Tostitos Party Zone at Super Bowl XLVIII
From foot traffic to flashpoint. Brand meets behavior.
In collaboration with PepsiCo Design & Innovation, we designed the Tostitos Party Zone — a temporary architectural environment for Super Bowl XLVIII (2014), crafted to ignite a memetic wave of group participation and elevate the brand’s promise: “Making Life a Party.”
Design Group Italia led the project, with my role as Director of Experiential Spaces focused on crafting a behaviorally intelligent, high-energy space that transformed passive foot traffic into active, engaged moments of brand connection.
Facing the challenge of intercepting fans en route from tailgating to their seats, we developed a concept rooted in ‘social induction’ — leveraging group dynamics and ambient cues to catalyze spontaneous engagement. By blending physical architecture with digital play and social incentives, the zone created a magnetic field of buzz, movement, and memory.
Outcome
Behavior, sparked. Brand, embodied.
The Tostitos Party Zone became more than a pit stop — it was a live expression of the brand's ethos. It engaged influencers, activated new audiences, and sparked collective joy through shared, in-the-moment experiences that resonated well beyond the game.
Capabilities
Behavioral Experience Design & Social Trigger Mapping
Activate emergent behaviors through architecture, proximity, and emotional momentum.
Branded Environment & Interaction Strategy
Immersive spaces that translated brand promise into spatial storytelling.
Cultural Timing & Experiential Interception
Aligning experience flow with audience rhythms and game-day behavioral patterns.
Digital–Physical Integration & Playful Engagement
Blending ambient technology with participatory design to amplify group involvement..
Live Activation Architecture & Temporary System Design
Delivering modular, high-impact structures purpose-built for unforgettable moments.