Kinect Motion Games at Lollapalooza | OFF! Brand Activation | Elation Digital
When SC Johnson needed a high-energy, family-friendly activation to launch OFF! Invisible Bug Repellent at Lollapalooza, they turned to Elation Digital to bring the campaign to life. We designed and deployed a suite of custom Kinect motion games that transformed the festival grounds into an immersive branded battleground — where participants used their whole body to fight back against virtual mosquitoes.
The result? Long lines, enthusiastic repeat players, and a crowd-stopping experience that made OFF! one of the most talked-about booths at the event.
Music festivals like Lollapalooza present a unique experiential marketing challenge. Audiences are distracted, footfall is high, and attention spans are short. Brands need an activation that:
OFF! wanted to do more than hand out samples. They wanted attendees to feel what it means to be protected — and to associate that sense of empowerment with their new Invisible repellent product.
Elation Digital developed multiple Kinect motion game variants, each customized to the OFF! brand and campaign theme. Using Microsoft Kinect’s body-tracking technology, participants could physically swat, dodge, and battle animated mosquitoes on a large display screen — no controllers, no touchscreens, just natural full-body movement.
Kinect-based activations are purpose-built for high-traffic, outdoor-adjacent environments. They’re:
This approach is consistent with how we design all of our branded games: the technology serves the story, not the other way around.
Participants stepped into the activation zone and were immediately tracked by the Kinect sensor. On screen, animated mosquitoes swarmed across the display — and players used arm movements, swipes, and dodges to eliminate them, defending themselves with the power of OFF! Invisible.
Multiple difficulty levels kept the experience fresh for repeat visitors. A leaderboard drove competition. Crowds gathered naturally — the spectacle of watching other people play was just as engaging as playing itself.
A dedicated data capture flow collected opt-in participant information, turning every player into a qualified lead for SC Johnson’s follow-up marketing.
The OFF! Lollapalooza experience is a strong example of what happens when branded games are built around a campaign idea — not just deployed as a generic crowd-pleaser.
A few principles that drove the success:
Message-through-mechanics: The gameplay directly reflected the product benefit. Players weren’t just having fun — they were physically embodying the idea of repelling insects. That kind of embodied brand experience sticks.
Crowd-draw design: Motion games with large displays are natural crowd magnets. When people walking by see others jumping and laughing in front of a big screen, they want in. This is why interactive trade show booth game ideasconsistently point to motion-based games as the top engagement format.
Family-first versatility: Lollapalooza draws a wide demographic. The experience was calibrated so kids could play easily while adults stayed competitive. This multi-generational design is something we build into every interactive kioskand motion game deployment.
Data capture baked in: Engagement without lead generation is entertainment. Engagement with lead generation is a marketing asset. Our Smart Engagement Platform ensures no participant interaction goes uncaptured.
Whether you’re planning a music festival activation, a mobile marketing tour, or a trade show booth game, Elation Digital builds branded interactive experiences that stop crowds and convert attention into measurable results.
Explore our full range of branded games and experiential solutions, or use our Trade Show ROI Calculator to estimate the impact of adding interactive games to your next activation.