Super Bowl Fan Zone Trading Cards

EA Sports and Youth Marketing Company (YMC) needed a high-energy, interactive experience at the Super Bowl Experience Fan Zone that would immerse attendees in the world of Madden NFL 25 - while also promoting the latest release of the game.

Client: EA Sports
Event Category: Fan Experience
Event Type: In-person Photo Engagement

Guests at the booth capturing photos and playing Madden

Engaging Fans of All Ages

With thousands of NFL fans passing through the Super Bowl Fan Zone, the activation had to be fast, fun, and scalable to handle high demand.

The Key Goals:

Create a seamless, engaging activation for fans that required minimal set up.
Connect digital participation with Madden NFL 25 for deeper brand engagement.
Encourage social sharing to amplify reach beyond the event space.
Deliver a personalized takeaway for each participant.

Phone screens for customizing and receiving a Madden NFL 25 trading card

The Custom Solution

To bring this vision to life, YMC worked with Snapbar to transform their digital Event Headshots experience into a personalized trading card generator.

How it Worked:

Fans took a live photo at the activation booth.
They entered their name and picked an "Overall" (OVR) rating from 1-99.
The system automatically removed the background and inserted them into a Madden Ultimate Team card design.
Attendees instantly received their personalized trading card via email with a CTA to download the new Madden NFL 25 Mobile game.

Madden NFL 25 Ultimate Team card on a phone next to the game

Digital FTW

The flexibility of the web-based experience combined with Snapbar’s ability to customize just about anything provided a perfect solution.

✅ Seamless Microsite Experience – Fans accessed the activation through an intuitive web-based interface, with no app downloads required.

✅ Custom Branding & Personalization – The custom-built design framework ensured every card looked authentic to Madden Ultimate Team.

✅ Integrated Engagement Features – A QR code in the confirmation email encouraged attendees to download Madden NFL 25 Mobile, seamlessly connecting the in-person experience with the digital game.

From Super Fans to Superstars

After: the same guest on a Madden NFL 25 Ultimate Team card

🏆 High-Volume Participation
Over 600 custom trading cards were generated and delivered in just four days, with a peak of 300 participants in a single day.
📲 Social Buzz & Digital Reach
Fans eagerly shared their customized Madden MUT cards, organically tagging EA Sports and NFL accounts, amplifying the brand’s exposure and event footprint.
📢 Massive Brand Interaction
The combination of high foot traffic, real-time participation, and organic social sharing created a memorable, buzz-worthy activation that successfully merged live experiences with digital engagement.
🎮 Bridging Physical & Digital Engagement
The activation was more than just a fun photo op—it strategically connected attendees to the Madden NFL 25 Mobile game via a built-in QR code, driving continued engagement beyond the event.
🔥 Gamified Fan Experience
By allowing participants to choose their own OVR rating, the activation added an interactive, competitive element, making each card unique and highly shareable.