Serving Up Fun

Client
Nick’s Ice Cream
Year
2025

A man playing pickleball on an outdoor court, hitting a pink ball with a paddle. He is wearing a light-colored cap and a white polo shirt, with a city street and tall buildings in the background.

INSPIRATION

Nick’s, the Swedish brand known for redefining indulgence with better-for-you treats, was ready to make a splash in the U.S. market. Known for its bold flavors and better ingredients, Nick’s wanted to introduce itself to New Yorkers in a way that was immersive, shareable, and unexpected.

The opportunity came with PicklePalooza, an all-day celebration of pickleball hosted by CityPickle at Union Square. With over 340,000 pedestrians daily, the event offered the perfect stage to bring Nick’s playful personality courtside, connecting directly with consumers, influencers, and the city’s vibrant pickleball community while sampling their signature treats.

As part of our Sportscore trend identified in early 2025, pickleball has become more than a pastime; it’s a cultural movement blending wellness, play, and community. This made PicklePalooza a natural fit for Nick’s debut moment.

MORE ON SPORTSCORE

THE PLAN

As Presenting Sponsor, Nick’s aimed to create an experience that blended sport, culture, and community into one unforgettable activation. Whitestone partnered with Nick’s to create a premium, on-brand merchandise experience designed to elevate their presence at Picklepalooza. We focused on items that aligned with their cheeky, bold identity while providing functional gear for the event and engaging takeaways for attendees

An outdoor tennis court in an urban setting with seating and pillars, surrounded by tall buildings, with a banner reading 'CityPickle' and a sign for 'Union Square Greenmarket'.

CityPickle’s court in Union Square.

A woman in a blue cheerleading uniform bending down to pick up a tennis ball on a court, with spectators and vendor booths in the background.
A young woman with curly hair kneeling on a tennis court, holding a snack bar, smiling, with a net and blue court surface in the background advertising NICK's snacks.

To create an impactful, memorable presence, we selected:

PRODUCT

Outline of a paint roller
Outline drawing of a bicycle with two wheels, a frame, handlebars, and a seat.

EVENT GEAR & APPAREL: Pickleball paddles, paddle sleeves, branded pickleballs, cooling towels, and staff uniforms (polos, skirts, drawstring shorts).

INFLUENCER & VIP TAKEAWAYS: Custom pickleball bags with chenille patches, paddle fans, scrunchies (3 colorways), paddle grip covers, keychains, and lip balm.

White outline of a kitchen knife on a black background.
Outline of a slice of pie or cake with a curved top and a straight bottom.

SAMPLING SUPPORT: Branded ice cream scoops, storage coolers, and display materials to highlight Nick’s bars.

SOCIAL GIVEAWAYS: Stickers, mini fans, and playful accessories designed to spark conversation and photo ops.

A collection of bright pink plastic balls with holes and the brand name Nick's printed on some of them, inside a white container.
Blurred package of N.H.K'S snack curls with colorful packaging, featuring pink, blue, and orange colors.
A young man in a white polo shirt and baseball cap juggling two pink balls on an outdoor basketball court. There are blue barriers with the words 'CityPickle' and 'Nick's' in the background, and brick buildings behind. The young man appears to be concentrating or reacting while juggling.
Woman playing pickleball, wearing a black athletic dress and visor, holding a pickleball paddle with 'NICK'S' and a yellow pickleball logo, in an outdoor park area with trees and a blue barrier with 'CityPicks' and 'NICK'S' branding.
Two women at a bright pink ice cream stand. One woman, with long brown hair and painted nails, is holding an ice cream cup. The other woman, with shoulder-length brown hair and a yellow scarf, is looking at her phone nearby. The stand has stacks of ice cream containers with pink and yellow labels, pink straws, and a sign advertising Nick's ice cream.
Pink sports bag with orange shoulder strap and a small yellow tennis ball keychain attached. Two yellow paddles with black handles and pink branding that read 'NICK'S', and two ice packs with pink branding, one yellow and one blue. Two scrunchies, one pink and white, and the other yellow and white. Pink background with faint outlines of a tennis court and trees, and a pink banner with white text that reads 'NICK'S' and the slogan 'I serve cold, I play hot.'

RESULTS

The activation brought Nick’s Ice Cream front and center in NYC’s pickleball scene, driving high-volume sampling, influencer engagement, and social buzz. As presenting sponsor, Nick’s successfully connected its better-for-you brand story to an authentically cultural moment, creating a full-sensory experience that left attendees talking long after the event.

A smartphone screen displaying a collage of Nick's ice cream and snack products, including ice cream cups, a protein bar, and a baby ice cream scoop, with a pink and yellow Nick's branded bag in the background, and a pink tasting scoop in the foreground.
Group of young people in matching sports outfits on a tennis court in an urban area, celebrating and smiling.
Instagram story featuring various ice cream and candy items from Nicks, including a pink ball labeled Nicks, a cup of ice cream, protein bars, and an assortment of small ice cream containers.