From a giant, legacy-filled state fair
To a mind-melting, unpredictable experience.
CHALLENGE:
The Big E is America's only multi-state fair, held annually in West Springfield, Massachusetts. The 17-day event is the largest agricultural fair on the Eastern Seaboard and one of the largest fairs in North America, welcoming more than 1.5 million people in 2025. Truth is, its unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before, whether you’re looking to free-fall at zero gravity, eat a deep fried enchilada or pick up a new hot tub. Our challenge was to communicate this and drive a new slew of fair attendees.
STRATEGY:
When you spend the day at the Big E, one thing is immediately apparent. There’s a surprise every corner you turn. So our strategy was simple: embrace the unexpected. After all, this was not like any fair you’ve ever been to in your life. So scream that from the rooftops, in as interesting and unique a way as humanly possible.
CREATIVE SOLUTION:
The campaign leans into the sheer unpredictability of The Big E with the tagline "Unexpect Everything." The work unabashedly celebrates 17 days of food, agriculture, entertainment, shopping, rides and experiences that rarely belong in the same sentence. Instead of trying to make sense of it all, we leaned into the absurdity of it all.
Playing with unexpected combinations, the work features mobile digital ads that appear to house live goats and extended OOH billboards that showcase the fair’s impressive, diet-defying portion sizes alongside cheeky, attention-grabbing headlines such as “The kind of foods invented on a triple dog dare.” In addition to mobile digital ads and billboards, the campaign rans across CTV, Meta, print, radio and experiential activations throughout New England and surrounding states. The visual identity is built around bold colors, oversized typography and combinations designed to feel as eclectic as the fair itself.
