The Lollapalooza Brand Playbook: 30+ Activations That Drove Fans, Culture, and Sales

Over four days, 170+ artists performed for 400,000 fans from all 50 states and dozens of countries. Passes sold out in under an hour. Millions more streamed on Hulu and followed along online, watching friends, influencers, and unforgettable Lolla moments unfold across social media.

What’s even more powerful is what happened within it: more than 30 brands turned Lolla into a cultural stage, not just a sponsorship. They launched new products, deepened loyalty, and created hangouts, surprises, and moments that fans are still talking about. These weren’t “activations.” They were parties inside the party, slices of culture that kept the weekend buzzing IRL and online.

Here’s a look at the activations that helped make Lollapalooza 2025 one for the books

Airbnb*

Airbnb brought its new Experiences platform to life at Lollapalooza with five unforgettable fan moments — from backstage tours to DJ lessons, stylist sessions, and more — selling out all 150 packages! Guests who booked with Airbnb enjoyed exclusive access to the Airbnb Haven, a dreamy lounge with private bathrooms, a dedicated bar, makeup touch-ups, and plenty of space to relax and recharge. It was the ultimate festival retreat — a home away from home at Lolla.

Amazon Alexa

Fans pulled up to the Alexa+ Clubhouse for the ultimate vibe check — complete with iconic photo ops, shaded lounge seating, and chances to score exclusive giveaways and VIP upgrades all weekend.

American Apparel*

American Apparel brought back its fan-favorite Tee Lab, featuring a limited-edition t-shirt designed by Chicago streetwear artist @sentrock, available only at Lollapalooza. Fans chose their shirt style and color, watched the design pressed live, and customized it with patches or headed to The Chop for edits like cropping, distressing, and tank cuts. On-site games gave fans the chance to win custom tees, patches, VIP upgrades, and unlimited Chop customizations. At the Fit Check Wall, fans posted their looks and tagged AA — with surprise rewards following.

BACARDI*

CASA BACARDÍ turned up the heat at Lollapalooza with Caribbean vibes and nonstop energy all weekend. Set against the iconic Grant Park fountain, the vibrant two-story build served tropical cocktails like the Piña Co-Lolla and Mango Fuego, hosted co-branded photo ops, and featured a rotating lineup of local DJs. Daily “spicy surprises,” limbo contests, and all-day DJ sets kept the party going from first sip to final beat. And Mega Moments gave fans surprise encounters with artists like Gracie Abrams, Olivia Rodrigo, and Doechii — captured by 6 top creators with content reaching 12M+ organic views.

BeatBox

BeatBox used Lolla to launch Mystic Grape, which was complete with a fortune-telling activation and collectible tarot cards. Liquid I.V. turned its space into a danceable “hydration lab” with icy treats and exclusive gear.

Budlight

Fans kicked back at the Bud Light Backyard all weekend with live bands and DJs, ice-cold Bud Light, and free custom koozies. Many entered for a chance to win VIP upgrades before hitting the dance floor. Anheuser-Busch was also the presenting partner of the new Festiverse app, helping fans navigate every beat — powering set times, meetups, and surprise drops. Bud Light’s Festiverse takeover racked up 150K+ views!

Café Bustelo

Café Bustelo brought its one-of-a-kind Latin flavor to Lolla in the form of a lively neighborhood bodega. The Bodega De Café Bustelo became the go-to corner store to recharge with iced coffee and fresh Latin energy that kept fans moving all day.

ChargeFuze*

chargeFUZE powered up the festival with charging stations in GA, VIP, and Platinum areas, giving guests the option to rent portable chargers to carry throughout the day. Partnering with Chase and T-Mobile, they offered free chargers to customers all weekend.

Chase*

Chase cardmembers enjoyed free chargeFUZE rentals all weekend with any Chase card. Sapphire Reserve members gained exclusive access to the Chase Sapphire Reserve Experience, complete with elevated views of the T-Mobile Stage. Cardmembers redeemed Ultimate Rewards® for once-in-a-lifetime moments like sidestage access to Barry Can’t Swim and Remi Wolf, plus meet & greets and tickets to the Hollister-presented Aftershows.

Coca-Cola*

The Coca-Cola Roller Ring invited fans to lace up, grab an ice-cold Coca-Cola, and groove to the music. Nearby, the Coca-Cola Lounge returned as a shaded oasis with comfy seating and charging stations, perfectly placed near top food vendors for a refreshing break between sets at Perry’s Stage.

Dove*

Dove helped fans sweat confidently with giveaways of passes to the coveted Hot Seats within the Dove Cabana. Dove also hit the streets of Chicago delivering 100,000 Full Body Deodorant samples so fans could turn up the heat care-free. At the Dove Smell Check on-site, guests touched up their look and scent before stepping into the Hot Seat for a red-carpet glam photo moment.

Essence

Fans refreshed at the Essence Juicy Beauty Bar with makeup touch-up stations stocked with essence favorites, photo moments, and exclusive giveaways. Newly launched products were sampled, selfies snapped, and festival looks refreshed.

Google Shopping

Google Shopping’s back-to-school pop-up let fans explore new trends and try the Virtual Try-On feature. A virtual prize kiosk offered premium prizes like battery-powered fans, $5 festival credits, and even VIP upgrades — proving back-to-school style started at Lolla.

Heinz*

Heinz Presents: Chow Town was the ultimate food & drink destination, showcasing favorites from Chicago restaurants. At the Heinz Sauce Stop, fans struck a pose for a chance to score a $5 Lolla credit.

Hulu

For the fifth year, Hulu streamed Lolla to fans at home from July 31 to August 3, featuring performances by Durand Bernarr, Tyler, the Creator, Luke Combs, T-Pain, Foster The People, Bleachers, DJO, Wallows, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Two Friends, Bôa, Marlon Hoffstadt, and more. It was also sell-out opportunity for advertisers and a platform for artists to reach a global audience.

Hollister*

Hollister presented the Lollapalooza Aftershows, teaming up with Wyatt Flores, Gigi Perez, and Max McNown. Fans left with light-up wristbands, custom event posters, and Hollister gift cards, while House of Blues Chicago became the After Show hub all weekend— driving 1.2M+ social impressions.

Jack Daniel’s

Jack Daniel’s invited fans to take the stage for live-DJ karaoke, capture the moment in photo ops, and then cool down at the Frozen Slushee Trailer. Guests mixed Jack flavors with Coke or lemonade, including the new Tennessee Blackberry with frozen lemonade.

Kona Big Wave

Kona Big Wave kept island vibes flowing with ice-cold Liquid Aloha, exclusive prize giveaways from the claw machine, and shaded loungers for weekend-long escapes.

Liquid Death*

Liquid Death’s Country Club returned as Lolla’s twisted take on hydration and sustainability, serving free cans, offering Horrorscope readings, hosting a live string quartet, and handing out collectible pins. New for 2025, the Spa of Eternal Rest featured the Iron Spraydon cooling chamber, Spine Aligner massage rack, and a glam station.

Liquid I.V.

Liquid I.V. turned hydration into a party with the Liquid I.V. Lab. Fans danced to fruit-powered beats with the Mad Scientist DJs, rehydrated with Hydration Multiplier® Sugar-Free, grabbed exclusive drip, and enjoyed icy treats reserved for Liquid I.V. members.

NÜTRL

NÜTRL Remix poured refreshing vodka seltzers in flavors like Strawberry, Pineapple, and Orange, while offering music, custom photos, and branded giveaways.

PATRÓN*

Hacienda PATRÓN invited guests to sip handcrafted cocktails, enjoy vinyl DJ sets, and lounge in style. The first 100 guests during happy hour scored free margaritas in a custom Collector’s Cup, and a surprise Lolla artist performance lit up the crowd.

PopSockets

PopSockets welcomed fans with its mural wall for selfies, scratch-off tickets for prizes, and phone accessories designed for dancing, snapping, and charging all day.

SmartyPants Vitamins

Camp SmartyPants offered families a cool, calm hideaway stocked with kid-friendly crafts, exclusive swag, shady seating, and festival essentials at the Camp Concierge.

Snap Nation

Fans hit the Snap Tower for a Bitmoji Dance Party, dancing alongside their Bitmoji on the big screen. They could also catch behind-the-scenes content from the festival on Snap Nation, which garnered 14.3m+ story views.

So Delicious

So Delicious’ Pint of No Return transported fans into an oversized pint for frozen treats, surreal photo ops, and sensory fun.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile’s Club Magenta treated members to premium stage views, artist Q&As, drinks, merch, and giveaways. The T-Mobile Gumball Machine rewarded fans with prizes like sidestage access and aftershow tickets, while charging stations, locker storage, and presale access kept fans connected.

Tic Tac

Tic Tac offered a refreshing escape with flavor sampling, porch swings scented with citrus, selfie spots, temporary tattoos, and cool-down moments.

Tito’s

Tito’s Chillmaster5000 — a giant walk-in fridge — offered a respite from the heat while fans crafted cocktails with Tito’s Handmade Vodka.

Toyota

Toyota Music Den in the Rose Garden kept the weekend lively with music, custom visors, flavored popcorn, and this year’s collectible festival bandana.

Ulta Beauty*

The Beat Suite by Ulta Beauty delivered glow-ups with gem eye looks and hair tinseling. Over 10,000 fans stopped by and left with exclusive gifts and gift cards, while the new DIY Bar kept the glam going.

Venmo*

Venmo House kept the energy high with DJ sets, coffee, drinks, photo booths, and perks like custom charm bracelets, airbrush tattoos, and surprise giveaways.