- 'You come for the food. You return for Bonnie.'
Creative Boom · Mar 23, 2026
In this reflective essay, Kathryn Farwell, Head of Client Experience at Athletics, draws parallels between hospitality and creative partnerships. Using the story of a veteran Brooklyn waitress named Bonnie, Farwell illustrates how designing the client relationship is as vital as crafting the creative work itself. She argues that intentionality, empathy, and consistency transform client engagements into memorable, long-term partnerships.
- From Symbols to Systems: Designing brands that hold under pressure
Creative Boom · Mar 18, 2026
Creative Boom’s insight article by Daniel Irizarry, creative director at Athletics, explores how modern brand systems must balance structure and flexibility to remain resilient in a fast-changing cultural and technological landscape. Drawing on experiences with clients like Google and Okta, Irizarry argues that strong brands are anchored by a few essential elements and thrive when teams are empowered to adapt creatively. The piece emphasizes experimentation, collaboration, and the importance of defining what’s fixed versus flexible in identity design.
- How Athletics rebuilt the brand of New York’s oldest youth soccer club
The Brand Identity · Jan 21, 2026
Athletics rebranded Sporting Club GJØA, New York’s oldest youth soccer club, creating a modern yet heritage-rooted identity centered on a geometric ship crest. The design honors the club’s Norwegian maritime origins while improving functionality across uniforms, signage, and digital platforms. Photography by North Sea Air and typography by Luzi Type’s Yport complete a system that reflects community pride and continuity.
- Athletics Revamps MoMA Brand for Young Visitors with Interactive Design
The Brand Identity · Jul 29, 2025
Brooklyn-based studio Athletics developed a flexible, tactile brand toolkit for MoMA’s School & Teacher Program to make the museum more engaging for young visitors. The system layers doodles, stickers, and conversational text over MoMA’s established aesthetic, maintaining its identity while introducing playful, approachable elements. The project emphasizes adaptability, allowing educators to easily create materials that resonate with diverse student groups.
- Athletics Designs Flexible Motion System for Nike's North American Docuseries
The Brand Identity · Jul 3, 2025
Athletics developed a flexible motion design system for Nike’s internal North American documentary series, creating a cohesive yet adaptable visual identity across six films. The system used colour-coded sticker tags, custom doodles, and consistent typography to unify diverse stories while maintaining individuality. Collaborating with North Sea Air and Revel, Athletics ensured the system was efficient, adaptable, and true to Nike’s energetic brand DNA.
- "Five Serif Typefaces Redefining Brand Identities"
The Brand Identity · Apr 10, 2025
The article by Poppy Thaxter highlights five serif typefaces—Domaine, GT Alpina, Panama, ABC Gaisyr, and ABC Arizona—that have made a strong impression across recent brand identity projects. It showcases how various studios have applied these fonts in branding for clients across art, hospitality, technology, and culture sectors. The piece emphasizes the expressive and enduring qualities of serif typography in contemporary design.
- "GOCA's New Visual Identity Merges Japanese Script with Infinite Patterns"
It's Nice That · Apr 2, 2025
Athletics designed a new identity for GOCA, a New York gallery dedicated to emerging Asian artists. The system draws inspiration from Japanese Katakana script and uses generative, algorithmic patterns to create an evolving visual language. The identity combines Kobe, GT Alpina, and ES Klarheit typefaces with a neutral, elegant palette and motion elements to reflect the gallery’s dynamic and inclusive mission.
- Athletics Reinvents GOCA’s Identity, Showcases Cross-Cultural Artists
The Brand Identity · Mar 12, 2025
Athletics created a modular, cross-cultural identity for GOCA, a new gallery in New York’s Chelsea district showcasing contemporary Asian art. The design uses a typographic system inspired by Japanese katakana and generative patterns to emphasize flexibility and spotlight the artists. The identity extends across print, signage, and digital applications, reflecting GOCA’s mission to bridge cultures through art.
- Athletics Designs Identity for GOCA, Spotlighting Emerging Asian Art
Creative Boom · Feb 26, 2025
Creative studio Athletics designed the brand identity and digital experience for GOCA, a new gallery in Chelsea, New York, dedicated to emerging Asian artists. The identity blends cultural exchange and digital innovation, featuring a katakana-inspired wordmark and a flexible design system that adapts across physical and digital applications. The project emphasizes an artist-first approach, integrating motion, environmental branding, and editorial storytelling to reflect GOCA’s mission of cultural connection.
- The Freelancers: Julia Miceli Pitta on freedom, flexibility, and facing new challenges in her work
The Brand Identity · Oct 20, 2023 · Interview
The Brand Identity’s interview with Argentine designer Julia Miceli Pitta explores her freelance practice, which spans brand identity, exhibition design, and teaching. She discusses her multidisciplinary approach, global collaborations, and recent projects including a brand identity for Nijad Dance Artists in New York. The conversation highlights her emphasis on flexibility, curiosity, and continuous learning in design.
- How Daly are reinventing PR: we talk to the comms+ agency about their innovative new approach
The Brand Identity · May 22, 2023 · Interview
The Brand Identity interviews New York-based comms+ agency Daly about their reinvention of traditional PR practices. Founder Alex Daly and Managing Director Ally Bruschi discuss their shift to a holistic 'comms+' model, their work with design studios like Pentagram and Athletics, and how they help creative clients build sustained visibility through strategic storytelling and newsletters. The piece highlights Daly’s evolution from crowdfunding consultancy to a full-service communications partner for design-led brands.
- The Designers: Athletics’ Boyang Xia reflects on his key industry insights and project highlights
The Brand Identity · Mar 23, 2023 · Interview
The Brand Identity’s interview with Athletics designer Boyang Xia explores his career journey, creative philosophy, and key projects. Xia discusses joining the New York studio, co-founding the bilingual publication Little Sound, and designing a book cover for his favorite Chinese writer, Wang Xiaobo. The conversation highlights his emphasis on experimentation, collaboration, and cultural exchange in design practice.
- Athletics' personable identity for Citrix provides the software giant with the 'space to succeed'
The Brand Identity · Nov 4, 2020
Athletics created a personable new brand identity for Citrix, repositioning the software giant as a strategic partner focused on employee experience. The rebrand centers on a human, approachable wordmark and uses Public Sans, soft illustrations by Matt Blease, and collaborations with studios like CATK, Buck, and Huge to express the brand’s new strategic premise: 'the space to succeed.'
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