Velveeta gives Miami Dolphins fans prime stadium seating with queso-themed couch

Dive Brief:

Velveeta will install a couch it has dubbed the Quesofa in Hard Rock Stadium to give two Miami Dolphins fans a unique perspective on a Dec. 20 game, according to a press release.
The decked-out piece of furniture features a warmer to keep Velveeta dip at an optimal temperature, lava lamps, LED lighting, a compartment for snack storage and nacho-themed pillows. The Quesfoa provides a prime view of the game while minding social distancing guidelines, per the release.
The Kraft Heinz brand is running a #QuesofaContest on Twitter through Dec. 16 to find its pair of Florida-based winners. With a surge in COVID-19 cases and a bleak outlook for the holidays, the activation tries to recreate the game day experience for consumers whose in-person attendance options otherwise remain limited.

Dive Insight:

Kraft Heinz's Velveeta is targeting a local market as it looks to raise brand awareness around the holidays and provide football fans with a memorable stadium-going experience during an already unusual period for sports viewing. "The Ultimate Quesofa Experience" caters to Miami Dolphins devotees who might otherwise remain wary of attending games in-person as the novel coronavirus continues to batter Florida. The state recorded more than 8,400 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday and has lost over 20,000 residents to the pandemic in total.

While the health crisis continues to strain the region, restrictions have not been as extensive as elsewhere in the country. Hard Rock Stadium can hold 65,000 people, but the Dolphins have hosted fans in a limited capacity since the fall. Even with those safety measures in place, some fans might welcome the more socially distanced and exclusive Quesofa, an activation that aligns with how other brands have been trying to leverage experiential sports marketing amid the pandemic.

Hey, South Florida, Check out the Quesofa! The Quesofa keeps your queso warm all game long. Scientists say it’s literally the best sofa ever made in the history of sitting. And who are we to disagree with scientists? #QuesofaContest pic.twitter.com/U8FGqKMQW5
— Velveeta (@EatLiquidGold) December 14, 2020

Cheez-It, the cracker label owned by Kraft Heinz rival Kellogg, is bringing the in-stadium experience to homebound college football fans by placing animatronic cheese wheels at the end zones of Camping World Stadium, host of the 2020 Cheez-It Bowl on Dec. 29. Followers can create a custom avatar at Cheez-It's website that has a chance to appear on game day and during a live ESPN broadcast of the match. Twitter users will be able to control the "Wheel Live Fans" animatronics by inputting commands to have them jump, dance and spin as the game plays out.

Kraft Heinz and Kellogg are both hitting the gas on marketing in the fourth quarter keep up a sales boom spurred by the pandemic. As COVID-19 pushes consumers indoors, a subsequent uptick in home cooking and snacking has benefited packaged food giants that for years struggled to win over choosier groups like millennials. Retaining those new customers is a key marketing mandate for Kraft Heinz and others as vaccine developments give a clearer timeline for when a degree of normalcy will return.