The Art of Card Collecting, Shoreditch Takeover 2025/26
Topps set out to launch the new 2025/26 Topps Chrome UCC collection in a way that went beyond a traditional product drop, creating a cultural moment that reframed trading cards as objects of art, storytelling and modern football culture.
With access to Protein Studios in Shoreditch, the opportunity was to transform a central London space into a one-day immersive gallery experience - bringing together football talent, creators, collectors and cultural voices to celebrate the evolution of the hobby.
Our task: turn a product launch into a curated exhibition experience that felt culturally relevant, highly shareable, and elevated far beyond the world of traditional trading cards.
We created Topps Chrome Gallery: The Art of Card Collecting - an immersive, invite-led exhibition that reimagined football cards as large-scale cultural installations.
Across 14 curated installations, Protein Studios was transformed into a multi-room experience where every piece told a different story from within the Chrome universe - exploring rarity and the hobby to creativity and future stars.
At launch, Arsenal legend Robert Pires officially opened the gallery, joined by Myles Lewis-Skelly, grounding the experience in both legacy and the next generation of football talent.
The installations were designed in collaboration with leading creators and football culture voices including The Goal Hanger, Ivan Beslic, Goal Frames and Classic Football Shirts, ensuring authenticity within both the hobby and wider football culture space.
Key moments included:
- A “rookie bedroom” installation exploring the mindset of emerging football talent
- A Chrome infinity box visualising depth, rarity and collectability within the brand universe
- A large-scale anime-inspired ceiling installation reimagining players through illustrated football art
- A showcase of ultra-rare 1/1 Topps Chrome cards celebrating scarcity and value at the highest level
- A live box-breaking experience bringing the ritual of pack opening into a shared, physical moment
Across the space, content was designed to feel natural and creator-led, encouraging real reactions, organic storytelling and social-first capture.
The Chrome Gallery delivered immediate cut-through across creator and football media ecosystems, positioning trading cards within a cultural and artistic context.
To date, the activation has delivered:
- 232 pieces of creator content across Instagram, TikTok and X
- 11.2M+ combined creator reach
- Strong media amplification across talkSPORT, The Sun, PA and more
- Additional coverage across SoccerBible and wider football culture media
Creator attendance reflected a highly targeted audience of collectors, football creators and culture commentators - reinforcing the intent to elevate Chrome beyond traditional retail or card show environments.
The Chrome Gallery delivered immediate cut-through across creator and football media ecosystems, positioning trading cards within a cultural and artistic context.
To date, the activation has delivered:
- 232 pieces of creator content across Instagram, TikTok and X
- 11.2M+ combined creator reach
- Strong media amplification across talkSPORT, The Sun, PA and more
- Additional coverage across SoccerBible and wider football culture media
Creator attendance reflected a highly targeted audience of collectors, football creators and culture commentators - reinforcing the intent to elevate Chrome beyond traditional retail or card show environments.
