When one of the world’s most iconic candy brands comes calling, you don’t think small.
You think bold. Immersive. Unexpected.
That’s exactly what happened when Mars Global Headquarters approached ER2 Image Group to help bring their new environmental graphics project at their Chicago global headquarters to life. The result? A visually dynamic workplace experience packed with brand storytelling, larger-than-life creativity, and some seriously innovative fabrication work.
And yes — actual candy made its way into the design.
Turning Global Brands Into Physical Experiences
Mars isn’t just one brand. It’s a collection of household names that generations instantly recognize — Snickers®, Skittles®, Lifesavers®, Extra® Gum, and many more.
The challenge wasn’t simply decorating a space. It was creating an environment that captured the personality, energy, and emotional connection behind each individual brand while making the headquarters feel unified, immersive, and inspiring for employees.
Our goal was to tell the story of all the individual brands represented within the space and help bring that to life visually.
That meant thinking beyond traditional graphics.
It meant pushing materials, fabrication techniques, and installation strategies further than ever before.
The Sweetest Challenge? Real Candy.
One of the most exciting — and technically demanding — aspects of the project was incorporating physical candy directly into elements of the build.
That’s not exactly standard operating procedure in the environmental graphics world.
The ER2 team had to dive deep into research and development to figure out how to preserve, display, and integrate candy elements in ways that were both visually impactful and structurally sound.
And that’s where ER2 thrives.
At ER2, the projects that make other teams hesitate are often the projects that energize us most.
Because innovation doesn’t happen by staying inside the lines.
It happens through collaboration, experimentation, and a willingness to say, “Let’s figure it out.”
When Design, Fabrication, and Installation Work as One
Projects of this scale don’t succeed because of one great idea. They succeed because every moving piece works together seamlessly.
According to Jason, one of the biggest wins on the Mars Global Headquarters project was the level of collaboration between the design team, the general contractor, and ER2’s internal teams.
When all of those are a well-oiled machine, something very magical happens.
That kind of collaboration is a major reason brands trust ER2 with complex environmental graphics projects across the country.
From concept development and material sourcing to fabrication, logistics, and nationwide installation, ER2 brings every component under one roof — allowing teams to move faster, solve problems creatively, and maintain quality from start to finish.
Why Brands Partner With ER2
Projects like Mars Global Headquarters showcase what ER2 does best:
1. We Solve Complex Challenges
Whether it’s integrating unconventional materials, engineering custom fabrication solutions, or scaling nationwide rollouts, ER2 embraces complexity.
2. We Blend Creativity With Technical Expertise
Beautiful ideas are only part of the equation. ER2 combines design thinking with advanced production capabilities to make ambitious concepts reality.
3. We Create Experiences — Not Just Graphics
Today’s workplaces are more than offices. They’re culture-building environments. ER2 helps brands transform spaces into experiences that connect people emotionally to their mission and identity.
4. We Push Beyond “Standard”
As Jason put it best:
There is nothing that we cannot do.
That mindset drives everything we create.
More Than a Headquarters
The final Mars Global Headquarters environment isn’t just visually exciting — it’s designed to make employees feel connected to the brands they represent and the community they’re part of every day.
That’s the power of environmental graphics done right.
They don’t just fill a space.
They shape how people experience it.
At ER2, we believe ideas are bigger here because we’re always willing to think beyond the expected, engineer beyond limitations, and create spaces people never forget.
And sometimes?
That includes building with candy.