Brief: Develop a high-demand apparel capsule for Michigan’s Wrigley Field game that drives D2C sales through destination-specific merchandise.
Constraints: No access to Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field, or MLB IP.
The primary hurdle of this collection was that I had no access to Wrigley Field or Chicago Cubs licensing. To be successful, the collection had to feel like an official stadium collaboration while adhering to strict legal boundaries. I had to think outside the box to capture the spirit of a baseball game on Chicago's Northside, while using only Michigan brand assets and generic baseball designs.
Strategy: In order to navigate strict IP boundaries, I bypassed protected trademarks by shifting designs to feature generic baseball looks, as well as three culturally significant Chicago symbols:
• Ivy: A nod to the famous outfield wall at Wrigley Field, but a symbol that is not a protected trademark.
• The Chicago Dog: A tribute to a timeless ballpark tradition and a nod to the unique style of hotdog eaten in Chicago.
• The Municipal Flag: Utilizing the six-pointed stars and skyline to create a 'City Edition' feel for the Michigan brand.
Below: Initial designs that were rejected by licensing when Valiant failed to secure rights to Wrigley Field and Chicago Cubs IP. In the full chest 'Scoreboard' graphic (directly below) the following changes were required: removal of "Wrigley Field" across banner, removal of "Hey Hey" from foul poles, and the removal of the scoreboard itself, which is a trademark of the Chicago Cubs.
Further below: The shape of "Michigan" too closely matched the design of the welcome sign at Wrigley Field, which is also a protected trademark.
Below: A deli style tee capitalizing on the city's iconic Chicago style hotdog. Further below, other approved apparel designs that lean into the ivy, skyline, municipal, and generic baseball iconography as outlined above.
Below: First pass designs that had to be scrapped due to trademark infringement.
