NYC Marathon Activation
The New York Marathon Expo is held at the Javits Center in NYC. It is a public event where runners can pick up their bibs, find gear, get exposure to new brands, and connect with fellow runners. Citizens Bank is a sponsor and the Official Bank. At the 2024 activation Citizens Bank invited 50,000+ runners and their guests to share their personalized messages of support. Using digital kiosks, attendees could leave messages with pre-selected emojis, fonts, and colors, which were then displayed on a large LED screen featuring the NYC skyline. The screen doubled as a photo backdrop, creating a shareable moment that tied into race day when messages appeared on a billboard along the marathon route. The space featured Citizens Bank’s bold brand green space and called out their role as the Official Bank of the TCS NYC Marathon. The activation delivered strong brand visibility while offering runners and spectators a meaningful, memorable way to connect with others on race day.
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Citizens Bank
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Lead Environments Designer
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Research, Concept, 3D Modeling & Visualization, Documentation
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Sketchup, Enscape, Photoshop, Indesign
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2024
Process & Approach
Phase 1: Immersion & Discovery
The Brief
Design a space that celebrates the athletes and their supporters and their “NYC Moment.” Constraints included the need to re-use current display assets in storage, strict timelines, and ensuring durability for heavy foot traffic.
Business Objective
Increase awareness and favorability of Citizens Bank in the NYC market by leveraging the sponsorship as a key figure in their commitment to NYC.
Target Audience
Local New York runners
Spectators and supporters
Social media active consumers
Phase 2: Concept Development
The incubation period of research and exploration. The information we gathered from the brief helped to inform the experience. This is a series of initial concepts that didn’t make the final cut but led us to the final activation.
My Role
Ideation /Concept Design / Space Planning / 3D Modeling / Material Studies
Phase 3: Iteration & Collaboration
The give and take between our design team and the client. Through rounds of feedback, adjustments, and refinements, we worked together to narrow down the strongest ideas and align on what should move forward to production. The back-and-forth not only shaped the final outcome but also ensured the design truly reflected the client’s vision.
My Role
Ideation /Concept Design / Space Planning / 3D Modeling / Rendering / Material Studies
Collaborators
Jules Homesberger (Graphics, Senior Design Director), Virginia Lewis (VP, Account Director and Solutions)
Phase 4: Documentation & Design Development
After final approvals, I begin documenting all the elements in the space. This step is a major collaboration with our internal team, project managers, design development, and graphic designers, all while preparing the package for outside vendors. It’s the bridge between concept and execution, making sure every detail is ready to be built.
My Role
3D Modeling / Space Planning / Rendering / Documentation
Collaborators
Jules Homesberger (Graphics, Senior Design Director), Virginia Lewis (VP, Account Director and Solutions)