Turning the traditional
Into A Rebel
THE REBEL OF RANDOLPH
Originally constructed in 1967, 225 W Randolph served as the home to the Illinois Bell Company — later AT&T —for nearly six decades. While created in a time of societal change and cultural upheaval, the mid-century tower had remained unchanged throughout its entire single-tenant occupancy, off the market and out of mind. Until now.
When AT&T left the building, the owners saw the opportunity to conduct a sweeping $150M+ renovation of the tower — new windows, new infrastructure, a new lobby, and a three-story penthouse amenity destination, all of it celebrating the Miesian aesthetic used in the property’s original design.
We saw a different opportunity — the chance to reinvent the tower’s identity entirely, honoring its heritage while looking towards the future. We christened the building The Bell, and turned back the clock to unearth the look, style, and values of its birthplace: the counterculture of the 1960s. The resulting campaign was The Bell — The Rebel of Randolph.
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Our campaign employed iconography of the countercultural movement — Steve McQueen, Andy Warhol, The Rolling Stones, and more — channeling some of their most memorable quotes and ideas into the campaign’s look and feel.
