Ad agency Spark and client Visit Lauderdale are taking their newly launched “Break Free’ winter campaign to Chicago with a live activation at Pioneer Court from March 14-16.  

Designed to captivate and engage winter-weary Chicagoans, this immersive pop-up will offer a taste of Greater Fort Lauderdale’s sunshine, beaches, and warm hospitality. 

The activation is timed to coincide with Chicago’s St. Patrick’s Day weekend, one of the city’s busiest travel periods.  

The centerpiece of the experience is a custom-built shipping container featuring smart glass Projection technology, which initially appears as a solid glass wall but dramatically “shatters” when struck with a foam sledgehammer, symbolizing an escape from winter.  

Once inside, visitors will step into a fully immersive South Florida-inspired retreat, surrounded by coastal décor, beach chairs, palm trees, and surfboards, capturing the essence of Greater Fort Lauderdale’s “endless summer.” 

Lifeguard-clad brand ambassadors will engage with visitors, offering giveaways like sunglasses, surfboard-shaped mint containers, and tropical punch bottles. 

The Chicago activation is part of a broader campaign that launched earlier this season with digital, social, and out-of-home (OOH) activations in cold-weather markets including New York, Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington D.C.