Inside PNC Bank’s Activation With the Dallas Stars

DALLAS—Ever heard of hockey hair? Players and fans alike know that “hockey flow” aka “lettuce” is definitely a thing. It refers to the way players on the ice often sport free-flowing locks, a tradition that became popular in the ’70s. More recently, players have said that the hockey flow is a way to stand out while playing a game that requires a helmet and bulky pads. (Fun fact: The Minnesota state high school hockey tournament has basically become a hair show.)

Earlier this month, PNC Bank tapped into this very tradition with an activation produced in partnership with the NHL’s Dallas Stars. On Nov. 4 and 6, PNC ran what it called its “Mane St. Branch,” a pop-up outside the American Airlines Center in Dallas styled like a barbershop—with a giant mullet installation flowing across the exterior. Inside, fans were fitted for free, limited-edition Dallas Stars “hockey hair hats.”

Inside the activation, fans could get fitted for limited-edition hockey hair hats that they could wear to the Stars games in the evenings. Photo: Courtesy of PNC Bank

Produced by Arnold Worldwide in collaboration with M ss ng P eces, the activation was meant to celebrate “growth,” including literal hair growth and financial growth, and to bring more awareness to PNC’s expansion into the Dallas-Fort Worth region.

“We wanted a playful but authentic way to connect hockey culture with PNC’s ‘brilliantly boring’ philosophy encouraging long-term financial growth,” said Arnold Worldwide executive creative director James Bray. “Hockey hair—which takes patience and commitment to grow—became the perfect metaphor, inspiring a barbershop-style ‘branch’ topped with oversize, unforgettable hockey flow.”

Along with getting fitted for their hats, visitors to the pop-up could also interact with the space to learn about PNC’s focus on long-term growth, plus enjoy a glam bot camera to show off their new lettuce in style. The barbershop feel was further achieved with actual barber chairs, penny tile, and hair products on the counters. A few Stars players even made special appearances.

The barbershop aesthetic was complete with barber chairs and penny tile. Photo: Courtesy of PNC Bank

“Watching fans try [the hats] on was a real highlight,” Bray said. “Guests kept their hockey hair hats on throughout the evening Stars’ games. We also worked with the NHLPA before to get some Dallas Stars players on board (Jason Robertson, Matt Duchene, Wyatt Johnston, and Jake Oettinger), and fans were loving seeing pictures of their team’s stars in the branch rocking their own gorgeous hockey hair.”

PNC’s chief marketing officer, Jenn Garbach, added: “The early interactions show this opened the door to genuine, face-to-face moments that strengthened trust with existing clients and sparked new community connections.”

So, what about that mullet installation? Bray said building a structurally sound pop-up topped with massive “hair” was a design and engineering challenge. It was built over six weeks and then installed on site over two 12-hour days.

“[It] was the result of nearly one year of work from creative conception to the day it went live,” Bray shared. “Do you know what kind of wind a 5-foot+ mullet can withstand? Well, we do.”

Keep scrolling to see more from inside PNC and the Dallas Stars’ Mane St. Branch…

Before even entering the structure, fans were greeted with this hero visual: a giant mullet installation flowing across the exterior of the building. Photo: Courtesy of PNC Bank

Fans could choose hats with four different hairstyles. The hair was even detachable, so fans can continue to wear the PNC-branded Stars hats “for the long term,” Bray said. Photo: Courtesy of PNC Bank

Inside, signage displayed the pop-up’s connection to PNC’s wider message about the importance of long-term financial growth. Photo: Courtesy of PNC Bank