Vulture Festival is known for engaging pop culture fanatics through creative live events and sponsor activations, and as New York Magazine puts on its fifth edition this year, the event is doubling down on fan experiences.

The festival’s third West Coast edition, which runs Nov. 9-10 at the Hollywood Roosevelt in Los Angeles, comes after New York Media finalized its merger with Vox Media this week. This year’s event will leverage the magazine’s partnerships to produce new and reworked brand activations and standalone events from AT&T, Virgin Voyages, Heineken and Mailchimp.

Jackie Cinguina, senior vice president of marketing for Vox Media, said the company has been deliberate in choosing partnerships for Vulture Festival, keeping in mind that the event opts for quirky experiences for superfans over run-of-the-mill panels.

“We like interactivity, and we go after clients who are like-minded and willing to go with us to a space where we can have fun and engage with fans,” Cinguina said. “We work with them to create things that will enhance the overall experience.”

The festival’s presenting sponsor, AT&T, is bringing a Friends-themed activation to the attendee lounge. The traveling activation marks the sitcom’s 25th anniversary this year and features photo ops that include a replica of the sitcom’s Central Perk couch and the fountain from the opening credits.

Other activations include the Heineken Green Room, a video studio where participating festival talent are interviewed for Vulture’s editorial content. And Mailchimp will host a live taping of its original podcast, Going Through It, featuring Tracy Clayton in conversation with broadcast journalist Tamron Hall…..[Read More]