California music festival Coachella is supporting its cutting-edge image with a virtual reality application boasting a comprehensive content strategy before, during and after the event. 

Coachella is hyping up festival-goers with a new app giving viewers a walkthrough of the campsite and concert stages with important attendee information and a series of extra content with performers. Those who purchased tickets will receive a cardboard VR set in their concert kit, which prompts them to download the app for an experience bringing together fans. 

?Coachella is really stepping up its game in being the ?cool? festival to attend by allowing fans to purchase a virtual reality headset, you get one free with ticket purchase,? said Marci Troutman, CEO of SiteMinis. ?Using the app, users have the ability across the globe, to virtually attend the festival allowing a much broader reach for those who can not attend.  

?With the 360-degree view of each event, virtual reality adds a feeling of being there in person,? she said. ?I have recently had a chance to test this on an African Safari and the experience definitely has a ?wow? factor. 

?Kudos to Coachella for such a wonderful addition to their already amazing lineup.? 

Consumers planning to attend this year?s Coachella festival are getting an immersive experience before, during and after the actual event. Ticket buyers will receive their 2016 Coachella box featuring a cardboard set. 

To select which video or content to view, a small dot appears in the middle of the screen and users must aim it at whichever content they wish to see.

Users can view the teaser trailer for this year?s festival in a digital setting that resembles a theater within the app. Another video provides users with a walkthrough of the festival grounds with a narrator instructing attendees with need to know information and where important areas are located. 

Coachella promises videos and pictures from attendees at the event and more exclusive content to come following the festival. The brand is also attempting to drum up excitement for the app by sharing posts on Instagram and Twitter.

Last year, Coachella leveraged numerous mobile possibilities for the opening weekend of this year?s event, including using social media to report live on location, streaming live shows on YouTube and creating an all-around integrated experience (see more).

Sephora also sponsored the 2015 Coachella music festival and leveraged social media as a driving force to engage music and beauty fans at the event as well as those unable to attend (see more).

?The benefits of a virtual reality app for any venue are many,? Ms. Troutman said. ?First and foremost the event allows those who can not attend to feel like they are experiencing the event as if they are there, which in turn raises awareness to a much larger global reach. 

?An additional benefit to add here is the amount of fans that can be added in order to grow an event year after year simply by providing users a chance to preview the event prior to committing to the expense of travel, along with sharing their virtual experience via social media to their network,? she said.