In its fifth year as a Lollapalooza partner, BACARDÍ set out to elevate its role from festival sponsor to cultural host, amplifying its connection to music fans both on-site and nationwide. The BACARDÍ x Hulu integration was driven by a bold idea: bring the energy and exclusivity of Casa BACARDÍ directly to viewers everywhere through Hulu’s livestream.
Our goals were clear:
By integrating BACARDÍ into the Lollapalooza livestream and making the experience accessible to all Hulu users, we aimed to make BACARDÍ synonymous with unforgettable music experiences – wherever fans are.
Our plan centered on making BACARDÍ not just present, but essential to the Lollapalooza experience – both on-site and at home. We executed this vision through 8x unique, dedicated segments (2x per day) within Hulu’s livestream, treating viewers to immersive tours of Casa BACARDÍ, cocktail-making lessons, and exclusive festival moments. Grecia Lopez, Hulu’s livestream host, showcased the on-site oasis and its guests, creating a direct bridge between the festival and the audience at home. To deepen engagement, we integrated a QR code on-screen inviting viewers to enter a sweepstakes for a chance to visit Casa BACARDÍ in Puerto Rico.
Key features included:
Challenges included ensuring flawless execution across live and digital channels, maintaining brand authenticity, and driving measurable engagement. By leveraging Hulu’s technology and creative storytelling, BACARDÍ overcame these hurdles, delivering a truly unique, multi-platform experience that set a new standard for festival partnerships.
Custom segments included:
The BACARDÍ x Hulu Lollapalooza integration exceeded our objectives by driving measurable brand lift, engagement, and cultural relevance among key audiences. Post-exposure, purchase intent among viewers aged 21-34 jumped from 64% to 72%, with brand favorability rising 14 points to 78%. Across all viewers, BACARDÍ saw significant increases in consideration (+6pp), purchase intent (+7pp), and brand trust (+11pp), outperforming Disney study norms and the total spirits category. The sponsorship inspired action: 82% of 21-34 viewers said they would take action after seeing the segment, including ordering a BACARDÍ drink (50%), purchasing the brand (43%), or searching for BACARDÍ on social media (30%). The segments were rated as more entertaining, authentic, and memorable than traditional ads, with 86% of young viewers agreeing BACARDÍ “brings people together” and 80% recognizing its cultural relevance.
The Casa BACARDÍ Puerto Rico Sweepstakes QR code had phenomenal engagement – a 10x increase on a 2024 sponsors’ QR code engagement.
Importantly, BACARDÍ’s partnership was seen as inclusive and resonant, spotlighting diverse celebrations and evoking the vibrancy of Puerto Rican/Caribbean Hispanic culture. The integration not only mobilized brand engagement but also built deeper emotional connections, affirming BACARDÍ’s position as a unifying, innovative, and trusted brand for music fans nationwide.