JBL wanted to make a big splash at the 2020 NBA All-Star Game in Chicago. So after securing a large footprint inside the Water Tower Place shopping mall in downtown Chi-Town, our team was brought in to help bring the space—and the experience—to life. I took the lead on the project as creative director, and worked in tandem with a partner agency to develop a concept for the space that married the excitement of music and basketball in a uniquely JBL way, all under the banner of their Sounds Of The City campaign.
When it was all said and done, we put together three days of live programming and experiences for fans to enjoy, including live interviews and appearances by NBA All-Stars, legends and influencers including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kemba Walker. Bam Adebayo, Paul Pierce, Sue Bird, Taylor Rooks, The Professor, The Shoe Surgeon, and many more. We also partnered with Chicago street artist Sentrock to create a custom backboard installation, hosted a live music performance by JBL collaborator Swoope, and recorded a live podcast with students from Chicago’s After School Matters program, where they got the chance to interview Bulls star and NBA Slam Dunk Contest winner Zach LaVine. And there was a full and complete social influencer program built around the whole experience, with custom headphone gift kits designed by our team.
Watch the event recap above.