THIS SEATS FOR U

ROLE: ART DIRECTOR
CLIENT: CHICAGO CUBS

THE ASK:
Build awareness for Cubs U, a $12 ticket raffle for college students, without undercutting the premium Cubs experience.
THE INSIGHT:
College students crave belonging, but when summer breaks the structure of campus life, that connection often slips away.
THE IDEA:
Transform Wrigley Field into a summer extension of campus by bringing college rituals into the ballpark.
We transformed Cubs U from a passive raffle experience into a ticket drop release system by introducing an app-based experience that builds anticipation and urgency around access. By treating $12 tickets as a limited release rather than a discount, demand elevates the offer, preserving the Cubs’ premium feel while mirroring the way college students already secure tickets to campus sporting events. In the lead-up to launch, countdown timers took over Wrigleyville, building anticipation for each ticket drop.
Students received a digital Cubs U ID stored in their Apple Wallet. But no ID is complete without a school photo, so we created a Cubs U photo booth where students could take photos that seamlessly transferred into their wallet as their official ID image.
The Cubs U ID became a living record of fandom, tracking games attended, food ordered, and wins versus losses throughout the season. At the end of the year, the data rolled up into a Spotify Wrapped–style season recap designed for social sharing, building hype heading into the following year.
Finally, we set out to establish a lasting Cubs U tradition by creating the Cubs U All-Star Game, where college-aged players from Chicago-area schools compete in a university-style spring game. The event mirrors the cultural pull of campus scrimmages while rooting the experience in the heart of Wrigley Field.
CREDS:
Agency: BBDO Chicago
Team: Jada Poindexter, Julia Shea, Aaliyah Brown, Sophia Fuselier, Leslie Watkins, Anna Ren