The Cal brand is recognized globally as standing for excellence both in major sports competitions and in the classroom, and as a cultural touchstone in the Bay Area and beyond the borders of the state. The challenge as a brand manager is to protect this well-established brand as we apply it to new channels and an ever-evolving college sports visual landscape.

Cal Athletics switched apparel partners in 2017, transitioning from Nike to Under Armour as the primary provider of uniforms, sideline/practice gear, retail products, and facilities improvements, among other applications. This required an extensive brand refresh process, collaborating with creatives at Under Armour, to update the Cal brand identity, tone, marks, and official athletic gear. The changes we made were intended to evoke a confident, modern-classic college sports feel – a natural fit for California’s flagship public university and an athletics department that has been competing for championships since the late 1800s.

To promote and educate about this relaunched identity, we also created a brand introduction website that explained the changes and showcase the new uniforms of each of Cal’s 30 sports teams.