How to Build a Brand at the World Cup — Case Segafredo × Coca-Cola Fanzone
Key takeaways
- One clear brand message (Take your Shot) repeated across 10 surfaces beats 10 different messages.
- Instead of a booth, we built a hangout that maximised dwell time through the match.
- Pallets, pillows and deck chairs give the best cost-to-atmosphere ratio at outdoor events.
- Weather risk (rain, wind) is solved by material choices and backup gear — not last-minute.
- For a Fanzone, dwell time and social shares are the real KPIs — not raw encounter counts.
Sports mega events are a paradox for brands: they offer more visibility than anywhere else, and the fight for attention is fiercer than anywhere else. The official **Coca-Cola Fanzone** of FIFA World Cup 2026 on the Musiikkitalo lawn in Helsinki was a textbook example — a massive LED screen, tens of thousands of fans, dozens of sponsors — and one very direct question: how does a single brand actually stick?
Meira and its Italian coffee brand **Segafredo** chose a space, not an ad, as the answer. Fridays built a Segafredo lounge inside the Fanzone that also serves as a case study on how to plan a brand activation at a sports mega event.
## Start with the message, not the logo
Segafredo's current tagline is "Take your Shot" — in Italian coffee culture, an espresso is that "shot" that makes things happen. The message translates so naturally to the World Cup that an entire lounge could be built around it.
## Build a space, not a booth
A traditional trade show booth is about wall panels and floor area. That doesn't work in a Fanzone — people are there to watch football, not sit through pitches. So the Segafredo lounge was designed as a **hangout**: black-painted pallet sofas with light cushions, branded "Take your Shot" pillows on every pallet, oversized black beanbags on the grass, and a row of wooden deck chairs facing the big LED.
## Big atmosphere with light furniture
Pallets, pillows, beanbags and deck chairs are cheap compared to a media budget. Yet together they create an atmosphere no print ad can. Everything is branded in Segafredo colours, so every photo taken carries the logo without extra media spend.
## Weather is part of the plan
Musiikkitalo lawn in June: sun, rain, and wind on the same day. Furniture has to survive getting wet, pillows have to dry fast, and beach flags have to stay up. Fridays handled the whole machine: design, furniture, build, staff and strike.
## Measure the right things
In a Fanzone build the classic "encounters per hour" metric is partly misleading, because the best visitor is the one who **stays**. The Segafredo lounge was designed to maximise dwell time, not throughput.
## What we take from this
1. At a mega event, a brand doesn't win on volume — it wins by giving the visitor a reason to stay. 2. One clear message repeated on 10 surfaces beats 10 different messages. 3. Physical space design is part of brand strategy, not a production add-on. 4. Light, portable furniture delivers the best cost-to-atmosphere ratio at outdoor events.
Fridays delivers similar lounge and activation productions turnkey for summer events, festivals, and international sports mega events.
Frequently asked questions
Who built the Segafredo lounge at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Fanzone?+
Kohtaamistoimisto Fridays delivered Meira's Segafredo lounge inside the official Coca-Cola Fanzone on Helsinki's Musiikkitalo lawn — design, furniture, branding, build, staff and strike, all turnkey.
Where was the FIFA World Cup 2026 Coca-Cola Fanzone in Helsinki?+
The Coca-Cola Fanzone was set up on the lawn in front of Helsinki's Musiikkitalo. Live World Cup matches and side content were broadcast on a large LED screen.
What does 'Take your Shot' mean in the Segafredo brand?+
'Take your Shot' is Segafredo's current tagline. In Italian coffee culture, an espresso is the 'shot' that makes things happen — a natural fit for the tension of the World Cup.
What's the best KPI for a brand lounge in a Fanzone-type event?+
Dwell time combined with hashtagged social shares. Raw footfall doesn't tell you whether the brand actually stuck.
Can a similar lounge be booked for festivals or summer events?+
Yes. Fridays delivers lounge and activation productions turnkey for festivals, sports events and summer tours across Finland.