How Free Sunscreen at FIFA Fan Festivals Created Fan Impact and Reduced Plastic Waste
When thousands of fans gather outdoors for major sporting events, sunscreen becomes more than a convenience. It becomes an important part of the guest experience.
During the FIFA Fan Festival in Houston, Vital Signs Media deployed six dual wellness kiosks providing fans with convenient access to sunscreen and hand sanitizer throughout the festival.
The result was more than 114,000 dispensations and a significant reduction in the amount of single-use plastic that could have otherwise been needed to provide the same level of access.
114,636 Uses. Six Kiosks. One Major Impact.
The Houston FIFA Fan Festival showed just how much impact a relatively small kiosk footprint can have at a large-scale event.
Across six Vital Signs Media kiosks:
114,636 total dispensations were recorded, averaging approximately 19,106 uses per kiosk.
Rather than distributing sunscreen and sanitizer through thousands of individual containers, the kiosks allowed fans to dispense what they needed directly from centralized, high-capacity stations.
The activation was sponsored by Houston Methodist, giving fans access to a useful wellness amenity while creating a highly visible sponsor touchpoint throughout the Fan Festival.
More Access, Less Plastic Waste
One of the biggest advantages of bulk sunscreen dispensing is the opportunity to dramatically reduce packaging waste.
Based on the Houston FIFA Fan Festival usage, Vital Signs Media estimates that the kiosks helped avoid the equivalent of approximately 1,260 pounds of plastic waste compared with providing the same amount of product through individual 1-ounce plastic bottles.
That’s more than half a ton of plastic potentially avoided from a single activation.
And unlike traditional product giveaways, fans could take exactly what they needed when they needed it.
Sustainability Without Sacrificing the Fan Experience
Sustainability initiatives are most effective when they also make the experience better for guests.
Vital Signs Media kiosks are designed to do both.
The battery-powered kiosks can be strategically placed throughout outdoor venues without requiring access to an electrical outlet. Guests receive convenient access to sunscreen, while sponsors receive a highly visible branded presence connected to something genuinely useful.
The kiosks are also trackable, allowing Vital Signs Media to measure usage and provide data following an activation.
That means organizations aren’t simply able to say they offered sunscreen. They can see how often the amenity was actually used.
At Houston, more than 114,000 dispensations demonstrated just how valuable that access could be.
A Scalable Model for Major Events
The FIFA Fan Festival activation demonstrates what’s possible when public health, sustainability, sponsorship and guest experience work together.
From fan festivals and golf tournaments to stadiums, universities, parks and outdoor festivals, sunscreen kiosks can provide an alternative to distributing thousands of individual bottles or packets.
And the model scales.
A handful of kiosks can provide targeted coverage in high-traffic areas, while larger deployments can create a network of sunscreen access points throughout an entire venue.
Turning Sponsorship Into a Useful Amenity
For sponsors, the value extends beyond logo placement.
A branded sunscreen kiosk gives attendees a reason to intentionally interact with the activation.
They approach it because they need sunscreen. They use it. They see the sponsor. And they leave with something that improves their experience.
At the Houston FIFA Fan Festival, that combination resulted in 114,636 measurable interactions while simultaneously helping reduce single-use plastic waste.
That’s the type of sponsorship activation Vital Signs Media believes can make a difference: useful for guests, measurable for partners and better for the environment.
Bring Sunscreen Access to Your Venue or Event
Vital Signs Media provides customizable sunscreen and wellness kiosks for stadiums, sporting events, festivals, parks, universities and other high-traffic outdoor destinations.
Whether you’re looking for a short-term activation or a longer-term sunscreen program, our kiosks can be customized around your venue, audience and sponsor.
Interested in bringing sunscreen kiosks to your next event or venue? Contact Vital Signs Media at info@vitalsignsmedia.com.