudspeakers

“Wacken is not only one of the world’s best-known music festivals, it is the core and meeting place of a passionately and continuously cultivated (sub)culture that connects people with each other and with music. Getting together and a sense of community play a major role. They are expressed in the broad use of all information and communication channels and the comprehensive range of merchandising. From this, important insights and deductions can be made for the digitization of trade, fan culture and culture,” said Christoph Wenk-Fischer, Managing Director of the bevh on site Wacken Open Air Festival (W:O:A).

“Wacken is a dream, a must and a cult for metalheads. Ecommerce is everywhere here. Be it digital ticket sales, the digital booking of travel and accommodation offers, the online fan shop and maintaining the social media community. Or the use of state-of-the-art payment methods on site,” adds René Otto, managing partner of RocknShop, an online retailer specializing in fan culture in the sports and music sectors and also on site as a board member of bevh.

Professional exchange on fan culture and e-commerce

The members of the bevh Research & Teaching Roundtable had the opportunity to personally experience the unique event at the W:O:A. And at the same time for interdisciplinary networking and professional exchange with each other and with the organizers of the festival. With the event, the participants also want to provide an impetus for further research in the field of fan culture. This is dedicated to the topic of merchandising in the interaction of trade, cultural and technological developments. And also the virtualization of events, keyword Metaverse, as well as brand building and maintenance in social media channels.

Wacken Open Air Festival is one of the largest heavy metal music festivals in the world with more than 80,000 visitors and hundreds of artists. It takes place annually on the first weekend in August in the municipality of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein. The festival is organized by the ICS Festival Service GmbH (International Concert Service).

Of the Federal Association of E-Commerce and Mail Order Germany eV (bevh) is the industry association of online and mail order companies as well as service providers. After merging with the Federal Association of Online Food Trade and the Federal Association of German Mail Order Booksellers, bevh represents the industry interests of all members to the legislature and political and economic institutions. In addition to informing the members about current developments, the organization of the mutual exchange of experiences is one of the tasks of the association. The association also offers professional advice. (sg)

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