Arizona Cardinals - 'Protect the Nest' Animated Series
Character-Driven 3D Animation for Stadium Entertainment
We worked with our animation partners, Symbolic Pictures, to develop a series of original, character-driven videos for in-stadium entertainment. Designed for playback on the Jumbotron at State Farm Stadium, the campaign centered on Big Red, the Cardinals’ iconic mascot, defending “The Nest” against weekly visiting-team mascots. Each short video supported the Cardinals’ game-day atmosphere with fun, energizing, story-based content that activated the crowd when the Home Team needed them most.
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At-a-Glance
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Multi-year animated content series
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1–1.5 minute episodic shorts
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Full 3D animation, opponent-specific each week
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Five+ seasons of continuous production
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Custom holiday special added after initial success
MAXMedia Partners worked with Symbolic Pictures to develop a creative concept that could meet NFL-level scheduling pressure while staying fresh week after week.
Background & Objectives
The Cardinals sought a stadium-scale entertainment asset that felt unique to the franchise and created consistent, high-energy moments during home games. They wanted something character-driven, repeatable, and flexible; capable of weekly updates throughout the NFL season while still creating strong fan engagement.
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The creative needed to:
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Strengthen Big Red’s presence as a recognizable team icon
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Build anticipation and crowd energy at key game moments
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Introduce weekly, opponent-specific narratives
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Work flawlessly on the stadium Jumbotron
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Establish a tradition fans would expect every season
Our Role
We conceived the Protect the Nest series from the ground up, building the story world, character dynamics, and episodic structure. Our team led concept development, scripting, storyboarding, and creative direction for all animations.
We collaborated with Symbolic Pictures, our long-standing animation partner, to translate these concepts into fully realized 3D sequences, ensuring the production pipeline could sustain an 8-week rolling schedule while maintaining cinematic quality.
Core responsibilities included:
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Concept creation and narrative architecture
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Scriptwriting and story development
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Detailed storyboarding and visual planning
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Creative direction throughout 3D production
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Pipeline management for rapid weekly delivery
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Stadium-format optimization and timing strategy
Solution Approach
Discovery & Concept Creation
We developed an original narrative built around Big Red defending “The Nest.” The concept allowed for infinite variations: each visiting team’s mascot became that week’s antagonist, enabling a blend of humor, rivalry, and fast-paced action.
Design & Pre-Production
We established a consistent visual style, comedic tone, and story structure (setup → conflict → resolution) that could adapt to any opponent. Storyboards, animatics, and character interactions were tightly defined to accommodate short runtimes and ensure clarity on massive LED displays.
Production Workflow
With Symbolic Pictures, we built a high-speed animation pipeline capable of producing full 3D shorts with little margin for schedule shifts. This included:
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Rigging adjustments for non-Cardinals mascots
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Environment builds suitable for stadium playback
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Animation tuned for broad, readable motion
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Rendering optimized for clarity on the Jumbotron
Delivery & Stadium Integration
Each episode was timed to deploy during specific in-game moments. Edits were tested for visibility, impact, and pacing to deliver maximum energy when fans needed it most.
Creative & Technical Hi-lites
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Mascot-vs-mascot storytelling customized weekly to match the opponent’s personality and fan culture
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A flexible narrative engine enabling new content even with late-stage approvals
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Stadium-scale 3D animation optimized for Jumbotron clarity and impact
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Consistent comedic tone and fast-paced action designed for game-day energy
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Five-plus years of continuous production, evolving in style and scope each season
Outcome & Impact
“Protect the Nest” became a hallmark of the Cardinals’ game-day entertainment package—an expected crowd favorite and a unique brand differentiator within the NFL.
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Its success led to expanded work, including a custom animated holiday feature: an NFL-themed adaptation of ’Twas the Night Before Christmas, narrated by a fan-favorite Cardinals player. The holiday piece evolved into an annual seasonal tradition and further deepened fan connection.
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Over more than five years, the series grew in style, complexity, and creative ambition, reinforcing a long-term partnership between the Arizona Cardinals and Symbolic Pictures while consistently delivering high-impact, franchise-defining entertainment that still rocks the stadium today.