NFLxFIT: A Symphony of Shapes

Unifying Diverse Brands through Innovative Visual System Design

Designed by C.J. Yeh and Christie Shin, the NFLxFIT visual system was created for the NFLxFIT Visual Identity Design Exhibition and Award Ceremony. The primary mark, "shield x dot," was inspired by the logos of the two collaborating brands, NFL and FIT. The secondary element, a grey pattern, was composed of iconic shapes extracted from all 32 NFL team logos. The core design concept was to create a sophisticated unification of the visual identity from all organizations involved through a symphony of shapes.

The NFLxFIT Design Competition was a National Football League sponsored education program. Through a year-long workshop and lecture series leading up to the creation of the final designs, this contest provided FIT students with an opportunity to learn from industry professionals, apply their creativity to real-world design projects, and gain international exposure. The visual system was applied to all visual communications, ranging from outdoor signage to napkins used at the gala night.

The visual design was realized using Adobe CC software programs, and the AR app was built using Arilyn and Unity. The design system was applied to both digital and physical materials, creating an immersive experience for visitors of the event gala night. The project started in January 2017 and was completed in April 2017.

The design process involved extensive research and collaboration between the FIT's Communication and External Relations office, NFL's Marketing Department, and Cynda Media Lab. The biggest challenge was defining a visual concept that could connect all parties, given that NFL and FIT have completely different brand identities, and each of the 32 NFL clubs also has its own visual system.

The primary visual element in this design system, "shield x dot," was inspired by the logos of the two main brands, the National Football League (NFL) and the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). The secondary element, a grey pattern, consists of iconic shapes extracted from all 32 NFL team logos. The core design concept was to create a sophisticated unification of the visual identity from all organizations involved through a symphony of shapes.

This Design was awarded Silver in A' Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design Award in 2018. Silver A' Design Award is rewarded to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that illustrate outstanding expertise and innovation. These designs, admired for their strong technical characteristics and splendid artistic skill, showcase a remarkable level of excellence and introduce positive feelings, amazement, and wonder.