PenFed
What do you get when you combine one of America’s largest credit unions with one of the mid-Atlantic’s most innovative and trafficked retail hubs? PenFed Plaza at Tysons Corner Center: a first-of-its-kind 1.5 acre, outdoor civic space.
PenFed had already held two successful events on the Plaza. Now they were looking to up the ante for their first full-scale holiday activation.
The challenge? To create an elevated brand experience that built on learning from prior events while putting PenFed front and center on their home turf in a sea of other vendors and performances during the night of Tysons’ annual holiday kickoff.
Our solution was a classic European-inspired Holiday Market with a custom life-sized cuckoo clock at the center of it all. The night-of became a physical anchor for PenFed’s broader holiday presence at Tysons, extending through digital, social, and on-site touchpoints.
Messaging emphasized the market’s sensory appeal — treats, giveaways, and atmosphere — while connecting the activation to PenFed’s 12 Days of Giving digital countdown. From Plaza signage to bev-naps, PenFed’s name was everywhere you looked and listened.
As the sun set, visitors lined up for fresh donuts, hot cocoa, and exclusive member giveaways. The result was a warm, walkable experience that blended seasonal food, merchant booths, and playful moments.
Online, we developed a 12-day “advent” calendar with daily discounts from mall vendors to bring people into the mall long after the event, that garnered more traffic than any previous digital activation for the client.
The result was a community-driven holiday kickoff that felt festive and valuable. Guests lingered, photos were shared, and the market became a natural gathering point on the plaza — a reminder that when brand experiences prioritize warmth, generosity, and community, people respond in kind.
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