From Friday through Sunday, music lovers in wristbands—and more often than not, wraparound headbands—headed toward Grant Park in droves. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Lollapalooza drew more guests than ever this year, with a daily attendance of about 90,000 as opposed to last year's 80,000-a-day average. Brands sought to gain guests' attention with everything from flavored snow cones to roving Playboy Playmates, and set up shop on festival grounds and at affiliated events all over town.
At Lollapalooza, companies created branded experiences for guests to check out between sets from artists such as Coldplay, Eminem, and Damian Marley and Nas. In Adidas's walk-in shoe box, for example, attendees could learn about the brand's new mobile app and check out its latest sneakers. Near festival grounds, the Hard Rock Hotel pampered artists and media in a Miami-themed lounge area replete with spa treatments and chilled buckets of beer, and Gilt City invited guests to a rooftop pool party with an intimate concert from festival act Cults on Saturday.
Here's a look at how these and other companies captured the interest of the Lollapalooza crowds, keeping attendees interacting with, talking about, and ingesting their products throughout the weekend.
Photo: Don J Kang
Sofia Vintage Lollapalooza Trunk Show
On Wednesday, popular Oak Street shop Sofia Vintage hosted a trunk show with Lollapalooza producer C3 Presents. The invite read: "You're ready for Lolla, but is your wardrobe?" The shop's designers created a special window display with balloons in the festival's signature hues.
Photo: Leon Andrew Hensley of A/S/L_Media
Sofia Vintage Lollapalooza Trunk Show
The private trunk show sold commemorative Lollapalooza merchandise and offered Bud Light beer and Sofia champagne. Guests could enter to win a pair of three-day passes to the festival, and DJ Galvan provided entertainment.
Photo: Leon Andrew Hensley of A/S/L_Media
Sofia Vintage Lollapalooza Trunk Show
Pinkberry, which recently opened a Chicago location, was a sponsor of Sofia's Lolla Trunk Show event.
Photo: Leon Andrew Hensley of A/S/L_Media
Adidas at Lollapalooza
Adidas Originals showcased merchandise and introduced its new iPhone app, which recommends shoes for users and also gives directions to the nearest Adidas store, in a shoe-box-like structure on Lollapalooza grounds. Guests could also sign an oversize replica of the brand's new Mega sneaker.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Google Plus at Lollapalooza
The tented Google Plus lounge, where guests could learn more about the social networking site, offered cool breezes from fans. The brand also sponsored one of the festival's eight main stages.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Google Plus at Lollapalooza
The Google Plus lounge also offered phone chargers.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Google Plus at Lollapalooza
Product reps explained the features of Google Plus at interactive display areas. Colored lights in the tent mimicked the site's rainbow-hued logo.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Google Plus at Lollapalooza
Guests could play around with Google Plus features at branded stations stocked with headphones.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Google Plus at Lollapalooza
Ok Go was one of the bands to perform on the Google Plus stage.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Music Unlimited at Lollapalooza
Music Unlimited sponsored one of the main stages, where Eminem performed for 90,000 fans on Saturday night.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
PlayStation at Lollapalooza
At the PlayStation Loft, guests could check out new 3-D releases and vie for giveaways, which included passes to the Lolla Lounge areas.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Lollapalooza
The Lolla lounges offered perks such as catered food service, air-conditioned restrooms, and mini spa services from Elysian technicians. Companies or individuals could purchase top-price passes for weekend-long access.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
TopShop at Lollapalooza
British brand TopShop plans to open a Chicago store in the fall. As a promotional tool, a branded truck circled the festival's perimeter throughout the weekend. Guests could visit the truck to pick up free scarves and enter to win a $1,500 shopping spree at the store on opening day.
Photo: Courtesy of TopShop
Gilt City Lollapalooza Party<br />
Gilt City hosted the "Better than Backstage Rooftop Pool Party" at EnV on Saturday. Branded beach balls filled the pool.
Photo: Francis Son
Gilt City Lollapalooza Party
Independent pop band Cults performed at the pool party for media, V.I.P. festival guests, and select Gilt City customers.
Photo: Francis Son
Gilt City Lollapalooza Party
Lounge areas held branded Gilt City merchandise, including tote bags and beach towels.
Photo: Francis Son
Gilt City Lollapalooza Party
Boutique Bites Catering served popcorn in branded boxes.
Photo: Francis Son
<span style="font-style: italic;">Playboy</span> Lollapalooza Party
Playboy hosted a yacht party aboard the Anita Dee II on Saturday night. DJ Chuckie, who performed on Perry's Stage at the festival, spun.
Photo: Jacob Clary
<span style="font-style: italic;">Playboy</span> Lollapalooza Party
Global Adrenaline produced the Playboy party, which was open to the public for tickets starting at $95 a pop.
Photo: Jacob Clary
<span style="font-style: italic;">Playboy</span> Lollapalooza Party
At the Playboy yacht party, costumed brand reps chatted with guests about Masque, a paper-thin gel strip that its makers advertise as "the first product ever scientifically proven to mask the taste of semen."
Photo: Jacob Clary
<span style="font-style: italic;">Playboy</span> Lollapalooza Party
Playmates Crystal McCahill, Sasha Bonilova, and Summer Altice hosted the wee-hours affair, which took place from midnight to 3 a.m.
Photo: Jacob Clary
Express Rocks Lollapalooza Suite<br />
BMF Media produced the Express Rocks suite at the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago. Open to media, artists, and other V.I.P. guests, the lounge offered performances from Samantha Ronson and the Undertakers and Taylor Momsen and the Pretty Reckless.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Express Rocks Lollapalooza Suite
The Express Rocks suite let guests pose for branded photo strips.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Express Rocks Lollapalooza Suite
In the Express Rocks suite, Qdoba offered chips and guacamole from a mock food truck that was a large sign with a cut-out service window.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Express Rocks Lollapalooza Suite
Kinect for Xbox 360 was another sponsor of the suite and offered on-site gaming.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Miami Express Yourself Oasis Lollapalooza Suite
The hotel's fourth floor became the Miami Express Yourself Oasis for the weekend. Also produced by BMF, the area had a Motorola Tech lounge where guests could check out the brand's latest gadgets.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Miami Express Yourself Oasis Lollapalooza Suite
Mock grass covered the floor of the Miami Express Yourself Oasis, and lounge areas offered chilled buckets of Asahi beer and Popchips.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Miami Express Yourself Oasis Lollapalooza Suite
Got2Be sponsored a salon within the oasis. To promote its new dry shampoo, which has the tagline "Shower anywhere," brand reps set up giant showerheads and curtains throughout the suite. Branded rubber duckies were also on hand. Red 7 Salon provided stylists.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Miami Express Yourself Oasis Lollapalooza Suite
Clearasil sponsored another Oasis room. Lit with candles, the spa-like setting offered massages from Eshe Day Spa technicians and swag bags filled with skin-care products.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Miami Express Yourself Oasis Lollapalooza Suite
The Miami-inspired lounge offered live DJ sets throughout the weekend. The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau was one of the sponsors.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Miami Express Yourself Oasis Lollapalooza Suite
Mio Liquid Water Enhancer was another sponsor of the Miami Express Yourself Oasis, and reps for the brand doled out Mio-flavored snow cones.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Belve Music Lounge During Lollapalooza
BMF Media produced the Belve Music Lounge at the W Chicago City Center. Sponsored by Belvedere vodka, the lounge was open on Friday and Saturday nights and offered specialty cocktails and performances from bands such as Black Lips.
Photo: Don J Kang
