A team of four FIT students who dubbed themselves Team Quicksnap took top prize for their winning design system in the NFLxFIT contest, announced at an event at FIT on Tuesday, April 18.
The National Football League (NFL) and FIT partnered more than eight months ago to challenge 25 students from 11 different programs minoring in Creative Technology to reimagine the 32 NFL team identities, including artwork and graphics inspired by the teams’ logos and fan cultures. The new graphic elements and branding treatments will be used on NFL merchandise this coming season.
Team Quicksnap’s shape analysis resulted in organic patterns that amplify the visual dynamics embedded within the original NFL logo designs. The most important visual elements within each logo were uncovered through an experimental process of deconstruction and reconstruction of lines and shapes. The final creative outcomes are bold, expressive, and original.
The winning team’s members are: Wing-Sze Ho (second semester, BFA, Graphic Design); Eun Su Yoo (eighth semester, BFA, Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design); Arpi Dayian (second semester, AAS, Interior Design); and Iwona Usakiewicz (eighth semester, BFA, Advertising Design/Creative Technology Minor). Students from all six teams attended the event, walked the red carpet, and had their photos taken with New York Giants’ wide receiver Sterling Shepard and New York Giants’ defensive end Romeo Okwara. The work of all six teams is on view at Gallery FIT through April 29.
The NFL judging panel comprising executives from several NFL departments, selected the two finalists ― “Team Quicksnap” and “Team Sundrae” ― based on four categories applicable to the design of all NFL teams’ visual identities: innovation and creativity, adaptability, brand authenticity, and cohesiveness.
One additional prize was awarded to the “People’s Choice” winning team – a recognition that was voted on by the public at NFLxFIT.info from April 3 – 10. The People’s Choice voting drew 37,000 views, with 10,000 votes cast. Team Blitz ― inspired by one of the most iconic motions in sports, the spiral of a football flying through the air ― won with 2,610 votes.
Added incentives for the competition were monetary prizes in the following amounts: Grand Prize, $15,000; Second Place, $5,000; and People’s Choice, $5,000.
“It is your hard work, your talent, that pulled us all together here, and that’s what I want you to take away from this competition,” said C.J. Yeh, professor and assistant chair, Communication Design, who, along with Christie Shin, assistant professor, Communication Design, led the project.
