Overview
The Ursinus Bears Athletic Club (UBAC) serves as the primary fundraising arm for Ursinus College Athletics. I was brought on as a Contract Designer to develop a comprehensive brand identity system from the ground up. The goal was to move away from fragmented visuals and create a cohesive, professional identity that would inspire donor confidence and drive fundraising efforts across all athletic programs.
The Challenge
Despite a storied athletic history, the Athletic Club lacked a distinct visual voice. Fundraising materials were often inconsistent, making it difficult for the club to stand out as a premier organization. My challenge was to build a system that respected the existing Ursinus College "Bears" legacy while creating a premium, "club-level" aesthetic that felt exclusive to donors and supporters.
The Strategy
The strategy focused on Identity & Incentivization. To increase donor engagement, the brand needed to feel official, prestigious, and high-energy.
Unified Visual Language: Developed a core identity that integrated seamlessly with the college’s primary marks but added "Athletic Club" specific typography and graphic elements.
Fundraising Narrative: Designed materials that didn't just ask for money, but showcased the impact of donations on student-athletes, creating a stronger emotional connection for alumni.
Scalability: Built a toolkit that could be applied to everything from high-end gala invitations to stadium banners and digital newsletters.
The Solution
I delivered a full brand identity system and a suite of high-impact marketing materials:
New Brand Identity System: Defined the typography, color palette, and logo lockups specifically for the UBAC.
Fundraising Brochures: Created multi-page "Case for Support" booklets featuring bold photography and clean data visualizations to explain membership tiers and impact.
Donor Outreach Materials: Designed cohesive direct mail campaigns, digital solicitation graphics, and annual giving reports.
The Results
The new brand identity provided the Ursinus Bears Athletic Club with a professional, "varsity" feel that successfully elevated its public profile. By standardizing the visual system, the club was able to launch more frequent and targeted fundraising campaigns, resulting in a more streamlined donor experience and a professionalized image for Ursinus Athletics.