The partying scene in Sweden is about to get smaller—think microscopic-level small. The country’s most popular music festival, Way Out West, along with advertising agency NORD DDB, is welcoming a whole new audience this year: sperm and eggs in a fertilization laboratory.
While the event has consistently retained its high visitor numbers, it understands the importance of cultivating new generations of music lovers to keep swimming. A new campaign sees it secure its future fanbase… before they even make it out of the womb.
Enter the Future Fan Stage, a platform designed by renowned musical instrument maker Love Hultén that will blast live recordings from this year’s headlining artists—spanning from Fred Again to Peggy Gou, Pulp, and Queens of the Stone Age—directly into an IVF clinic’s fertilization lab to get tiny festivalgoers “ready to rumble.”
Music doesn’t just heal the soul. Recent studies, including one from Barcelona’s Institut Marquès, suggest music and vibrations might actually improve IVF success rates. But beyond any scientific merit, it’s a playful way to highlight the vital role a booming music scene plays in fostering lifelong passions.
Way Out West’s project manager, Kimmie Winroth, says the festival is hoping to “get future fans hooked on our festival with great live music, even before they’ve come into being.
“And if we’re lucky, even contribute to welcoming them into existence,” Winroth adds.
“While doing so, we shine a light on the importance of great music. New generations of fans are vital to keeping both artists and music festivals thriving.”