At Coachella 2025, Ed Sheeran debuted his Old Phone Pub—a purpose-built environment that went beyond performance, creating a fully realized world shaped by his brand new single Old Phone. The activation was designed as a small, traditional Irish pub tucked inside the desert festival, offering fans an intimate and unexpected experience.

Inside, dark wood panels, leather booths, and vintage sports memorabilia created the cozy feel of a neighborhood watering hole. Guinness flowed from the taps, green walls wrapped the space, and Sheeran himself welcomed fans with Polaroids and an acoustic guitar in hand. The pub’s design was so integral to the single that it also served as the set for the song’s music video, blurring the line between performance, marketing, and storytelling.

The real magic unfolded once the doors to The Old Phone Pub opened. Inside, Sheeran turned the space into his own stage, delivering stripped-down performances that gave fans a rare close-up with one of the world’s biggest artists. In true Coachella fashion, surprises came fast. Shaboozey joined him for a raucous rendition of his viral hit A Bar Song (Tipsy), turning the pub into a singalong that spilled into the night. TikTok star Alex Warren also stepped into the spotlight, blurring the line between internet celebrity and festival act.

In a festival known for its sheer scale and sensory overload, these pub sessions created something entirely different: small-scale, unforgettable moments that felt both spontaneous and personal. For the lucky few inside, it was the kind of experience that couldn’t be replicated on a main stage, and one that cut through the noise with lasting impact.

Behind the scenes, Creative Technology (CT) played a pivotal role in bringing the activation to life. Working alongside MKG, Pink Sparrow, and Ed Sheeran Productions, CT managed the technical foundation—video, audio, lighting, and staging support—while navigating a crowded field of stakeholders that included Atlantic Records and several client-hired designers. Building a pub in the middle of the desert was only the starting point; the real challenge was orchestrating a finely tuned experiential marketing event crafted to resonate on a global scale.

For CT, the project wasn’t business as usual. It was a strategic marketing event designed to connect with Sheeran’s fans and drive global sales of Ed’s music. “The event was a huge success,” says Augie Dellapi, Vice President of Sales at Creative Technology US. “One of the major challenges was supporting a 360-degree event and not having any of the technology or supporting team be overtly visible within the pub like atmosphere. This project is representative of a trend in the bespoke experiential market, something beyond your typical rock show. CT’s capabilities and skill set blend perfectly with these new types of live experience projects because we have the people, technology and flexibility to design and deliver unique solutions.”

The scale and ambition of the activation signaled a growing trend in music marketing: immersive pop-ups that connect artists with fans in memorable, story-driven environments. And for CT, the event underscored the company’s ability to operate at the intersection of entertainment and brand experience.

“Events like this are happening everywhere with increasing frequency and CT is working with our creative clients to deliver the technical solutions needed,” Augie reflected. “We’re prepared—and positioned—to lead in this important area of the business. For this project, our crew’s dedication and flexibility really made a difference in making it happen.”

As Sheeran’s single and music video roll out across global platforms, The Old Phone Pub stands as proof of how much impact a well-crafted experience can have—and how Creative Technology is ready to deliver at the highest level of this rapidly evolving market.