PORTAL
SERVICES
Art Direction
Graphic Design
Fabrication
Tour Management
Staffing
TIMEFRAME
10/2024 - 3/2025
H-E-B x SAN ANTONIO SPURS PORTAL
The partnership between H-E-B and the San Antonio Spurs, which spans more than 30 years, has produced many iconic commercials that playfully combine sports and Texas culture. Despite only spanning somewhere between 15 to 30 seconds, these commercials effectively showcase the different personalities on each year’s Spurs roster as well as the wide array of amazing products H-E-B has to offer. As the NBA season approaches each year, fans of these two renowned Texas brands eagerly await to see what the latest installment in the beloved commercial series has in store.
The Spurs entered the 2024-25 NBA season with a talented young core highlighted by 7-foot-3 superstar Victor Wembanyama. With Wembanyama known as “The Alien” around the NBA, H-E-B leaned into the mysterious, space theme for its 2024-25 Spurs commercials. One of the commercials features a portal inside Spurs training facility. Several Spurs players including Wembanyama stick their hand in the portal and their favorite H-E-B products immediately end up in their hands. What the players don’t know is that on the other side of the portal there is an H-E-B partner tasked with handing them whatever product they wish for, showing how H-E-B goes above and beyond for all its customers.
Rally Department was tasked with bringing the portal from the commercial to life, creating an opportunity for fans to enjoy H-E-B treats while supporting their Spurs. This activation needed to be mobile in order to travel between San Antonio and Austin, making stops at Frost Bank Center, Moody Center, select H-E-B stores and Spurs watch parties all NBA season long.
THE CHALLENGE
To bring the commercial to life with a unique fan engagement experience, we designed a futuristic monolith-style structure that captivated and surprised guests. Its sleek exterior featured mirrored surfaces, LED lights, dynamic sounds, and an innovative iris door, creating a sense of intrigue. Fans were drawn to it’s sharp angles and mirrored walls with a giant red button—once pressed, swirling lights and immersive sounds activated, signaling the start of an unforgettable moment.
Inside, an H-E-B Partner (Brand Ambassador) awaited hidden inside a space wrapped in iridescent vinyl, ready to greet fans and hand out snacks, swag, and surprises. To make the experience even more special, our team designed exclusive giveaway items, including a commemorative poster, pennant, and other collectibles.
THE DEVELOPMENT
