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  1. Production & Strategy
  2. Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships

Sponsorship Activation Ideas

October 8, 2014
Pepsi
Pepsi

Visitors had the opportunity to receive a Pepsi-branded can cooler personalized with their photo and name.

Photo: Andrew Swartz for iHeartRadio
Pepsi
Pepsi

An ice sculpture of a sofa decorated with the Pepsi logo proved popular among the snap-happy guests.

Photo: Andrew Swartz for iHeartRadio
Wet N Wild
Wet N Wild

Organizers gave a playful nod to the “Steal the Look” app by emblazoning its name on a step-and-repeat fashioned to look like a mug-shot background. Two models dressed as police officers added another fun element to the popular photo opportunity, which even managed to attract a handful of men at the female-dominated station.

Photo: Roger Kisby for iHeartRadio
MasterCard
MasterCard

The credit card company enticed cardholders to tweet about the iHeartRadio Music Festival via an interactive vending machine that provided them with a unique hashtag and prize once they posted a message about the event. Prizes included $10 prepaid MasterCards and free music downloads.

Photo: Roger Kisby for iHeartRadio
CW
CW

Guests could entertain themselves by playing on branded oversize Jenga sets or cornhole game stations at the network’s sandy beach-theme area.

Photo: Andrew Swartz for iHeartRadio
CW
CW

Branded CW beach balls sat in inflatable pools and added to the beach-like environment, as did branded beach chairs, hammocks, and a stocked ice cream cart.

Photo: Andrew Swartz for iHeartRadio
Macy's
Macy's

Guests who visited the retailer’s tent had the opportunity to customize a Macy’s- and iHeartRadio-branded T-shirt, as well as the chance to win a prize by wearing the shirts throughout the day’s festivities.

Photo: Chase Stevens for iHeartRadio
Jim Beam
Jim Beam

Guests who received branded airbrush tattoos at the Jim Beam station served as walking advertisements for the brand as they roamed the iHeartRadio Village.

Photo: Chase Stevens for iHeartRadio
Bacardi
Bacardi

To engage attendees, Bacardi gave them the chance to win prizes by playing ring and Frisbee toss games.

Photo: Chase Stevens for iHeartRadio
Matador Beef Jerky
Matador Beef Jerky

The brand lured attendees with a sign that read, “Get your face on a gig poster.” Participants posed for a photo, which was then printed on a promotional concert-like poster featuring iHeartRadio and Matador logos.

Photo: The boyz Photos for iHeartRadio
Purina at Pitchfork Music Festival
Purina at Pitchfork Music Festival
Purina gave out free "pets rock" posters, which featured colorful, arty illustrations of dogs and cats clutching musical instruments. The brand also had a video booth that let guests hop in and share their personal “ingredient for daily good,” matching the marketing focus on the pure ingredients that make up its pet food. To produce the activation, Pitchfork organizers worked with Zeus Jones, a creative agency based in Minneapolis.
Photo: Courtesy of Pitchfork Music Festival
Adidas at Lollapalooza
Adidas at Lollapalooza
On festival grounds, the Adidas Originals Black Top let guests watch professional skateboarders in action (and, of course, Adidas gear). The activation also let guests snap photos and enter to win giveaways.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
VH1's 'Pop-Up Video' at Lollapalooza
VH1's 'Pop-Up Video' at Lollapalooza
The show Pop-Up Video recently returned to VH1 and to publicize it, the music channel hosted an activation on the grounds of Lollapalooza. Using augmented reality developed for VH1 by Awestruck Marketing, the promotion let guests see themselves on a big screen in the park virtually interacting with Lollapalooza artists such as the Black Keys and Fun. Guests could instantly post photos from the activation to social media sites.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Toyota Prius at Lollapalooza
Toyota Prius at Lollapalooza
The Toyota Prius Family Playground was filled with games, including a human-powered prize wheel that had guests run to win gifts from the automaker. The most talked-about aspect of the marketing effort was the "Whac-a-Hipster" game, which let guests use a soft mallet to smack little pop-up heads with stylized mustaches and glasses.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Lacoste Live Desert Pool Party at Coachella
Lacoste Live Desert Pool Party at Coachella
The event included an activity/art installation that invited guests to shoot paint-covered tennis balls at a massive polo shirt called “Polo Gigante.” Beta Creative was behind the setup.
Photo: Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for LACOSTE
The dome housing the computers and printers was located next to the main stage and stayed open throughout the festival.
The dome housing the computers and printers was located next to the main stage and stayed open throughout the festival.
Photo: Courtesy of Heineken
Honda’s Selfie Area
Honda’s Selfie Area

In addition to streaming performances from the nearby Honda-sponsored stage and showcasing the 2015 Honda Fit EX-L car, the Honda Lounge had a dedicated selfie area set up in a yellow container, with angled mirrors for participants to easily take photos of themselves.

Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
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