After 40 years on the air, ESPN had transitioned from cable upstarts to the establishment of the sporting world. They still offered the best coverage and analysis, but, for the average fan, ESPN wasn't top of mind. They just . . . were. Omnipresent yet forgettable.

We helped them launch a global rebrand with the "Life Needs Sports" campaign, featuring a new tagline, a new design system, and, perhaps most importantly, a new attitude. ESPN needed to double down on the idea that had originally motivated them to build an entire media empire around people throwing balls and swinging sticks: sports are important. Sometimes they help an entire city cope after a tragedy. Sometimes they motivate politcal change. Sometimes they just make us happy on a bad day.

Across all media, we worked to create a simple, immediately identifiable design system, embracing the stark, classic ESPN color palette of red and white. We then dismantled the logo down to just the "E," which has become a common mark in digital applications like app or podcast icons and on social media. The E was stacked and repeated, then inverted, allowing us to overlay portions of the pattern over photography to create unique crops, highlighting elements as needed.