College Athletics Branding
Brand identity, sports design, and creative direction for college athletic departments, conferences, and the programs their fans love.
Since 2006, T/A Martin Studio has helped college athletics programs define who they are and show it everywhere: on the court, in the stands, on social, and on the shelf. From a full athletic department rebrand for Transylvania University to a decade of award-winning season campaigns for Eastern Kentucky University, our work is grounded in research and built to last. We bring the same approach to high school athletic programs, and to the student-athletes building their own brands.
Every engagement is led directly by Creative Director Adam Martin, a graphic design graduate of Eastern Kentucky University with two decades in the sports business. You get senior creative attention from kickoff to launch, backed by a trusted network of specialists that scales to fit your program.
Selected College Work
What We Do for Athletic Departments
research + strategy
›› Stakeholder Interviews
›› Focus Groups & Surveys
›› Brand Positioning
›› Brand Architecture
›› Mascot & Naming Direction
identity systems
›› Mascot & Spirit Marks
›› Custom Lettermarks
›› Bespoke Typography
›› Illustration
›› Brand Guidelines
campaigns + content
›› Schedule Posters
›› Social Media Graphics
›› Key Art & Photo Illustration
›› Art Direction
›› Copywriting
rollout
›› Signage & Environmental
›› Print Collateral
›› Digital & Broadcast Assets
›› Brand Launch Support
›› Creative Direction
How a Rebrand Comes Together
Discover
We start by listening. Research, surveys, and focus groups with student-athletes, coaches, staff, students, and alumni uncover what your program stands for and what your community already believes about it.
Define
Findings become a clear brand strategy that leadership can rally behind: positioning, personality, and the big decisions, like which mascot or symbol truly belongs to your school.
Design
We build a complete identity system: primary and secondary marks, custom lettering and typography, and the illustration and graphic language that make every sport instantly recognizable.
Deliver
Detailed brand guidelines and production-ready files carry the identity across uniforms, apparel, facilities, print, digital, and broadcast, so it launches strong and stays consistent.
Case in point: after months of research and focus groups, Transylvania's leadership chose not to use a gendered human mascot for the Pioneers. Instead, the university embraced its own name, and the studio created a vampire bat identity system with custom lettermarks, a tertiary mark, and a detailed brand style guide. See the Transylvania case study.
Recognition
- Clio Sports Awards, Shortlist
- PRINT Magazine Regional Design Annual
- CoSIDA Publications Awards
- Graphic Design USA Awards
- American Advertising Awards (ADDYs)
- Apple Podcasts New & Noteworthy (Makers of Sport®)
College Sports Experience
- NCAA
- Southeastern Conference
- PacWest Conference
- Kentucky Wildcats
- Tennessee Volunteers
- Arizona Wildcats
- Texas Longhorns
- Florida State Seminoles
- Boston College Eagles
- Eastern Kentucky Colonels
- Duquesne Dukes
- Morehead State Eagles
- Transylvania Pioneers
- Marymount Saints
- Learfield IMG College
- JMI Sports
- The John Wooden Award
- Intercollegiate Men's Lacrosse Coaches Association
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a college athletics rebrand include?
A full rebrand typically covers research and stakeholder input, brand strategy, a complete identity system (primary, secondary, and spirit marks, custom lettering, and typography), and detailed brand guidelines. Many programs also add launch campaigns, apparel, signage, and digital assets.
Do you work with schools outside of Kentucky?
Yes. T/A Martin Studio is based in Lexington, Kentucky and works with athletic departments, conferences, and sports properties across the country.
Do you work with high school athletic programs?
Yes. High schools go through the same big decisions as colleges, like a new mascot, an updated logo, or a consistent look across every sport, and we scale the process and deliverables to fit a school's budget and timeline.
Do you respond to RFPs?
Yes. We regularly partner with athletic departments, marketing offices, and procurement teams through formal RFP and bid processes, as well as direct engagements.
Who will actually work on our brand?
Your project is led directly by Creative Director Adam Martin, supported by a trusted network of specialists. You work with senior creative talent from kickoff to launch, never handed off to a junior team.
Planning a rebrand or putting together an RFP? Let's talk.
New Business: newbiz@tamartin.studio