The Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers—and Coldplay, Beyoncé, and Bruno Mars put on a colorful show—during Super Bowl 50 on Sunday. Though the game took place some 40 miles south of San Francisco, the City by the Bay was the central hub for major celebrations leading up to the big game. This year's event landscape saw several returning hosts, including DirecTV, Bud Light, Playboy, Rolling Stone, Maxim, Animal Planet, and ESPN. In the tech-savvy city of San Francisco, many of the brands brought new technological features—including virtual reality—to their bashes.
There were also new events born of first-time partnerships, including a concert series presented by Pepsi and DirecTV. And some brands, including New Era, hosted major Super Bowl events for the first time this year. Here's a look at how companies used the global platform of Super Bowl 50 to spread brand awareness.