Southwest

Chicago Cubs

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CHALLENGE

Despite being named the #1 airline by The Wall Street Journal, Southwest faced rising pressure from Chicago competitors. Instead of swinging back, Southwest pitched what made them #1: Heart, Reliability, and its 40+ year legacy serving Chicago by partnering with the team closest to the city’s Heart—the Chicago Cubs.

STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE

On Opening Day, Southwest came out swinging with a premium 20-by-30-foot activation packed with games and giveaways. Fans scored hats and collectible pins, threw their fastest pitches at a custom-built pitching machine, and snapped photos in an oversized Southwest seat. Retro typography, nostalgic textures, and hand-painted fabrications made every detail feel at home within Wrigley Field’s iconic architecture.

An All-Star Partnership

Ahead of Opening Day, a video shared by Pete Crow-Armstrong (PCA) built excitement for the activation by teasing exclusive Cubs x Southwest jerseys for the first 100 fans. The promise of a limited-edition jersey had fans lining up to claim one.

A GRAND SLAM SWEEPSTAKES

Next up: an all-star lineup of prizes. Fans could score Cubs tickets, the opportunity to watch an inning from inside Wrigley’s historic scoreboard, Rapid Rewards® bonus points, a Chicago hotel stay, and exclusive merch—including items autographed by PCA.

Each winner received their prizes in a custom box inspired by the iconic scoreboard, with compartments designed to showcase every all-star item.

THE FINAL SCORE

Energy soared. Cubs fans scored. And in a city built on Heart, Southwest brought plenty of its own. PCA’s video earned 3M+ organic views, driving thousands to Opening Day. There, fans took home 7,000+ giveaways and nearly 500 stepped up to the speed pitch machine. The sweepstakes also drew 2,500+ entries from passionate Cubs fans eager to win an exclusive experience only Southwest could offer.