The first trading card company built for music

trade@headlinercards.com
Step 04 · Brand / Sponsor

Your brand. In their hands.

Trading card activations turn your festival presence into something fans actually keep. Co-branded, officially licensed, artist-approved — and gone in an hour.

The Opportunity

A giveaway they actually keep.

Most brand activations at festivals end up in the recycling bin by Sunday night. Trading cards don't. Fans collect them, trade them, photograph them, and post them. Your brand lives on — in wallets, on shelves, and across social — long after the festival ends.

The Problem with Activations

Festival booths get forgotten.

You're spending real money on activations that fans forget by Monday. There's a better format — and it's already proven in sports.

  • 01

    Activations Blur Together

    Tents, samples, and Instagram booths all look the same. Your brand budget evaporates and there's nothing to show for it once the festival ends.

  • 02

    Nothing to Take Home

    Most brand giveaways end up in trash cans by Sunday. You're not building brand equity — you're funding landfill. There's no artifact tying your brand to the moment.

  • 03

    No Artist Connection

    Brands want to be associated with the artists fans love. But there's no official product that puts your logo next to an artist in a format people actually keep.

The Solution

A card they keep. With your name on it.

01

Co-Branded Official Cards

Your logo, your messaging — alongside officially licensed artist photography. A product fans actually collect, trade, and post about.

02

Festival Booth Activation

We run the booth. You bring the brand. We create lines, energy, and press-worthy moments at the events your customers already attend.

03

Artist Legitimacy

Every card is artist-approved and officially licensed. Your brand is associated with music's most iconic moments — not knockoff content.

04

Lasting Impressions

Cards circulate long after the festival ends. Every trade, post, and display is an earned impression for your brand.

Activation Formats

Three ways to activate.

Card Sponsorship

Co-Branded Card Drop

  • Your logo on the back of every card
  • Officially licensed artist photography on front
  • Limited print run — collector scarcity built in
  • Distributed at your target festivals
Multi-Event

Season-Long Partnership

  • Activation across multiple festivals in a season
  • Consistent brand presence on the circuit
  • Rolling card drops tied to each event
  • Exclusive category — no competitor on the cards
Case Study

Sierra Nevada × CRSSD.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company activated with Headliner Cards at CRSSD Festival — a co-branded on-premise trading card drop that drew real lines, earned organic press, and put Sierra Nevada's name in collectors' hands. This is the proof of concept.

The Process

From brief to booth in 6 weeks.

01 · Discovery

Brief & scope

Share your brand, your target events, and your activation goals. We scope the right format and card concept.

02 · Approvals

Artist clearance

We secure artist approvals and rights clearance. You stay out of the licensing weeds — we run the playbook.

03 · Design

Co-branded creative

Cards designed with your brand alongside officially licensed artist photography. Premium soft-touch laminated print.

04 · Activate

On-site & pack-out

We run the booth, staff the activation, and integrate with the festival's footprint. Pack-in / pack-out — zero brand-team ops needed.

Target: 6–8 weeks from signed brief to live booth.

The Team

Who's behind this.

Brand activation expertise meets music industry depth. We've been on the ground at CRSSD with Sierra Nevada — we know how to make a festival activation actually work for the brand paying for it.

Kevin Charles Macaraeg

Co-Founder · Creative Director · Festival Photographer

Former Snapchat Inc. and Sony Music / The Orchard. Festival and tour photographer. MTV contest-winning designer. 10 years in music.

Brendon Jasso

Co-Founder & Director of Operations

Operations and partnership lead. Managed + facilitated $16M in revenue over 7 years across B2C and B2B in licensed environments.

Liv Johnson

Festival Advisor

Lifetime experience producing festivals. Head boss of Almost Nakey. On the ground at the events your brand is trying to activate at.

Sponsor Partnerships

Get a proposal.

Tell us about your brand and the events you're targeting. We'll come back with a co-branded card concept built for your activation goals.

Questions? trade@headlinercards.com

Request received — we'll be in touch within 48 hours.