Branded or Banned? What Glastonbury’s Commercial Crackdown Means for Brands

Branded or Banned? What Glastonbury’s Commercial Crackdown Means for Brands 

Glastonbury might be the UK’s most iconic music festival – but in 2025, it’s sending an unmistakably message to brands: this space is carefully curated – entry requires prior approval.  

This year’s updated Terms and Conditions make it crystal clear: any unauthorised commercial activity – from influencer content to branded pop-ups – is strictly prohibited. In fact, even a casual #ad or #gifted tag could land your brand in hot water. It’s the most robust stance we’ve seen yet, and it has serious implications for how brands engage in the festival’s spaces. 

What’s changed – and why it matters 

While Glastonbury has always safeguarded its identity, 2025’s policies signal something deeper: a resistance to brands capitalising on the festival’s name, without permission or contribution. It’s a pushback against opportunism – and a call for more thoughtful, mutually beneficial participation. 

The new T&Cs explicitly state that the festival prohibits: 

• Any promotional filming or photography on the festival site without prior written consent 

• Influencer marketing or sponsored content referencing the festival in any way 

• Use of Glastonbury IP (names, logos, stages, even hashtags like #glastonbury) 

• Any content that requires ad disclosures like #gifted, #ad, or #prinvite 

Put simply: you can’t piggyback off Glasto’s cultural capital unless you’ve had prior approval. 

So, how can brands actually activate at Glastonbury? 

Glastonbury isn’t anti-brand – but it is fiercely protective of its culture. If you want to show up as a brand, you need permission. Full stop. 

Any form of commercial activity, from influencer content to sampling, signage or social posts requires written approval from Glastonbury Festival Events Ltd (GFEL). That approval is typically granted in one of two ways: 

• Official sponsors or partners: these are brands formally aligned with the festival itself – like Vodafone (connectivity), WaterAid (public services), or EE (charging and Wi-Fi). As an official partner, you may be granted rights to use festival IP, operate onsite, and deliver activity that enhances the festival experience. This route involves planning, permissions and likely, a sponsorship fee. 

• Approved partner venues: some brands collaborate with independently operated spaces near the festival – like The Pop-Up Hotel, Worthy View or Sticklinch. While these aren’t run by GFEL, they can host brand activations with more flexibility, provided they still comply with Glastonbury’s media policy. It’s a smart workaround, but still not a free-for-all. 

The bottom line? If your brand isn’t working directly with the festival or an approved partner site – you can’t reference Glastonbury in any promotional content. No hashtags. No tags. No sneaky product placements. If it looks like an ad, it’ll likely be taken down. 

Don’t have permission? You still have options. 

If you’re not working directly with the festival or its partner sites, that doesn’t mean you’re out of the picture. It just means you have to get more creative. You could try: 

Pre-festival positioning 

Create content that taps into the spirit of festival season without name-dropping. Think style edits, skincare routines, packing guides and playlists – all festival-coded, without infringing IP. 

Post-festival storytelling 

Wrap-up reels, recovery rituals, outfit breakdowns, and content that shows how your brand fits into the before and after of the experience. The key is staying clear of on-site footage or Glasto-specific references if you weren’t officially involved. 

IRL brand moments 

Host prep sessions, influencer send-offs, or post-festival resets. From London-based beauty services to recovery wellness drops, brands can still align with the wider cultural moment – just not directly on the farm. 

Who got it right in 2025? 

A number of brands activated through official partnerships and crucially, added to the experience rather than distracting from it. Here’s who caught our eye: 

Barbour x Oxfam
Sustainable, stylish, and socially-driven. Barbour brought its Re-Loved initiative to the fields with 100 upcycled, one-off jackets (plus wellie toppers and bucket hats), sold onsite with all proceeds going to Oxfam. A reminder that heritage brands can still move culture – especially when purpose is stitched into the narrative. 

Green People – Official SPF Partner 

As Glastonbury’s official SPF partner, Green People made sun safety stylish – and seriously convenient. With 1,000 litres of sunscreen dispensed for free across 38 on-site stations, the brand turned skincare into a shared ritual, not just a necessity. It was a clever way to show up where (and when) people actually needed them – reinforcing their commitment to wellness, sustainability and feel-good protection, without a hard sell. 

Wild x The Pop-Up Hotel 

From the bathroom shelf to the morning mat, Wild made its presence felt – without being pushy. As the hotel’s official sustainable toiletries partner, it stocked rooms and washrooms with eco-friendly essentials and hosted branded Pilates sessions for guests. A subtle, smart expression of modern wellness branding. 

Sephora
Sephora made festival glam effortless. As part of The Pop-Up Hotel experience, it offered guests on-demand hair and makeup services, plus self-serve discovery stations stocked with cult favourites. It was beauty with brains – perfectly timed, beautifully executed, and entirely in step with the self-styling spirit of Glasto. 

The takeaway? 

Glastonbury isn’t closing the door on brand participation – it’s just raising the bar.  

If you are looking to make the investment, remember cultural relevance isn’t about being seen everywhere. It’s about showing up where you belong, with clarity, care and intent. 

Want to get your brand festival-ready — the right way? Let’s talk: hello@b-theagency.com