USC Upstate Spartans Billboard

[fiasco!]

I was given the opportunity to design the first campaign for USC Upstate's move to NCAA Division I athletics, featuring their Men's Basketball program. Hopefully the campaign will put some butts in the seats.

Props go out to p.stic for creating the jersey fabric tutorial. The school loves the design, and it is in the process of receiving approval from the board.

[pcgd]

Looks great!

The only thing I notice right away is both players are in similar pose. You may have been limited in the photos you had, but if you had a picture of someone taking a jump shot on the left, it might look a bit better.

And if they have a dark background version for their logo too, kinda gets lost.

[patsox]

If this is a billboard, it may end up being kind of hard to actually distinguish the jersey pattern from the road.

[gordie_delini]

I agree with Pat about the players being in the same pose - otherwise it's another good one, joel

[pcgd]

If this is a billboard, it may end up being kind of hard to actually distinguish the jersey pattern from the road.

Completely disagree.

As someone who has designed billboards in the past, these are the kind of things that draw attention. You're goal always is make an impact in less than 5 seconds, hence why the general rule is to have less than 8 words on a billboard.

But having little things like this draw interest. You may not notice it the first time, you may notice the players and the tagline. The second time you're curious who they are, and oh sweet, it looks like a jersey! What's that webpage again? Obviously this isn't a billboard for a tourist. Its trying to get the locals excited about the local college making the leap to D1, therefore, repeat passers.

What this all boils down to is, are you better off with this design having a solid green background?

Absolutely not.

[fiasco!]

This board was my first proof:

But they came back and wanted to take the guy on the left off and put the coaches son on there, so my hands were tied with not just that, but the fact that they wanted to show diversity, hence a black player and a white player being on the billboard. I thought that showing an offensive move (a drive to the basket) and a defensive move (the potential blocked shot) against a good Kentucky team would gather interest, but like I said, my hands were tied with what images they wanted on there. They also requested that I reverse the colors in the logo, though I don't agree with the decision, that's their call. All in all, I think it turned out pretty nice.

[pcgd]

This board was my first proof:

But they came back and wanted to take the guy on the left off and put the coaches son on there, so my hands were tied with not just that, but the fact that they wanted to show diversity, hence a black player and a white player being on the billboard. I thought that showing an offensive move (a drive to the basket) and a defensive move (the potential blocked shot) against a good Kentucky team would gather interest, but like I said, my hands were tied with what images they wanted on there. They also requested that I reverse the colors in the logo, though I don't agree with the decision, that's their call. All in all, I think it turned out pretty nice.

Yeah, your initial design looks a bit better as far as the photos, but as I figured, your hands were tied because of photos.

I actually ment the spartan Head as far as blending into the background. I think you're ok on the text logo either way.

[fiasco!]

Just got an email from the client.

Okay?we are close.

Please move the action shot on the left to the right side and replace the one on the left with the attached picture.

Drop the A-Sun Logo to the bottom corner as well as the Spartan helmet. Make the Spartan helmet in black and white only.

Please return the colors of the logo in USC Upstate Spartans to the original way you had it.

Can we somehow outline the words in Flying High in Division I?

Thanks Joel!

Changes coming as soon as I can clip this damn image. I'm getting tired of clipping out backgrounds!

[fiasco!]

...and the current set of revisions.

[-kj]

The bottom has a weird balance with the Spartan helmet. Otherwise, I do like the pictures and the arrangement better.

Is having the UK and Nike swoosh in there a bad thing? Would it be a PITA to edit them out?

[HarperK]

I don't get the "Flying High" reference... I could see if the team was nicknames the Eagles or something that could, well, fly.

[koizim]

FOR SPARTAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Davidson]

the type on all the iterations is very awkward.

its too close to being centre aligned to not be, and too far from that to look like its intentionally positioned otherwise.

id make some of the text smaller and justify the whole lot to the centre.

do you have to use impact? perhaps even if it were italicised it would look better in teh context of the logo?

i dont mean these things as harsh criticism as i know how these things tend to get the old committe design treatment

but i think it all looks a bit of ballance at the moment.

[fiasco!]

Thanks for the suggestions, Fraser. I hope this works better, just sent it to the client.

Yes, I have to use Impact, unfortunately.

Oh yeah, I got rid of the UK and Nike logos just for you, Kevin.

[hrivnak]

That last design is a big improvement. I like it a lot.

[fiasco!]

That last design is a big improvement. I like it a lot.

Hopefully there are no more changes, I just got this reply from the client.

This looks AMAZING!!!!!!! I am running it past Mike right now, I think this is the ONE!!!!

Katie J. Pate

Director of Athletics Marketing and Promotions

University of South Carolina Upstate

[Korkie]

The last one is the best. I honestly did not see the logo in any of the previous versions.

[Davidson]

way better bro. a lot more ballanced. impact looks better on the skew too.

Thanks for the suggestions, Fraser. I hope this works better, just sent it to the client.

Yes, I have to use Impact, unfortunately.

Oh yeah, I got rid of the UK and Nike logos just for you, Kevin.

[patsox]

The latest one is by far the best Great work on that.

[SG30]

WOW. Great work! The newest one is by far the best.