This year’s Tokyo Olympics taught us a few invaluable lessons. We learned, or perhaps we were reminded, that table tennis is a surprisingly entertaining sport. We discovered that denim jackets are a questionable fashion statement for a closing Olympic ceremony. And most importantly, we were reminded to look at the story behind each athlete.
As world renown gymnast Simone Biles voluntarily stepped down from competing for the U.S. gymnastics team, the sports world found itself at a crossroads-one where sports and mental health inevitably collided. Simone’s withdrawal was a reminder that the character and story behind an athlete is just as important, if not more important, than the sport itself. An athlete’s playbook isn’t just a list of statistics and achievements. It’s a story waiting to be told.
Having worked with professional athletes ourselves, we know a thing or two about showcasing personalities beyond professions. So, we took a look at our portfolio and highlighted some of our favorite sports clients to date: Blake Griffin, A’ja Wilson, Kevin Durant, and Simone Manuel. Aside from being standout Olympians with killer statistics to show for it, our experts worked with each of these athletes to bring their off-the-court personalities to life.
Blake Griffin
You may recognize the name from when he was dominating the Western conference with the Los Angeles Clippers. Or perhaps you recently caught him powering the paint for the Brooklyn Nets. Or maybe he’s made you laugh in one of the infamous Kia commercials. Whatever the case may be, chances are you’ve caught a glimpse of this NBA superstar’s talent both on and off the court. A natural born leader, Blake is hilarious, quirky, and likes to think outside of the box.
Project Objective
So often, athletes tend to get pigeonholed into being one dimensional: a basketball player, a football player, a gymnast, etc. The objective of this project was to show a different side to Blake Griffin-one that would allow fans to see him in a new, more dynamic light. To showcase his quirky personality, our team of digital experts collaborated to create Blake a personalized, multi-faceted website.
Results
Through various media including video, images, and catchy copy, Blake Griffin’s personalized website was created to be as attention-grabbing as his eccentric “five side” personality. To reflect these different characteristics, we built five completely custom photoshoots and sets built with specific UI/UX interactive elements in mind. From strategizing unique elements within UI/UX to creating an interactive web design, our experts created a custom social media plan for Blake’s personal Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter regarding the site’s launch. Imagination knows no bounds here.
A’ja Wilson
Equal parts talented as she is a role model, A’ja is a WNBA All-Star and Olympian with a heart for social change and philanthropy. The A’ja Wilson Foundation, a foundation dedicated to funding children who struggle with dyslexia and bullying, is a testament to A’ja’s heart both on and off the court. Now, it was our job to bring that personality to life.
Project Objective
A’ja’s athletic capabilities are well-known to her fans, but the personality behind the player was missing. So, our creative experts collaborated to curate an interactive website that would fully showcase the best of A’ja’s worlds, both as an individual and as a professional basketball player.
Results
To bring A’ja’s personality to life, our digital deep divers created an interactive website with a 360˚image of A’ja on the homepage for a stop-motion styled photo shoot-a literal and figurative representation of A’ja’s many different sides. Our team of experts also designed the site navigation, background elements, loading animation, and menu to reflect the curvatures of A’ja’s logo for a cohesive look and feel with her brand and personality. Her stunning website was also recently featured on DesignRush.
Kevin Durant
If you haven’t already heard the name, let us introduce you to this NBA superstar. Currently a power-house for the Brooklyn Nets, Kevin Durant, more affectionately known as “KD,” was the youngest player in NBA history to win a scoring title, has won several MVP and All-Star awards, and currently averages 27 points. You get the gist. The guy is a pro.
Off the court, KD is an ambitious entrepreneur who likes to stay in motion. To help keep his brand consistent, our team worked to create a website for his ongoing ventures, or what he calls Thirty Five Ventures.
Project Objective
KD needed a multi-faceted website to showcase his business endeavours, and we had the solutions. Our team collaborated to create a seamless process to showcase KD’s personality and ambition both on and off the court.
Results
From concept to execution, we created a custom animated website, dynamic feature carousel with video preview on hover, and more engaging mobile experience with added touches of functionality for easier content navigation.
Simone Manuel
Meet Simone Manuel. She’s a remarkably talented swimmer who’s making waves one lap at a time. In 2016, she became the first Black American woman to win an individual Olympic gold medal in swimming. During her time at Stanford, she set multiple NCAA and American records.
And although we may know her statistics, we wanted to learn more about Simone out of the water. Driven by equality and inclusion, Simone is an ambassador for USA Swimming Foundation, Make a Splash, which provides swim lessons to underserved and minority communities as a life-saving tool. Simone is a woman on a mission, and it was time to share her story with the world.
Project Objective
The task for this project was crystal clear. Create a website that not only showcased Simone’s athletic talents and achievements, but also create a platform where people could learn more about her involvement in social change and equality. So, we did what we did best and took our talents to the drawing board.
Results
Through research, strategizing, and ideation, our team created a wave-making website from top to bottom. Video footage, photography, and informative copy all played a role in bringing Simone’s vision to life.