All-Star Assist

We collaborated with Puma, one of the world’s largest sportswear brands, to create a dynamic pop-up retail event during the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago.

The Challenge

NBA All-Star Weekend celebrates the stars of basketball’s past, present, and future. The All-Star game is the centerpiece of a weekend of events and performances, including a wide range of brand activations.

For the 2020 All-Star Weekend in Chicago, Puma wanted to create a pop-up where fans could meet Kyle Kuzma, DeAndre Ayton, and other young players representing their brand. They asked our Tewksbury office, a trusted partner for nearly twenty years, to design and produce a retail experience that announced the relaunch of Puma Basketball and set apart their challenger brand from their rivals.

One of the main challenges was designing for a pre-existing space, a Champs sporting goods store. The installations needed to be quick and easy to install and clean up, with no damage to the existing floors and shelving of the store. On top of all that, our team and our client were both located out of state, meaning everything had to be designed from a distance.

The Solution

Puma wanted a space that engaged young fans and complemented their roster of social media savvy players in the early stages of their careers. Their dreams for the space included Instagram-worthy backdrops, a Playstation gaming area, a station for customizing basketballs, a “Hall of Fame” wall, and of course, displays for Puma shoes and gear.

Our Tewksbury team worked with the client to design each of these individual experiences within the constraints of the store. They relied on local installers to survey the Champs location and provide context for site-specific challenges. A mechanism for mounting large wall graphics was created to cover up the store’s existing shelf track system.

Every single item in the pop-up was produced, sourced, and executed by our team. Floor vinyls were printed to transform the store into an oversized basketball court. Museum style podiums were fabricated to showcase shoes. Our team also designed space for a Gaming Center with seating and built a Hall of Fame wall with satirical plaques, perfect for the youthful, irreverent brand.

Even with the advance preparation, there were unforeseen issues that required quick and decisive responses. Initial floorplans gave the impression that the back of the gaming unit would be facing a wall. Upon arrival, the Tewksbury team discovered the exposed wires behind the unit would be visible through a window. They had to come up with a solution to conceal the wires on the fly. Within hours, they created a graphic board with support from Stephen Gould’s Chicago office.

Our team executed every last detail from installation to break down, ensuring there was zero damage to the store. Many of the pieces created for the event were designed to be reused and repurposed, saving the client on costs for future events.

The Result

The Puma All-Star Weekend pop-up experience gave the Tewksbury team the opportunity to demonstrate some of Stephen Gould’s greatest strengths: our expansive capabilities, our flexibility and ingenuity under pressure, and our extensive network of trusted partners.

The result was a solution that turned all the creative fan engagement concepts on Puma’s wish list into a seamlessly orchestrated pop-up experience. Our team handled all the complexities behind the scenes so our client could elevate their game to a new level.

“I’m amazed by Stephen Gould’s ability to turn our ideas into reality, no matter how big the ask. Puma has relied on Gould for 20+ years and the partnership continues to grow!”

Azadeh Sharifnia, Senior Manager Visual Experience, Puma