To become part of New York history, Citi partnered with Billy Joel at the end of 2013 to create a first-of-its-kind monthly residency program. Not only would Billy Joel end up breaking several major records at the iconic Madison Square Garden, Citi would be able to offer its cardholders unprecedented experiences and access to the New York legend in the process.

The kickoff show was January 27, 2014, with one show a month for the next year. Billy Joel not only became the first music franchise MSG has ever hosted, but subsequently sold out all 12 scheduled concerts in record time, thanks in no small part to Citi’s support. MSG announced that the best-selling artist would continue to play one show per month as long as high demand warranted additional performances.

Attending the Billy Joel VIP lounge was designed to be an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime experience for Citi cardmembers.

As guests arrived at MSG, they were given access to VIP check in at the South Concierge entrance, accessible only to Club Members and suite ticket holders. Once they received their highly coveted floor seat tickets from Citi brand ambassadors, attendees received commemorative custom Citi/Billy Joel branded VIP lanyards and wrist bands. They were then escorted upstairs to the Legends Room of MSG, where the VIP lounge awaited them.

Upon entering the VIP lounge, guests enjoyed gourmet appetizers and a premium open bar, from the time doors opened until Billy Joel took the stage. The VIP lounge featured a custom Citi branded photobooth where guests took photos and received an instant print out as a concert keepsake. Custom hashtags #CitiThankYouRocks, #CitiThankYou and #BillyJoelMSG drove further awareness and social traffic to the program.

With his 65th show in the summer of 2015, Billy Joel set a record for the most performances by any artist at Madison Square Garden. In doing so, he surpassed the record set by his former tour mate, Elton John. To date, Billy has played 73 sold out shows at MSG.

As of March 2016, Billy has sold over 600,000 tickets, generating more than $60 million in transactional revenue for Citi. The tour has been extended once again at Madison Square Garden through October 2016.

The brand sentiment that Citi provided to fans showed through their responses after attending the event:

“Well-done. Great value-add for my card. ”

“What a fantastic evening! This is truly the way to see Billy Joel: open bar, VIP lounge and meeting the musician himself.”

“Citi Private Pass threw a wonderful VIP experience I will never forget. Very well done!”

In November 2013, the agency brokered an exclusive partnership between Citi and Billy Joel, the third-largest selling US solo artist of all time, for his franchise performances at Madison Square Garden. Due to its explosive success, the franchise expanded for its second year in 2015. Billy’s franchise through Citi Private Pass not only helped cardmembers reconnect with a New York-based legend, it deepened their connection with the brand. This was the first and only time Citi has been able to activate in the world’s most famous arena since the venue signed a deal with a competitive bank in 2011.

Citi was still in a “New York State Of Mind” when it extended an exclusive partnership with Billy Joel’s franchise performances at Madison Square Garden in 2015.

Citi not only offered cardmembers pre-sale access to each monthly concert, but also revamped its custom VIP lounge to enhance the exclusive pre-show experience for invited guests.

To lure potential new customers, Citi promoted its pre-sale and ticket offers through out-of-home, digital and NY Times full-page ads, as well as through social media and email blasts. Citi was tagged in social media posts on Billy Joel’s channels including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, reaching millions of fans.

In addition to promoting the Private Pass program, Citi also had the opportunity to tailor the lounge for its ThankYou team to entertain select cardmembers.

Citi Private Pass is an entertainment platform that gives Citi cardmembers access to live music, sports, dining and more. Citi sponsors more than 11,000 events each year, giving cardmembers exclusive access to presale/preferred tickets and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.

In December 2013, Citi announced that it would partner with Long Island native Billy Joel to create the first music franchise at Madison Square Garden (MSG) in New York City, inspired by both Citi and Billy’s New York heritage. The franchise included monthly shows that sold out immediately.

Citi continued its partnership with the marquee artist for 12 more shows in 2015 in order to:

- Increase awareness of member benefits

- Reward select cardmembers and partners with a VIP pre-show experience

- Attract new potential customers to sign up for a Citi card in order to receive

access to the exclusive benefits the Private Pass and ThankYou programs

provide