Live Activations Won This Year at the Super Bowl

Love or hate this Super Bowl - we took a look and pulled some interesting non-broadcast activations.

This SB marked a major shift from passive viewing to phygital commerce and local residency. While broadcast spots grabbed eyeballs, these five activations won the ground game through utility and social currency.

Pepsi: The "Polar Bear" Hijack & Challenge Kits

Pepsi "reclaimed" the iconic polar bear imagery to drive home its rivalry with Coke. They used Gopuff to deliver "Pepsi Challenge Kits" (blindfolds, unmarked cans, and digital leaderboards) to fans in 15 minutes, turning a TV ad into a live home event supported by a city-wide 15% discount on Frito-Lay snacks.

Levi’s: "Home Turf" Residency

As the stadium namesake, Levi’s took over 1 Montgomery Street for a multi-day cultural hub. The "Home Turf" activation featured NPR Tiny Desk performances by Bay Area legends and exclusive upcycling workshops with viral designer Kristin Juszczyk.

eos: The "Cashmere Cake" Viral Drop

Capitalizing on the "Is It Cake?" trend, eos released hyper-realistic, edible "Cashmere Cakes" (modeled after their body mists) exclusively on Gopuff. The $12.99 cakes sold out in under 30 minutes, creating massive social media FOMO.

Instacart: The "Preference Picker" Pop-up

Instacart solved a major fan pain point—grocery substitutions—with a physical "sensory grocery aisle." Fans set physical preferences (like banana ripeness) that synced directly to their digital accounts for all future game-day orders.

Diageo: Multi-Brand Experiences

Diageo hit every demographic with niche plays: Don Julio DJ-led trolley takeovers in SF, Guinness "Day of Service" with Joe Montana at the local food bank, and an elite Cîroc "Athletic Club" in Napa Valley.

And the numbers just don’t lie…

Pepsi: Achieved a 90% brand match (vs. 73% industry norm) and scored in the 98th percentile for likeability.

eos: Leveraged a 172% surge in "gourmand" fragrance interest to sell out their delivery drop in minutes.

Instacart: Addressed the #1 consumer friction point, contributing to a 72% spike in game-day app traffic.

Levi’s: Drove an 11% increase in DTC sales this quarter by tying the residency to Red Tab loyalty sign-ups.

Trend Note: Brands using 15-minute fulfillment (Gopuff/Instacart) saw the highest conversion rates among "second-screen" viewers.

The Bottom Line: Success this year wasn’t just about airtime; it was about building utility and social currency through immediate physical delivery and local cultural relevance. - Ray Chelstowski

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