Detail shot of digital tree

Client Project

Creating a New Environment for Chobani’s Philanthropy

Client

Chobani

Challenge

To honor its 10-year anniversary, Chobani wanted to develop a brand experience that invited others to take part in the company’s mission of making high-quality and nutritious food accessible to more people while elevating communities and helping the world become a healthier place.

Opportunity

Cultivate a spirit of generosity and community responsibility—by creating a magical and uplifting experience that attracts attention, incites participation, and has tangible impact while continuing to grow the Chobani brand.
Photograph of person looking up at Chobani Giving Tree activation in Grand Central station
Portrait photograph of Chobani Giving Tree activation in Grand Central station
Audience Impact
# of Donations
Spatial Impact
Square Footage
10,000 Sq Ft
Global Impact
Company Revenue
$1.5B
Moodboard of 2 images - two hands cupping soil, and sunshine shining through tree canopy to a girl whose back is facing us
For reference only, credit unknown; Sarah Ann Wright, 2010

Reimagining the Giving Tree for the 21st Century

The Chobani Giving Tree was a place designed for positive impact. We aimed to embody the idea of a tree’s canopy, which provides shelter, safety, and sustenance to support daily life. We merged the digital and physical world, giving NYC commuters philanthropic opportunities under an umbrella of artistic abundance.
Render animation of a person sending a fruit/seed up to the Chobani Giving Tree
Example of a sketch while developing the concept, of the Chobani Giving Tree in the station

Planting a Modernist Gesture in a Historic Architectural Space

Grand Central Station is a historic landmark with an ornate design aesthetic. We worked with Chobani stakeholders to define an experience design strategy that embraced bold minimalism, responsiveness, and a sense of contrast that would stop visitors in their tracks. The giving tree stood as a symbol of unexpected inspiration—an ever-shifting source of charity embedded within a transitory space.
Ideation of how the Giving Tree should look like, with repeated vertical hanging structures
3D render of how the installation looks in the station
Concept render for the Chobani selfie mirror

Infusing Selfless Actions into Everyday Routines

The mechanics of the user experience enabled individuals to connect to the giving tree by planting digital seeds. Simply touching the circular objects at the base of the structure grew layers of canopy animations that triggered a donation: a case of Chobani yogurt for No Kid Hungry (the only national campaign committed to ending childhood hunger in the U.S.). Within the first three hours of opening the experience, Chobani maxed out its donation commitment. The success of the installation marked the launch of a massive campaign across multiple platforms for Chobani’s 10-year anniversary.
Fruit, leaves and branch illustrations
Render of young girl looking into the Chobani selfie mirror, with fruit and canopy illustrations in the background
Young woman looking up at the Chobani Giving Tree installation
Video of young woman activating the Chobani Giving Tree installation by placing hands on one of the orbs at the bottom
Young woman smiling and looking up as she places her hands on the orb
Young woman looking up at the Giving Tree while it produces lighting that imitates dappled sunlight and projects shadows of branches onto the walls
Young woman looking into the final Chobani selfie mirror, with colorful and lush plant illustrations in the background
Close-up of top of giving tree
Young woman kneeling and placing hands on the orb of the Chobani Giving Tree installation