Chicago Bulls – Derrick Rose Night Graphic Design
The 7th Annual Awards
- Best Graphic Design
ABOUT THIS ENTRY
The Chicago Bulls collaborated with Derrick Rose to celebrate his retirement and career in the NBA. The game took place on Jan. 4, 2025, in Chicago when the Bulls played the New York Knicks – two franchises where he spent over half his career. The goal for this night was to create a look and collateral that celebrated Derrick and his iconic career that was deeply rooted in Chicago.
This imagery created an overall look that was woven throughout all aspects of the celebration, including social posts, videos, in-arena graphics, merchandise, a community garden, a Bulls alumni brunch, VIP pregame party, and an immersive exhibit at the United Center accessible to all Chicagoans.
All these aspects represented a collaborative effort to “give Bulls fans their flowers” for supporting Derrick and the Bulls all these years while honoring Derrick as he enters the next chapter in his life.
How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?
Derrick Rose Night set the standard for what a successful, comprehensive retirement celebration looks like. The Bulls attention to detail was immaculate. From displaying a turntable with vinyl from his favorite artists to purchasing and building a 4,000-piece Lego set of the McAllister house from Derrick’s favorite movie, “Home Alone”, no detail was overlooked.
The team artfully balanced vintage and modern imagery throughout – paying homage to Derrick’s iconic career while respecting his desire to emphasize the man he hopes to be in retirement.
The team’s work also gave everyone something to enjoy – from the nostalgic fans eager to reflect and take in the significance of the moment, to Derrick himself. While the celebration was titled Derrick Rose Night, it really was a triumph of Chicago.
“The arena was packed. The vibe was love. The atrium of the United Center was decked out with Rose memorabilia and giant banners.” - The Athletic
“This wasn’t just a celebration for a sports team. It was one for the city.” - Chicago Tribune
“This is how every organization should treat their superstar when he leaves the game…” - Former NBA player Isaiah Thomas
“D-Rose got the best retirement rollout ever.” - Current NBA player Quentin Grimes
Objective
Giving flowers.
This phrase took on new meaning as the Chicago Bulls aimed to honor the retirement of Chicago’s own and Bulls legend, Derrick Rose.
When he announced his retirement from the NBA after 15 seasons, we had a tall order to create a celebration and a creative look, feel and vision that reflected his accomplishments on the court and his lasting legacy on our city. Derrick is a native Chicagoan and, as the youngest MVP in NBA history, known as one of the best players to ever wear a Bulls uniform.
Our goal was to create a look and feel that reflected Derrick’s impact on Chicago and iconic career, featuring both past and present imagery, and extend this creative vision to all campaign touchpoints that resonated with fans.
Strategy & Execution
The Bulls aimed to create a look and feel to be woven throughout all campaign touchpoints. A few key themes inspired the direction:
**Give Fans Their Flowers**: Using direction from Derrick to celebrate the Chicago fans who supported him, we integrated giving the fans their flowers through consistent rose imagery.
**Storytelling Through Numbers:** The Bulls, in partnership with the NBA, identified January 4, 2025, as Derrick Rose Night, which serendipitously featured the three key jersey numbers he wore during his basketball career (#1 with the Chicago Bulls, #4 with the New York Knicks and #25 with Simeon High School). We designed a visual that showcased these numbers in the colors of each team. This simple, elevated look was used on team warm-ups and merchandise.
**Balancing the Past and Present:** The Bulls sought to balance imagery from Derrick’s time as a young rising star in Chicago with his identity today. There was a clear need to harness the nostalgia many Bulls fans have for Derrick’s time in Chicago, while also reinforcing Derrick’s identity and vision after 15 years in the league.
Organizations
- Chicago Bulls
- Derrick Rose and Team
Links
Featured
- Derrick Rose
Credits
Jon Shoemaker
Executive Director of Creative Services
Chicago Bulls
Jimmy Mitchell
Manager of Content Design
Chicago Bulls
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