Inspiring Examples of Chicago Office Murals

Written by:

Lillie Therieau

Mar 21, 2022

Office murals are not just fun to look at, they’re a smart business idea, great for company morale, and set you apart from competitors. Plus, with just a small amount of maintenance they’ll look amazing for years to come!

Workplace murals are great for boosting productivity, creating a positive workplace culture, and encouraging creative problem solving. They can also launch you ahead on social media and help you to solidify your brand and messaging in the office. This article outlines 4 examples of office murals across Chicago that are sure to inspire you and help you envision a workplace mural of your own.

Office Murals Aren’t a New Idea! Check Out These Amazing WPA Post Office Murals

In case you’re worried that office murals are simply a fad, check out these amazing murals from almost a century ago! The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was a New Deal-era program that paid artists to create murals and other public works of art across the country. In Chicago, we’re lucky to have several well-preserved examples of these murals in our post offices.

Many of these murals include historical narratives, patriotic motifs, and symbolism about the country uniting to make it through a tough time. At the Lakeview Post Office Branch, murals include scenes of industry and innovation, placed in front of the glittering Chicago skyline. Others, like the tile murals at the Uptown Post Office Branch, include important Chicago figures like Louis Sullivan and Carl Sandberg.

These murals have inspired, educated, and motivated thousands of customers and employees over their many years hanging in the city’s post offices. Although the nature of the challenges we face is different than it was in the Great Depression, the messages imparted by these works of art are timeless.

Leo Burnett’s Lobby Mural

Leo Burnett is an international advertising agency, based right here in Chicago! They’re offices are located downtown, in a 50-story postmodern building. Mural artist Blažo, who grew up in the former Yugoslavia, has contributed no less than 3 funky workplace murals to the suite of offices. His style is weird, graphic, and colorful, populated with tons of strange little creatures.

However, the first mural one sees at the Leo Burnett offices is the lobby mural. Familiar landmarks like the Willis Tower, the Ferris Wheel, the Art Institute Lions, and many others, are in the process of being painted bright colors by Blažo’s signature characters. Some of the creatures are decked out in Bulls or Cubs gear, and others are bundled up for the harsh Chicago winter. The lobby mural symbolizes the wild, visionary creativity that Leo Burnett has been cooking up in Chicago for over 85 years.

It’s the first thing a potential client, new employee, or partner sees when they enter the LB offices, and it is sure to leave an impression!

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Booking.com’s Game Room Mural

Booking.com is a travel booking service that allows its customers to save money on flights, hotels, and car rentals. In 2020, Graffiti Arts Mural Company executed a mural for Booking.com’s game room, where employees can take a break and have fun. They chose to emulate the classic “Greetings from…” postcard style, a nod to Booking.com’s business, which takes customers all over the world!

However, they reimagined the postcard with a graffiti twist, to symbolize how Booking.com has made the travel booking business contemporary and easily accessible over the internet. Inside the letters, Graffiti Arts Mural Company added iconic Chicago landmarks and symbols: like the Bean, the Chicago-style hot dog, and the Blackhawks winning the Stanley Cup. The colorful, bold mural fits in perfectly with the game room, tying the space together as a fun place to destress.

PepsiCo’s Break Room Mural

Last year, IPMM had the amazing opportunity to work with PepsiCo on a mural for their new offices at the Historic Old Post Office Building in Chicago. PepsiCo is an internationally known company that puts its employees first, while creating high-quality products that put it at the front of its field, such as Pepsi soda.

PepsiCo wanted to create a mural that embraced its multicultural Chicago team and brought its commitment to the Chicago community to life. They conducted research with their team, asking what cultural backgrounds everyone originated from and how they saw that community reflected in Chicago. We then worked with amazing Chicago artists Sam Kirk and Ruben Aguirre to weave those cultural stories and Chicago icons into a mural design. The finished project is bright and welcoming, perfect for the break room, where employees congregate, chat, and have lunch.

The IPMM x PepsiCo mural is a great example of a company living their values. PepsiCo can connect with employees, show them they’re appreciated, and give back to the community. IPMM uses every cent of each office mural commission to fund high-quality, no-cost arts programming for Chicago Public Schools. Our office murals are an investment in your company, as well as in the future of the Chicago creative community.

Learn more about our custom mural program and how to set up a totally FREE consultation call with our team. Be sure to subscribe to our email newsletter to receive another free bonus: a downloadable PDF guide to commissioning your own workplace mural or other large-scale commission.