Cubs Tap into Chicago History to Woo Fans

To inspire Windy City residents who may not already be Cubs fans to take an interest in one of their hometown teams, the Chicago Cubs this summer rolled out a new mobile vehicle with an old school touch. A fully branded, pinstriped shuttle designed to resemble a turn-of-the-century trolley is making the rounds around town shuttling fans to games, visiting local festivals and street fairs and serving as a venue for special events. The trolley even hit the road to take a group of Cubs VIPs, clients and partners up to Milwaukee for a Cubs versus Brewers game.

The idea was to bring the team’s presence outside of its Wrigley Field neighborhood and reintroduce the team to the city, reminding fans how much fun a game can be. To that end, the trolley is loaded with a mix of modern and historical features. Inside, there is an ivy wall that emulates the one at Wrigley Field. The trolley has flat screens posted inside and out, so visitors and riders can watch games and sports coverage. And the seats and team-branded swag are exact replicas of those found in the ballpark.

“We want to reach people who might not come to Wrigley and reach them in their communities,” Wally Hayward, evp-chief sales and marketing officer at the Chicago Cubs, told Buzz. “It’s about extending the Cubs experience out into the larger city community.” Agency: rEvolution, Chicago.