Athletic Brand Pursuit | Deloitte

THE CHALLENGE:

Deloitte was pursuing a major engagement with one of the world's most recognized athletic brands. The proposal needed to stand out in a highly competitive field while navigating strict brand guidelines and security protocols.

Role: 

Art Director, Lead Illustrator
Team: Managed 3 designers
Client: Global athletic brand (Fortune 500)

Key constraints:

• Multiple executive stakeholders with competing priorities
• High scrutiny and approval process
• Competitor firms likely using the client's standard brand assets
• Need for visual differentiation without compromising professionalism

The Strategy

Rather than rely on stock imagery or the client's provided brand library, I recommended an all-custom illustration approach.

Why illustrations:

• Complete control over IP and security
• Visual differentiation from competitors using standard assets
• Flexibility to iterate quickly through approval cycles
• Cohesive visual language across all deliverables
• Ability to represent concepts not available in stock photography

The Work

As Art Director, I:

• Led creative direction for the entire proposal
• Created 40+ custom illustrations depicting athletes, movement, and performance
• Managed a team of 3 designers handling layout and production
• Navigated approval through multiple layers of Deloitte and client leadership
• Delivered final presentation materials on aggressive timeline

Illustration approach:

• Clean line work with selective color accents
• Focus on movement, athleticism, and human form
• Grayscale foundation with strategic pops of brand color
• Versatile assets that worked across proposal sections

THE RESULT:

A visually distinctive proposal that stood apart from competitor submissions through custom illustration work that communicated both strategic thinking and creative execution.

Note: All client identifying information removed due to confidentiality agreements.
Original proposal materials are property of Deloitte Consulting.