WNBA Rebrand

Twenty years after its founding, the world’s greatest women’s basketball league was struggling to grow. Even as WNBA players found themselves at the center of conversations around identity, gender and sexuality, tickets went unsold and the league wasn’t leveraging the interest and momentum that was gaining off the court. By leveraging WNBA’s mission of β€œinspiring and empowering women”, we created a lifestyle brand that emphasizes the league’s role in culture and makes space for players and fans to own who they are on and off the court.

 

Client: WNBA / Sylvain Group
Role: Creative Director
Team: Sylvain Group, Red Hook Labs, John Clark, Amy Globus, Samantha Kassay, Devin Sager, Nicole Wang, Aida ElBaradei, Christelle de Castro, Cole Nielsen, Hawa Arsala; Hannah Jegart

 
β€œWe identified a new design target of socially active, culturally engaged, and deeply influential millennial women of color and their allies. The entire process was centered around this target as well as WNBA players, involving them in every step, from defining new operating structures and revenue streams to informing the identity evolution.”
 
β€œFrom social content series to a special portraiture collaboration with Red Hook Labs to the iconic Orange Hoodie and apparel collaborations, our work laid the foundation for an entirely new way for the league to show up in culture in meaningful and trendsetting ways. ”
β€œThe WNBA continues to build on the momentum seen since the rebrand. The brand not only looks different, but they now act and operate differently. Mainstream sentiment has dramatically shifted, including mass acclaim for the league’s leadership in racial and social equity conversations.”