On festival grounds, the Samsung Galaxy Experience provided opportunities to participate in interactive experiences; attendees could also kick back on lounge furniture plied with Samsung-branded pillows. A display case with a see-through cutout of the number six showcased the brand's newest devices, including the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge phones. Bolthouse Productions produced Samsung's festival activations.
Guests stood in long lines to participate in interactive experiences at the Samsung Galaxy Experience. Activities included designing keepsake T-shirts at a design station using the Galaxy Note 4.
Guests who downloaded the Samsung Milk Music app received vouchers for complimentary items from "Chow Town," or Lollapalooza's version of a food court. The brand also employed a Samsung Galaxy Truck, which let Galaxy owners outside of the festival download the app; those who did would receive a voucher for a food truck stationed near Grant Park and could also win prizes including festival tickets.
Samsung also hosted a V.I.P. lounge for Samsung Galaxy owners. While other private areas required special passes that went for from $1,800 to $3,600, device owners could get free access to Samsung's lounge by getting a wristband from the Galaxy Experience. Some 150 passes were distributed each day. Perks of the lounge space included concert seating and elevated viewing platforms. The lounge looked out over the Samsung Galaxy stage, which hosted performances from the likes of Paul McCartney and Metallica throughout the weekend.
At Samsung's Galaxy Experience, as well as in its Owner's Lounge, guests could interact with the new Samsung Gear VR. The virtual-reality device gave guests an up-close view of the performances on the Samsung Galaxy stage.
On Saturday, Charlie XCX did a DJ set in the Samsung Galaxy Owner's Lounge. The English singer and songwriter celebrated her birthday during Lollapalooza weekend, so Samsung staffers presented her with a surprise cake and led the lounge-dwellers in a "Happy Birthday" serenade.
At the bar in the lounge, guests could order frozen treats using the GS6 Edge device. The flavors were designed to represent different musical tastes. The "R&B" treat had a raspberry-rose flavor, for example, while "Rock" was honeydew-ginger.
In addition to the icy treats, guests could grab snacks from Catering by Michael's throughout the day. Items included homemade granola bars, fruit kebabs, and pasta salad. Many of the items on the buffet were gluten-free.
On festival grounds, Toyota hosted the Toyota Music tent. With a "psychedelic" theme, the activation was produced by the Anthemic Agency and Reach. One display vehicle was labeled the "Kaleidoscope Corolla." Guests could sit in the car, watch a short video, and then have their photos snapped. The resulting pictures had a kaleidoscopic look.
The tent also housed a wall called the "Feel Factor." Built out with prop mushrooms and giant pieces of candy, the wall had prizes hidden within.
The Toyota Music tent also had a stage, where Lollapalooza bands such as Of Monsters and Men performed at intimate shows.
Toyota recently teamed up with VH1 Save the Music to produce a new activation and social media campaign, which launched at Lollapalooza. The activation featured a life-size glowing willow tree. On the tree, festivalgoers hung messages about what music meant to them. One person wrote: "Music is peace," while another message read: "Music helps me sleep." Many messages bore the hashtag of the new campaign: #ToyotaGiving. For every social media post regarding the activation, Toyota donated $1 to VH1 Save the Music.Â
Bud Light brought its traveling House of Whatever activation to festival grounds. Produced by Mosaic, the activation had a prominently displayed hashtag—which served as a popular photo backdrop—at its entrance.
The activation was open only to guests aged 21 and above, and staffers checked IDs at the gate. Once inside, festivalgoers could purchase cocktails including "Beer-a-Ritas" in flavors such as strawberry and lime.
A live DJ spun in the "Rita Cabana," and guests could play a game that involved fitting a small ring, which was hanging from a string, onto a hook. The difficult game proved addicting for festivalgoers, who played it for several minutes at a time.
In a House of Whatever area called "Local Heroes," street artists sketched guests. There was also a mural depicting superheroes, and guests could strike superhero-inspired poses, snap selfies, and submit their photos to the artists. The artists sketched some of the guests into the mural.
The House of Whatever area also contained a "Tattoos and 'Dos" booth decked with colored lights, folding screens, and patterned rugs. Inside, guests could get temporary tattoos.
The "Tattoos and 'Dos" booth also offered braiding, hair chalking, and other festival-inspired hairstyling services for men and women. All services were complimentary.
In a V.I.P. area, guests could have their photos snapped inside the "Bud Light Lolla-Scope." The machine took rotating, 360-degree photos of guests, who then posted the images to their social media accounts. The images were automatically populated with the phrase: "And this happened at Lolla 2015," along with the #UpForWhatever hashtag.
