P H I L A D E L P H I A U N I C O R N S Personal Project
The Philadelphia Unicorns are a fictional softball team I created, inspired by the mythical unicorn and its associations with individuality, strength, beauty, and identity. For this project, I wanted to explore how a sports brand could challenge traditional ideas of what an athletic identity is expected to look like.
The visual identity was developed around a soft, androgynous balance. I wanted to avoid leaning too heavily into traditionally masculine or feminine sports branding and instead create something that could exist somewhere between the two. This approach was influenced by the complexities surrounding transgender individuals and women in sports, particularly the conversations around gender, identity, femininity, and athleticism.
The unicorn became a strong symbol for this concept because of its ability to represent individuality and exist outside of conventional expectations. I used the mythical nature of the creature to create a brand that feels playful and approachable while still communicating strength and confidence. The identity combines softer visual elements with the boldness and energy expected from a competitive sports team.
Ultimately, the Philadelphia Unicorns became an exploration of how sports branding can create space for different expressions of gender and identity. Rather than defining femininity or athleticism in one specific way, I wanted the brand to embrace the idea that strength can be expressed through softness, individuality, and self-expression.
Legibility was a key consideration throughout the identity, particularly within the typography. I wanted the type to feel distinctive and expressive while remaining clear and functional across different applications, from uniforms to promotional materials. The typography helps establish the team’s personality without compromising readability.
Purple became the primary color to represent the fantasy and mythology associated with unicorns while also reinforcing the project’s exploration of gender. The combination of purple, expressive typography, and softer visual elements creates a brand that feels both strong and approachable without leaning entirely masculine or feminine.
The social media system brings the Philadelphia Unicorns’ branding together through a consistent visual language across digital content. I carried the same typography, purple color palette, and balance of soft and bold elements into each post to create a recognizable and cohesive presence. The layouts were designed to keep information legible while still allowing the personality of the brand to come through. By combining promotional graphics, team-focused content, and engaging visual elements, the social media identity extends the Philadelphia Unicorns brand beyond uniforms and print applications and creates a consistent experience across the team’s digital presence.
The Philadelphia Unicorns identity brings together mythology, gender, and athletics through a cohesive and approachable visual system. By balancing expressive typography with a strong focus on legibility, a purple-centered color palette, and a soft yet confident aesthetic, the branding challenges traditional expectations of sports design. Extending these elements into social media creates a consistent identity across both physical and digital applications. Ultimately, the project demonstrates how thoughtful branding can communicate a deeper concept while remaining functional, recognizable, and engaging.