On Sunday, the underdog Philadelphia Eagles upset the New England Patriots at Super Bowl LII, which took place at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The big game also featured the buzzed-about return of Justin Timberlake as the headliner for the Pepsi-sponsored halftime show. His performance included a medley of songs, including a tribute to musical icon and Minneapolis native Prince.
On and off the field, the Super Bowl continues to be a big stage for corporate entertaining and consumer marketing for major brands. Pepsi, DirecTV, Playboy, Rolling Stone, and Maxim hosted events, among others. One notable exception was ESPN, which opted out of an on-site Super Bowl bash for the first time in more than a decade. Instead, the network focused on its College Football Playoff presence, where it owns the exclusive rights.
Also, in January, a company owned by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community canceled construction of Club Nomadic, a giant temporary nightclub from Nomadic Entertainment Group that was designed to hold V.I.P. events throughout the weekend. The 64,000-square-foot building was being erected in the parking lot of the Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake. Instead, the scheduled concerts were forced to move inside the casino. The Nomadic Entertainment Group is reportedly suing the tribe for breach of contract. (Last year, Club Nomadic hosted shows by Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, and the Chainsmokers in Houston.)
Still, there were plenty of other blow-out parties, pop-up experiences, and performances to kept celebs, fans, and players entertained. Here's a look at the standout activations and events from this year’s Super Bowl festivities.
Before the game on Sunday, StubHub hosted an event for its Super Bowl ticket buyers at Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins. More than 7,000 fans snacked on ballpark food and drink and played oversize tailgate games such as cornhole, beer pong, and more, with some guests competing against celebs like The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon. The event served as the only location for fans to pick up game tickets purchased on StubHub.
On February 3, Jennifer Lopez headlined at the Armory, which was turned into Nomadic Live for Super Bowl weekend, performing her new single “Us,” a tribute to Prince, and her hits “Waiting for Tonight,” “Jenny from the Block,” “On The Floor,” “I’m Real,” and more.
For the first time at the event, guests could experience an immersive virtual trip through a Puerto Rican rainforest, along with an opportunity to take part in Lopez’s “Amor, Amor, Amor” music video. AT&T also made a $1 donation to the Hispanic Federation’s Puerto Rico Relief & Recovery Effort, up to $200,000, for every use of the hashtag #JLONOW. Fans were also able to text to donate.
The stage production featured laser effects and pyro. The concert was produced by HiHat Productions. Experiential agency Blue Revolver Inc. designed event elements such as activating boom boxes, a fun house, kinetic floral walls, and more.
The Giving Back Fund hosted its annual Big Game Big Give charity event on February 3 at the home of Tom and Angie Wicka. In addition to a live auction, this year there were two pop-up environments created by Gifts for the Good Life, which featured 100 limited-edition art objects to raise money for 12 local charities.
Guests entered through an Aston Martin-branded ice sculpture entrance.
StubHub’s ”honorary quarterback” Maria Menounos joined N.F.L. legends including Jerome Bettis, Randall Cunningham, “Mean” Joe Greene, Todd Gurley, Jim Kelly, and Golden Tate, as well as radio host Jim Rome at the event.
On February 2 at the International Market Square, Rolling Stone hosted its annual Super Bowl bash, partnering for the first time with music platform Tidal to livestream the evening’s performances. Presented by Mercedes-Benz and produced by Talent Resources Sports, the party featured sets by T-Pain, 21 Savage, and DJ Cassidy, along with a headlining performance by Migos. Throughout the night, attendees packed commemorative camouflage versions of Crown Royal’s purple bag with nonperishable items, which will be sent overseas to U.S. troops, as part of the brand’s initiative with charity partner Packages from Home.
Food delivery company and maker of Red Baron pizza Schwan's Co. erected a 45-foot-high, 70,000-pound tower of delivery trucks on Nicollet Mall during Super Bowl weekend. Fans could join an interactive trivia competition, with the sides of the trucks serving as LED screens for the game.
Throughout the event, visitors could sample some hot bites during “Two Minute Drills.” The activation was produced by local Minneapolis agency Periscope.
Produced by Karma International, the Maxim Party, which was held on February 3 in a 51,000-square-foot event complex in downtown Minneapolis, featured performances by Post Malone and rapper Cardi B.
At its pop-up exhibit, Pepsi introduced "Pepsi Go Back," a virtual-reality experience that let fans travel back in time and step inside two of the soft drink company’s past Super Bowl commercials. The experience was also available for viewers at home via Google Cardboard or Daydream View googles.
First, fans were able to sit in Jeff Gordon’s race car via a computer-generated reconstruction and race against the DeLorean from the movie Back to the Future.
Then, visitors were transported to the Halfway House Café, which was the setting of Cindy Crawford’s classic 1992 commercial.
The “Canstruction” wall, which was made from Pepsi cans, served as a clever background for the step and repeat area.
The space included displays with vintage Pepsi packaging, throwback products, and more. The pop-up was part of Pepsi’s kick-off of its new global creative campaign, "Pepsi Generations." The experience, which was produced by iHeartMedia, took place at the Nicolette Island Pavilion and was open to the public on February 2 and 3.
On February 2, country music duo LoCash held a private performance at the space.
On February 1, N.F.L. players Larry Fitzgerald, Von Miller, Greg Olsen, and Russell Wilson participated in Microsoft’s Create Change Panel at the company’s store at the Mall of America. The group discussed their passion for philanthropy and how Microsoft Surface technology has helped enhance their charitable efforts. Custom-designed football helmets, inspired by the players’ work, were also on display. At the end of the event, Fitzgerald’s organization the First Down Fund, which helps kids and families in crisis, was presented with a $25,000 check and two fans won tickets to the Super Bowl.
On February 3, chefs, celebrities, N.F.L. players, coaches, and more came together to support the fight against hunger at Party with a Purpose, the Taste of the N.F.L.’s annual fund-raising event. Held at the Saint Paul RiverCentre, all of the night’s proceeds will be donated to food banks in each of the league’s team cities. Celeb chefs from the cities were paired with players, alumni, and legends to provide tastings for 2,500 guests.
Playboy joined forces with Talent Resources Sports, a sports marketing and experiential events agency, for its annual Big Game Weekend Party on February 3 at Prive Nightclub. While party host DJ Snoopadelic a.k.a. Snoop Dogg spun tunes, guests sipped on Moet, Hennessy, Belvedere Vodka, and Patron cocktails.
The three-part daylong series of events, which was produced by the H.wood Group, IFA, and Elevation Sports Marketing, included a panel discussion, a dinner hosted by Jamie Foxx, and the the Bootsy Bellows after-party with a performance by 21 Savage at the Machine Shop on February 2. At the after-party, guests snacked on a late-night menu by McDonalds, plus drinks by Absolut Elyx and Perrier Jouet.
Minneapolis-based caterers D'Amico Catering, which provided eats for many of the corporate parties during Super Bowl weekend such as Hyundai, the N.F.L. Players Trust Association, and NetJet, designed a special menu that included local specialties like a Minnesota hot dish station, a carved meat station featuring bison and elk, and a Minnesota State Fair station. These events also featured local Minnesota beer, plus wine and spirits made by brands like Prairie Organic Vodka, Tattersall Distilling, Vikre Distilling, Fulton Brewing, and Lift Bridge Brewery. At Hyundai's event, the menu included bison tartare with spiced cherry jam on lavosh (pictured).
Visa teamed up with native Minnesotan and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey to promote the company’s new contactless payment technology at the Four Seasons Curling Club in Minneapolis, where the players received curling lessons. New point-of-sale terminals were gifted to three local businesses—Four Seasons Curling Club, Penny’s Coffee, and Misfit Coffee—during the event. Visa also upgraded 700 point-of-sale payment terminals throughout U.S. Bank Stadium before the game.
On February 2, TAO Group partnered with Barstool Sports to host a Super Bowl party, which was presented by Element Electronics, at Minneapolis’ Lumber Exchange Building’s event space the Pourhouse. The night included a set by Shaquille O'Neal a.k.a. DJ Diesel, along with performances by Jamie Foxx and “No Limit” rapper G-Eazy.
On February 3, Palms Casino Resort took over the Big Game Weekend party at the Lumber Exchange Building, in partnership with TAO Group. The hotel brand’s party featured sets by Afrojack, Nick Cannon, and Mix Master Mike. Plus, rapper G-Eazy returned to the stage for a longer set of hits.
Similar to its Sundance and Wimbledon spaces, Endeavor debuted its first Super Bowl lounge for guests, clients, and partners, which was equipped with arcade games, spa treatments and salon services, all-day barista service provided by Brew Ha Ha, plus a s'mores bar and eats including mini donuts, mac and cheese bites, and more. The space was open from February 1 to 3.
