The Chicago Blackhawks and Goose Island Beer Co., long-time West Side neighbors, teamed up ahead of the 2022-23 season to create a beer that embodies both organizations and the city of Chicago.
Drawing inspiration from Chicago’s neighborhood bars, the can design features a neon-style Blackhawks logo and Chicago city flag, set against a sleek black background for sharp contrast and standout shelf appeal. The packaging extends the concept with a West Side neighborhood map and neon-inspired street signs, paying homage to the local community.
The beer debuted at the 2022 Windy City Smokeout, with a co-branded activation outside the United Center featuring a converted CTA train car turned bar, custom hockey stick and puck beer taps, and exclusive pours from Blackhawks players.
To mark the launch, artist Joe Till was commissioned to create a limited-edition poster for the first 1,000 cans sold at the United Center and Goose Island taproom.
To promote the launch, Goose Island produced a commercial inspired by ESPN’s iconic “This is SportsCenter” ads, featuring Blackhawks legends Denis Savard, Chris Chelios, myself, and others. The spot aired during every home game throughout the 2022-23 season and was nominated for an IDEA Golden Matrix Award for Best In-Game Feature.
The following season, the partnership expanded with the debut of a Blackhawks Pale Ale Zamboni and an in-ice logo to highlight the new 16 oz cans available at the United Center.
responsible for: art direction, product & packaging design, hiring and directing poster artist
CREDITS:
Creative Director: John Sandberg
Senior Graphic Designer: Jordan Smith
Manager, Photography: Chase Agnello-Dean
Director, Fan & Partnership Marketing: Brian Dahm
Corporate Partnerships Account Specialist: Skylar Slack
Senior Director of Marketing: T.J. Annerino
Senior Brand Manager: Graham Squires
All artwork, photography, and video content featured in this portfolio are the sole property of the Chicago Blackhawks. These materials are presented solely to demonstrate my design and creative contributions and are not owned by me.