Brand strategy and design firm Love & War has developed a campaign for the new UBS Arena, celebrating the site’s storied history as a horse racing track, aviation meet site, and a gathering place for New Yorkers – while looking ahead to its future as a centerpiece for live music, sports (as the home of the NHL New York Islanders) and an entertainment attraction for and within historic Belmont Park. The campaign was inspired by the visual energy and graphical style of classic World’s Fair poster art. The creative firm tapped award-winning artist Mark Stutzman to paint all the artwork that appears in the ads.
The hand-drawn illustrations depict a modern experience and create a narrative through-line from the site’s history to its new role as an arena for the next generation. The campaign presents a range of cultural and sports experiences – from hockey players charging down the ice, to singers under dramatic stage lights all depicted against the backdrop of the expansive Belmont grounds and the New York City skyline. The campaign is currently running digitally and on social media.