NFL Guide to Pittsburgh
Connecting Local Businesses to NFL Draft Visitors Through Storytelling, Discovery & Community Impact
Client: National Football League (NFL)
Project: NFL Guide to Pittsburgh – NFL Draft 2026
Industry: Sports, Tourism, Community Engagement
Services: Strategic Planning, Community Outreach, Content Development, Storytelling, Graphic Design, Digital Publishing, Video Production, Business Recruitment, Project Management
As part of the NFL Draft 2026 experience in Pittsburgh, Creativity Justified partnered with the NFL to develop and execute the NFL Guide to Pittsburgh, a destination-focused storytelling initiative designed to connect visitors, fans, and attendees with the culture, businesses, and communities that make Pittsburgh unique.
The guide served as a curated digital experience hosted through NFL platforms including NFL.com and the NFL OnePass App, providing visitors with recommendations and profiles highlighting local restaurants, attractions, retail businesses, entertainment venues, and community organizations.
Beyond creating a visitor guide, the initiative was designed to create meaningful exposure and economic opportunities for local businesses while elevating authentic community stories.
Large-scale sporting events bring significant visitor traffic into host cities, but many local businesses often face challenges:
- Limited visibility among incoming visitors
- Difficulty reaching event audiences
- Lack of access to large-scale promotional platforms
- Need for engaging storytelling beyond traditional advertising
The objective was to create a scalable experience that would:
✔ Increase visibility for Pittsburgh businesses
✔ Drive discovery and engagement
✔ Capture authentic stories from the community
✔ Support local economic participation during Draft activities
✔ Deliver a premium experience aligned with NFL standards
Creativity Justified led the initiative from strategy through execution by:
Business Recruitment & Community Engagement
- Identified and onboarded participating businesses
- Coordinated outreach and information collection
- Managed business communications and approvals
Storytelling & Content Development
- Developed business profiles and destination content
- Crafted engaging narratives highlighting community impact
- Organized content into neighborhood and interest categories
Video Production
- Captured select business video features
- Produced short-form storytelling content designed for digital engagement
- Highlighted authentic voices and experiences
Design & Digital Experience
- Designed the digital guide experience
- Organized user-friendly navigation and content structure
- Developed supporting promotional and social media assets
Project Management
- Coordinated timelines across stakeholders
- Managed deliverables and quality assurance
- Facilitated execution alongside NFL partners
Community Impact
- Featured dozens of Pittsburgh-area businesses and organizations
- Expanded visibility opportunities for local entrepreneurs
- Increased exposure through NFL digital channels
- Delivered destination content that extended beyond Draft weekend
Audience Reach
- 24,682+ Readers
- 352,935+ Page Views
- 26,956+ Book Visits
- 404+ Hours of Total Engagement Time
✔ Elevated local business visibility on a national platform
✔ Created an engaging visitor experience for Draft attendees
✔ Strengthened connections between visitors and Pittsburgh communities
✔ Demonstrated the power of storytelling as an economic and community engagement tool
- Destination Marketing
- Sports & Entertainment Marketing
- Community Engagement
- Video Production
- Graphic Design
- Digital Publishing
- Experiential Marketing
- Strategic Campaign Development
