2024 Campaign
A collection of campaign work created to define the Phoenix Mercury’s 2024 season identity across digital, environmental, and fan-facing experiences.
Art Direction
Brand Campaign
Social Media
Large Format
Client
Phoenix Mercury
Industry
Sports / Entertainment
Duration
Seven Months
The 2024 season marked a defining moment for the Phoenix Mercury. With the final season of Diana Taurasi’s legendary career, the team hosting WNBA All-Star Weekend, and unprecedented league-wide attention surrounding women’s basketball, the opportunity was to create a campaign identity that honored the franchise’s history while positioning the team for a new era.
The goal was to evolve the existing visual language by balancing the femininity and confidence of the Mercury brand with the grit, toughness, and rebellious energy that has always defined the team. The result was a flexible campaign system built to celebrate the athletes, amplify the fan experience, and strengthen the connection between the team and its community.
Research and Discovery
The creative process began as a collaborative exploration between the design team, with each designer gathering inspiration, visual references, and early concepts to build a shared creative foundation. I consolidated these explorations into a comprehensive mood board, identifying the strongest visual territories and opportunities for refinement.
During my exploration phase, I focused on developing a more distinctive approach to photography, experimenting with cutouts and masking techniques inspired by physical collage. Rather than treating silhouettes as simple photo treatments, I explored ways the negative space, backgrounds, and layered compositions could become active elements within the design system.
To build a more authentic texture language, I experimented with unconventional methods including using a basketball net dipped in black paint to create organic X-pattern textures on paper. This visual reference connected back to the team’s “X-Factor” fan identity while introducing a more tactile, handcrafted quality.
I also evolved the previous season’s doodle language by creating original hand-drawn marks using my non-dominant hand. The resulting system included arrows, circles, underlines, the team’s inaugural 1997 mark, Camelback Mountain ridgelines, and abstract stadium references. Inspired by coaches drawing plays courtside, these marks were designed to feel urgent, tactical, and full of movement.
After multiple rounds of refinement, feedback, and stakeholder reviews, the team developed a cohesive visual identity that aligned with the season’s business goals while creating a distinct expression of Mercury basketball.
Social Media Graphics
A major component of the campaign lived across social platforms, where graphics needed to generate excitement, create urgency, and build consistent fan experiences throughout the season.
Beyond promoting games and events, the work focused on telling deeper stories around the athletes — positioning players as community leaders, competitors, and cultural figures while reinforcing the Mercury’s identity across every digital touchpoint.
Arena Wings
The arena wing graphics served as the first visual impression for fans approaching the building, covering 20 panes of glass along the exterior facade. Designed to introduce the 2024 campaign language at scale, the installation highlighted key roster additions while establishing the season’s refreshed identity.
The evergreen left wing created a lasting brand statement, while the opposing wing introduced the team’s newest top free-agent acquisitions and set the tone for a new chapter of Mercury basketball.
Pavilion Banners
Located throughout the arena pavilion, these banners became key environmental touchpoints throughout the fan journey. Positioned above the entrance and along the path toward the seating bowl and premium areas, the installations welcomed guests while reinforcing the franchise’s championship legacy.
The championship banners served as both a celebration of the team’s history and a reminder of the role fans play in creating the Mercury’s home-court advantage.
Out-of-Home Campaign
Designed for high-traffic locations throughout Phoenix, the billboard system translated the campaign into a simplified, instantly recognizable format for fans traveling to games or watching broadcasts.
The modular system allowed for efficient updates throughout the season while maintaining a consistent visual language. Each execution prioritized quick comprehension, strong logo recognition, and a clear invitation to engage with the team.
Primary Court Design
The primary court design was created to complement the Mercury’s standard uniform sets while introducing a stronger visual connection to the 2024 campaign.
A two-tone purple treatment wraps the sidelines and baselines, with a large-scale X motif extending onto the hardwood through subtle color blocking and tonal wood staining. The sideline callout, “Home of the X-Factor,” directly celebrates the team’s loyal fanbase while creating a moment visible both inside the arena and across broadcast coverage.
Rebel Uniform Campaign
The Rebel campaign introduced a distinct visual branch of the campaign designed around the team’s alternate uniform identity. This system allowed game-day graphics, experiences, and merchandise to feel connected while maintaining a unique expression separate from the primary campaign.
The goal was to capture the confidence and individuality of the Rebel uniform while creating a recognizable experience for fans.
Social Graphics
The Rebel digital system was designed with flexibility and usability in mind. Many assets were created for handoff to the social and content teams, requiring templates that were intuitive, efficient, and easy to adapt without advanced Photoshop experience.
The result was a toolkit that maintained brand consistency while allowing the content team to quickly produce game-day and promotional graphics.
Retail Collection
The Rebel campaign extended beyond the arena through a retail collection designed to give fans additional ways to participate in the identity.
The merchandise system translated the visual language into wearable products, allowing supporters to represent the team beyond game day.
Rebel Alternate Court
The alternate court design was created to reflect the vibrancy of the Rebel uniforms and the natural colors of Arizona’s sunset landscapes.
A cascading “valley gradient” begins at center court and expands toward the baselines, creating a dynamic transition between color and negative space. From above, the gradient forms an X shape — a subtle reference to the Mercury’s “X-Factor” fan identity and the connection between the team and its supporters.
