How brands are winning big at Eisteddfod yr Urdd

Brand visibility at Eisteddfod yr Urdd in recent years 

With  Eisteddfod yr Urdd Dur a Môr just around the corner, comms pros across Wales are turning their attention to one of the nation’s biggest youth festivals — and the opportunity it offers for brands to show up, stand out, and connect.   

As Parc Margam prepares to welcome tens of thousands from Monday 26 May, we’ve been looking back at some of the most strategic displays of brand visibility at recent Eisteddfodau.   

🎶Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol serves a taste of uni life 

Since 2023, Coleg Cymraeg has been the name behind the Triban Festival — and it’s a pitch perfect move! With bands, bars, and street food bringing big campus energy, Triban offers sixth form leavers a first taste of student life. It’s become a go-to hangout for school leavers celebrating their last Eisteddfod together, and a nostalgic meet-up spot for old school friends.   

This strategic sponsorship puts Coleg Cymraeg right in front of the perfect audience: future students already immersed in Welsh language and culture. And if you’re wondering — yes, Triban is family-friendly.  It proudly promotes itself as the “perfect space for everyone of all ages to enjoy the best of contemporary Welsh music and culture.” Think more High School Musical, less Bad Neighbours. 

🎓Universities take centre stage 

When it comes to brand visibility at the Eisteddfod, Welsh universities really show up — a savvy move considering the captive audience.  

Cardiff University has once again stepped up as sponsor of this year’s Crowning Ceremony, continuing a tradition it first supported in 2019.  They’ve even sponsored the crown itself (slay) doubling down on their cultural commitment.  

Over in the science zone, Swansea University has proudly backed the GwyddonLe pavilion since 2010. Boasting state-of-the-art science and engineering facilities, this is a clever way of aligning its brand with a long-term commitment to STEM and youth engagement.  

With thousands of stakeholders and potential future students flooding the Eisteddfod every year, universities clearly see the long game.  These partnerships are more than PR opportunities — they’re public commitments of long-term investment in Welsh culture, language, and supporting young skills and talent.  

⚽Football Association of Wales on the home-side 

When it comes to making headlines where it matters, FA Wales knows exactly what it’s doing.  

In 2023, the Men's National Team Manager dropped the Cymru squad announcement for matches against Armenia and Türkiye live from Eisteddfod yr Urdd in Llandovery. The following year? Same playbook — this time at Maldwyn 2024, revealing the line-up for friendlies against Gibraltar and Slovakia.  

And it wasn’t just the official announcements getting attention. Last year, the FA Wales manager joined the fun in an S4C Instagram Reel, filmed on-site, taking on presenters in a football trick challenge — bringing the energy of the football pitch to the Maes!  

It’s a smart move: aligning national pride, youth culture, and sport in front of a highly engaged, home-grown audience. We can’t wait to see what they have planned this year 👀