Brand Partnerships
The WS Development Brand Partnerships team collaborates with emerging and established brands, agencies, and marketers to amplify brand awareness, engage the community, and connect tangibly with a captive audience of high-value consumers in some of the most dynamic and vibrant neighborhoods, workplaces and open-air retail environments in the country.
In a world of diluted messages and distracted audiences, we provide a direct path to reach consumers where they work, live and play. We work with artists, curators, architects and innovators to create unique and socially immersive brand experiences that leverage contemporary art, culture, wellness, commerce and technology to reach millions of passive and engaged customers every year.
With each partnership, our team takes a consultancy approach, building customized programs to reach these highly targeted audiences through a combination of high-profile sponsorships and activation opportunities, events, pop-ups, on-site media, digital and social marketing and advertising, and engagement at our community-centric destinations around the country.
SCOPE OF SERVICES & EXPERTISE
Sponsorship
Pop-Up Activation
Out-of-Home Media (on-site media, display)
Mural & Art Installation
Digital/Social Media/Influencer Marketing
Integrated Consumer & B2B Marketing
CSR
Employee Engagement/Talent Recruitment
Event Marketing
Featured Projects
The Amazon Treasure Truck made its way to the Seaport, offering consumers a fun way to shop by searching for new, trending, or exclusive products; once found, subscribers received a text with a limited-time offer. Treasure Truck offers included everything from the latest electronics and trending kitchen gadgets to exclusive collectibles. Customers also were wowed with special experiences and fun surprises.
Bumble spread the love during the holiday season when they “Bumblified” the Seaport with a Curling Lane Takeover. Guests got to give love (and curling) a shot with Bumble, and enjoy the magic of the season all around the neighborhood.
Cadillac and their experiential agency Jack Morton came to Hyde Park Village to execute a large-scale vehicle test drive program. Eleven featured vehicles were rotated throughout the weekend, and consumers received gift card incentives. Cadillac exceeded 600 test drives throughout the weekend. Out-of-home ads on property and digital media across Hyde Park Village’s platforms promoted the experiential display.
Capital One worked with MarketStreet and Boston Seaport to develop a high-impact strategy to integrate the Ice Rink & Winter Pavilion. This cold-weather experience featured a signature ice skating rink, warming tent, holiday tree market and holiday stroll. Guests enjoyed “Free Skate Days” courtesy of Capital One Café, in addition to complimentary coffee redeemed inside the Café.
Nickelodeon brought kids and families together for the ultimate Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle experience with their “Sewer Studio Tour.” Families visited MarketStreet to hang with their favorite turtles from Rise of the Teenage Mutant Turtles.
The “Sewer Studio Tour” also encouraged kids to express themselves by creating their own dynamic stop-motion videos with Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures. The best videos created by our amateur filmmakers were featured on Nickelodeon platforms.
PNC shaped up with a cross-property health & wellness initiative, SWEAT, which brought safe, socially distant fitness to local communities. This campaign alignment also brought awareness to the brand as it launched in the Boston market. In addition to free, open-air fitness classes taught by top-rated local instructors, PNC helped enable consumers to “Sweat their workout, not their finances” by offering free financial wellness workshops.
Nobody loves their hometown like a Bostonian, so Delta created the BOS2BOS Souvenir Shop to connect Bostons around the globe and also promote their SkyMiles program. Delta Souvenir Shop hosted a pop up activation in the Seaport where visitors could pick up souvenirs inspired by Bostons from all over the world. There was jewelry from Boston, Ireland; jam from Square de Boston, France; and sunglasses from Boston Ravine, California.
Fjällräven leveraged Boston Seaport, the hottest 24/7 neighborhood, by sponsoring the ice skating rink and winter pavilion that created unexpected fun around every corner. In addition to drawing people to their retail experience, Fjällräven received significant brand exposure and a strong stakeholder position on Boston’s newest winter-themed entertainment experience.
Tamara Mellon and Seaport created an all-new luxury mobile shoe activation. Featuring a curation of Tamara Mellon’s top styles displayed and available to try on, The Tamara Mellon dream closet had transparent glass on either side of the vehicle, allowing patrons to sneak a peek inside.
Raising visibility of the company’s commitment to environmental and social responsibility, Timberland presented “Nature Needs Heroes” to elevate real life champions of urban greening and community development. The experience included a Timberland boot footprint layout made up of greenery and engagement stations. Brand ambassadors were on hand in Seaport to provide information on real life Nature Heroes and help with purchases.
Whispering Angel collaborated with The Royal’s annual Valentine’s Day celebration, Treats and Sweets. The tasty event featured curated boxes holiday treats made with love by local bakers.
NWH Elfers Cardiovascular Center, The Street and Boston artist, James Goldcrown teamed up for a unique display of public “heart.” All year long, visitors to The Street enjoyed a large-scale “Love Wall,” a beautiful montage of graffiti hearts symbolizing love, peace, culture and community. NWH Elfers Cardiovascular Center joined as a presenting sponsor of this loveable display.
Santa Margherita Wine held a tasting tour benefitting Clean Lakes Alliance, hosted by Hilldale. Guests enjoyed wine samples and food pairings within a grapevine maze. At the end of the maze, a dome theater entertained guests with the Santa Margherita story on a 360-degree video experience while sampling wine. With community, wine and goodwill, this activation educated consumers through a guided and immersive experience.
Cisco Brewers is bringing a slice of Nantucket to Boston with its fourth season in Seaport. The outdoor beer garden features Cisco’s extensive portfolio of beers, including favorites like Wandering Haze Hazy IPA and its seasonal Summer Rays Golden Ale, hard ciders, wines, frosé and coolers, as well as a series of refreshing small batch brews available only at the beer garden.
From seasonal celebrations, to concerts or even robotics conventions, WS Development’s unforgettable places can provide the perfect backdrop for your next event.
The VS PINK Bus rolled into Seaport for a unique shopping experience that included exclusive takeaways such as snacks, limited bus-only merchandise and a customizable nameplate to show off your inner girl boss.
KinderCare Learning Centers leveraged Seaport’s PlayCubes to create a nurturing educational environment where every child could learn, explore and discover. Designed by architect Richard Dattner in the mid-1960s, the PlayCubes depart from the common urban formula for play, emphasizing creativity and child-directed play. The 14-sided cuboctahedrons provided opportunities for sliding, climbing and crawling through tunnels. KinderCare and WS introduced a uniquely stimulating playspace featuring a breakaway moment of fun and adventure on property, allowing guests to linger and shop longer while their kids stayed busy. This playground was made possible by our friends at Design Museum Boston, Playworld and Ultiplay.
Johnson Controls welcomed visitors to the outdoor Cisco Beer Garden for a private VIP event that showcased a new energy-efficient air handling unit. VIPs were offered private tours of a unit in Seaport while enjoying hospitality food/beverage at the beer garden. In total, Johnson Controls interacted with 23 targeted clients during the event.
L.L.Bean brought exciting “Be An Outsider” messaging to people caught in spring showers in Seaport via rain art. Completely invisible until it gets wet, this surprise and delight moment sparked joy for all who passed by.
LOCATIONS
Boston Seaport – Boston, MA
The Street – Chestnut Hill, MA
MarketStreet – Lynnfield, MA
Derby Street – Hingham, MA
Legacy Place – Dedham, MA
Fenway Boston – Boston, MA
The Shops at Farmington Valley – Canton, CT
Garden City Center – Cranston, RI
The Royal Poinciana Plaza – Palm Beach, FL
Hyde Park Village – Tampa, FL
Highland Village – Jackson, MS
Hilldale – Madison, WI
Bradley Fair – Wichita, KS
Montgomery Village – Santa Rosa, CA