Best Brand Activations at Coachella 2025

How Sol de Janeiro, American Express, and Pinterest Raised the Bar in the Desert

More than just a music festival, Coachella has become a cultural mecca—where music, fashion, tech, and brand marketing collide under the blazing California sun. Every April, over 125,000 attendees descend daily on the Empire Polo Club, transforming the desert into a living canvas of self-expression and social content creation. For brands, the stakes are high: this is the ultimate proving ground for relevance, creativity, and resonance with Gen Z and millennial consumers.

In 2025, three activations rose above the rest—each carving out a distinctive identity while tapping into the core of what makes Coachella tick: experience, emotion, and shareability.

Sol de Janeiro – Casa Cheirosa

The Scented Playground That Won Coachella’s Heart (and Nose)

As the festival’s first-ever official fragrance and body care partner, Sol de Janeiro made a fragrant splash with its “Casa Cheirosa” activation. Designed as a 30×30-foot multisensory installation, the space was a tribute to joy, sunshine, and the unmistakable Brazilian spirit that defines the brand.

Attendees were enveloped in the brand’s signature scents while interacting with vibrant installations, playful photo moments, and immersive fragrance walls. Music, scent, and design converged into a blissful sensory journey that felt both personal and unforgettable.

Why it worked:
Sol de Janeiro understood the power of scent in memory formation. By engaging multiple senses at once—sight, smell, sound, and touch—they created a lasting impression that lived beyond the event. The result? Brand equity that doesn’t wash off with the desert dust.

American Express – The AMEX Experience

Luxury, Lounge Time, and Loyalty in Action

For cardholders, American Express delivered a desert reprieve in true VIP style. “The AMEX Experience” offered a members-only lounge with misting stations, complimentary refreshments, exclusive merch, and practical perks like phone charging stations—an oasis of calm amid the festival chaos.

The brand leaned into its reputation for premium experiences, offering a curated environment that felt elevated but accessible. It wasn’t just a lounge—it was a statement of membership, a community built on trust and shared values.

Why it worked:
Amex hit the sweet spot between exclusivity and utility. While many activations focus on spectacle, this one delivered actual value—a cool drink, a shaded seat, a place to recharge (literally and figuratively). It reminded guests why being a member matters.

Pinterest – Your Desert Oasis, Remixed

Turning Scrolls into Stories with Hands-On Creativity

Pinterest brought its ethos of inspiration to life with “Your Desert Oasis, Remixed”—a whimsical, artist-led space where festivalgoers became creators. Inspired by circus motifs and desert daydreams, the activation featured collage stations, DIY art installations, and colorful visual prompts encouraging attendees to remix their favorite Pins into real-world art.

Rather than serving static photo ops, Pinterest gave guests the tools and freedom to build something personal—reflecting the platform’s mission to empower self-expression and discovery.

Why it worked:
The line between digital and physical life is increasingly blurred for Gen Z, and Pinterest leaned into that by offering a bridge between the two. This wasn’t just an activation—it was a participatory brand narrative, one that invited audiences to co-create and connect in real time.

Key Takeaways for Marketers:

• Immersion is everything: Whether through scent, environment, or interactivity, activations that engage multiple senses create deeper emotional connections.

• Value is the new VIP: Experiences that offer real benefits—shade, hydration, comfort—are as impactful as flashy designs.

• Creativity is contagious: The most shareable moments come from letting audiences do, not just see. Give them a role in the story.

As brand competition continues to heat up on the festival circuit, Coachella 2025 proved that thoughtful, intentional experiences still shine the brightest. In a space where everyone’s vying for attention, the brands that invited audiences into the experience walked away with more than just impressions—they earned loyalty.