Experiential marketing agency for Chicago

The first thing to know about brand activations in Chicago is a rule, not a venue. The city's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events says marketing activations are not permitted on public rights of way, and sidewalks and streets are off limits for marketing. A sidewalk sampling stunt that would be routine in another city is not an option here, so a Chicago plan starts with private property: retail space, event venues, rooftops and lots, or a Chicago Park District partnership.

That shapes the work. As an experiential marketing agency producing in Chicago, we bring indoor, designed environments here rather than street-level stunts. DIRECTV's Blue Room tour opened in Chicago in 2026, turning the brand's Genre Packs into immersive scene rooms before moving on to Scottsdale and The Grove in Los Angeles. In 2022 we produced Tiffany & Co. holiday retail in Chicago alongside New York, Toronto and Los Angeles, and FOX's 2022 upfront went out live from New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Each of those projects ran in more than one city, which is typical for our Chicago work: the city is often a key stop in a national plan rather than a standalone event.

When there is a reason to be outdoors, it is usually one of the city's big Grant Park weekends. Lollapalooza is held in the park, the Chicago Marathon starts and finishes there, and both bring audiences large enough to justify an off-site activation on private property nearby. We plan these around the city's application windows, which get more expensive the closer you apply. More on how we run touring work is on our event marketing page, and past projects are on our work page.