TORONTO RAPTORS
A collection of commercial and self-initiated projects applying the team’s brand system across a range of creative executions.
Hooper to Hooper
Discipline
Initiative Branding
Client
Toronto Raptors
Duration
2 Weeks
Role
Art Direction, Logo Design, Promotional Assets
Brief
The Toronto Raptors launched Hooper to Hooper, an initiative celebrating community players returning to neighbourhood basketball courts across Toronto. Set against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the series aimed to capture the emotions and shared experiences of reconnecting through the game.
To support the launch of the initiative as a social media series, a logomark was needed to establish a recognizable visual identity that aligned with the team’s existing brand system.
Challenge
How can a logomark reflect the recognizable elements of a basketball court while remaining consistent with the Toronto Raptors’ established brand identity?
Result
The logomark was developed using the team’s key art, typography, and colour palette, reinterpreted to visually reference a basketball net. Drawing inspiration from the raw, utilitarian nature of outdoor courts, the mark reflects the character of local neighbourhood play while remaining consistent with the team’s established brand.
This approach allowed the identity to feel approachable and familiar, bridging the energy of professional basketball with the local environments.
Small Ball 5
Discipline
Poster Design
Context
Art Direction Exploration
Duration
1 Week
Role
Art Direction, Layout Design
A tribute created for the main starting lineup of the 2020-21 Toronto Raptors.
The basketball team’s social media used an advertising of street, sticker and paper styling to introduce their new players at the time. The inspiration was to apply that same style but for the starting lineup of the team. The series applies the Raptors’ brand colours, imagery, taglines and other recognizable elements that would appeal to the fans of the team.
Experimental Wordmark Poster
Discipline
Poster Design
Context
Experimental Typography
Duration
1 Week
Role
Layout Design
A typography poster that utilizes various wordmark logos revolving around the Raptors’ Tampa Bay 2020-21 opening day roster.
The wordmarks were based on a player’s characteristics while others were created out of experiment. Although they’re all different, they cohesively fit together to create unity with its variety. Different fonts, quirks and easter eggs can be found for Raptors fans to spot out.
Disclaimer: Some images and fonts belong to the NBA, the Toronto Raptors organization and other respective owners.