MILLER + COORS + ABSOLUT
3-Year Partnership: Chicago Pride & LGBTQ Community Event Photography
Industry: Brand Activation / Experiential Marketing
Timeline: 3 consecutive years (2011-2013)
Services: High-Volume Event Photography, Brand Activation Documentation
Investment Range: $2K-$5K per annual coverage (through SPI Marketing NYC)
THE CHALLENGE
About The Chicago White Sox
For three consecutive years, MillerCoors and SPI Marketing NYC needed event photography for Chicago Pride activations and year-round LGBTQ community events. Not just staged shots, authentic brand moments, real customer interactions, genuine joy. And they needed it delivered in 24 hours for hundreds of photos after each event.
What made this complex:
Capture authentic brand moments: Real interactions, crowd energy, genuine celebration
Large-scale activations: Two parade floats, 30+ team members, brand ambassadors, product sampling, thousands of participants
Work solo in chaos: Crowds, unpredictable lighting, weather, constant movement—still get clean, usable images
Fast delivery: 24-hour turnaround for immediate social media and marketing use
Events included:
Chicago Pride Parade (massive public celebration)
Flag Football Tournaments (athletic, fast-paced action)
Bar Events & Neighborhood Activations (intimate venues, dim lighting)
HOW IT WORKED
Pre-Event Planning
Worked directly with MillerCoors and SPI Marketing to understand: priority moments (product sampling, crowd engagement, ambassador interactions, float presence), specific brand goals and messaging, key personnel and VIPs.
Solo Shooting Strategy
What was captured:
- Brand activations (floats, signage, product displays, branded gifts)
- Customer engagement (people receiving MillerCoors products, genuine smiles and laughter)
- Parade energy (crowds, costumes, movement, celebration)
- Ambassadors in action (team members interacting with attendees, creating positive brand moments)
- Authentic emotion (joy, pride, community—feeling of the event)
Brand visibility approach: Every shot composed with MillerCoors branding in mind—floats and signage visible, product placement natural but prominent, branded ambassadors clearly identifiable.
Solo advantage: Working alone meant faster movement, easier blending into crowds, capturing candid moments without large crew disruption.
Post-Event Delivery
Delivered hundreds of images in 24 hours, edited, color-corrected, publication-ready. Fast enough for MillerCoors to post Pride photos while event was still trending.
WHAT WAS DELIVERED
Per Event:
- Hundreds of high-resolution photos
- 24-hour turnaround
- Multi-format output (web galleries, social media assets, print-ready files, internal documentation)
Annual Scope (2011-2013):
- Chicago Pride Parade coverage (full parade, float documentation, crowd engagement)
- Flag Football Tournaments (athletic action, team moments, sponsor visibility)
- Bar Events & Community Activations (intimate venue photography, ambassador interactions)
Content Use: Social media (real-time posts), marketing materials, event recaps, internal reports, website, PR
THE RESULTS
3-year partnership:
MillerCoors and SPI Marketing specifically requested me for 2012 and 2013 after a successful 2011 coverage, proof and validation of consistent quality.
Brand consistency maintained:
Same photographer = same visual style, same understanding of brand goals, no learning curve each Pride season.
Fast deployment enabled:
24-hour turnaround kept brand relevant and engaged, posting photos while event momentum was highest.
WHAT THIS PROVES
✓ High-energy event mastery:
Pride parades are chaotic, and shooting hundreds of usable images solo in unpredictable environments requires skills and experience
✓ Authentic brand storytelling:
Genuine, joyful, community-focused imagery (not forced corporate photos)
✓ Fast turnaround expertise:
24 hours for hundreds of images without sacrificing quality
✓ Multi-year brand partner:
3 consecutive years proves reliability and brand understanding
We did indeed receive your pictures and a long overdue THANK YOU is in order! The shots were great and thank you so much for all your dedication to the project. We look forward to working with you again in the very near future!
Mary Pat Dowhy
Marketing Manager, SPI Marketing
Need Brand Activation Photography that captures the energy?
When you need photography for brand activations, experiential marketing events, or community celebrations where you're documenting authentic engagement at scale, let's talk. I work through agency partnerships, long-term brand relationships, or standalone event coverage.
Just a conversation to see if this fits your goals and your workflow.
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