NickPlay NFL Branding & Styleguide
As part of a postseason expansion, the NFL Playoffs aired for the first time ever on Nickelodeon. The team at Viacom/Nickelodeon approached us to create branding and a style guide that would help the NFL resonate with a new audience during Wild Card weekend. The NickPlay telecast aired simultaneously with the traditional CBS broadcast but needed to feature a completely separate production with kid-friendly overlays. Our designers set out to create a style that could be implemented across Nickelodeon’s digital, social, and traditional broadcast channels, both to promote the game and enhance the viewing experience. The final result is a ridiculously fun look that celebrates football while adding plenty of “Nick Flavor.”
Pointing to the next generation of fans
A classic NFL broadcast features plenty of chrome and high-gloss graphics. Nickelodeon wanted none of that. This needed to be a new look for a new, younger audience. So we emphasized the fun of the game through bright color and eye-popping iconography.
On the sidelines with Slime
Nick was open to a fun mix of 2D and 3D, while incorporating their iconic Slime. For the NickPlay logo, we knew the “Nick” portion would need to be Nick’s logo, and the “NFL” portion would either need to be their shield or stay in simple type.
But that still left us a lot to play around with. And by that, we specifically mean the word PLAY.
Of course, the word also needed to look good slimed.
After coming up with more plays than the Kansas City offense, this was the ultimate big game-winner for the logo. Along with the still asset deliverables, we supplied animation tests to help define the overall motion behavior.
Color Commentary
We used Nickelodeon's orange and green as a jumping-off point to create a playful color palette, unique for a sports broadcast.
Putting the wild into Wild Card
Running with bright colors, we created bubbly and bold 3D iconography for the broadcast and promotional materials.
These promotional graphics needed to serve two purposes: attract young viewers with the kid-friendly visuals, and let audiences know that this would not be like any other NFL broadcast.
The look was also used on Nick's digital and social channels, where they could teach new fans about how the game works.
Gametime
It was a thrill to see this style come to life on a vibrant and truly inventive broadcast. We were blown away by the final product that Nick put together, and we had a blast in the role that we played.
“Can’t thank you and the team enough for the amazing work you put together under crazy circumstances! Please thank your team for me!”
— GIANCARLO BARRERA - SENIOR ART DIRECTOR, NICKELODEON
Press
"What could possibly make an NFL playoff game better? Obviously, 'Nickified' motion graphics courtesy of Atlanta-based creative studio Elevation." - Nickelodeon Teams With Elevation to ‘Nickify’ NFL | Promax - The Daily Brief
“Everything about the game, from graphics to music, had a Nick touch.” - The Nickelodeon NFL Playoff Broadcast Was Weird and Wonderful | Sportscasting
"The Nick broadcast was a hell of a lot of fun, maybe the best experience I've had watching a game this season." - The Bears-Saints Nickelodeon game was goofy -- and the most fun NFL broadcast of the year | ESPN
"The truth, though, is that the broadcast was a revelation for me at the end of a long season" - The Nickelodeon Broadcast Was a Reminder That Football Doesn't Have to Be So Serious | Sports Illustrated
"The NFL on Nick was a hit"- NFL on Nickelodeon: Saints top Bears in Super Wild-Card matchup geared at kid audience | CBS Sports
"Aside from all the in-game drama, viewers were kept on their toes waiting for the next silly antic" - Nickelodeon and Elevation Bring the ‘Wild Card’ in Slime-Filled Broadcast of NFL Playoffs | Little Black Book
"Creative company Elevation worked closely with Nickelodeon to develop the branding for NFL on NickPlay" -Elevation Creates Logo and Branding for ‘NFL on NickPlay’ | Logo Designer
Credits
Client: Nickelodeon
Chief Marketing Officer Nickelodeon + Nick Jr: Jenny Wall
SVP Brand Design Nickelodeon and Nick Jr: Michael Waldron
VP of Animation & Motion Graphics: Kurt Hartman
Senior Art Director: Giancarlo Barrera
Animation Director: Tim Lines
Graphics Manager: Kerry Villamil
Animators: Christian Huthmacher, Hannah Segraves, Chris Stearns, Robert Wallace, Kyllea Kerg, Phil Walton
Designers: Livia Lenhoff, Sara Lee
Branding & Design Company: Elevation
Creative Direction: Stephen Cocks
Executive Producer: Steph Carson
Art Direction: Dianne Frisbee
Designers: David Hendrix, Sean Kiley, Kito Kondowe