Allen Tate —
Sports Partner Marketing
Team Partnership Campaigns | Digital Design + Event Support
Role: Graphic Designer | Year: 2023-2024
Overview
Allen Tate’s Sports Partner Marketing campaigns leveraged strategic partnerships with powerhouse athletic programs with the Carolina Panthers, UNC Tar Heels, Clemson Tigers, and App State Mountaineers, to boost brand awareness and community engagement. As the lead designer for these campaigns, I created a variety of digital and social media assets that aligned with each team’s visual identity and Allen Tate’s core branding. I also supported physical activation events that aimed to convert fan enthusiasm into client engagement.
Objectives:
To design and deliver a high-energy collection of marketing assets that:
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Highlighted Allen Tate’s regional presence through team partnerships
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Engaged fans on digital platforms before, during, and after key games
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Maintained visual cohesion between Allen Tate’s brand and each team’s unique identity
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Supported live event activations and giveaway campaigns
Research & Strategy
This campaign required a multifaceted strategy that honored both the emotional loyalty of sports fandom and the professional tone of Allen Tate’s real estate brand. Each team partnership came with a unique audience, tone, and seasonal rhythm. My objective was to translate those identities into cohesive digital and social media assets that engaged fans while staying true to Allen Tate’s visual language.
Multi-Brand Cohesion & Adaptability:
Each team had strict brand guidelines, from official PMS colors to logo placement rules. Part of my early research involved thoroughly reviewing these materials and determining how Allen Tate’s red-and-blue visual identity could be thoughtfully paired with each team’s palette without clashing or appearing visually diluted. I developed adaptable design systems that could be quickly customized across school or franchise identities, while keeping the layout and brand hierarchy intact.
Fan Behavior & Platform Timing:
Most fan interaction with these graphics happened during game weeks when engagement spikes. We studied social metrics and audience insights to determine optimal post timing, asset sizing, and tone of voice. I prioritized mobile-first formats and scannable content, using bold headlines, team-specific phrasing, and dynamic layouts that stood out in fast-paced feeds.
Emotion-Driven Visual Language:
Sports fans are emotionally driven, and the visual tone had to reflect that excitement without becoming chaotic or overly casual. The strategy emphasized high-energy layouts with layered motion-style graphics, action photography (when available), and strong team-first language paired subtly with Allen Tate’s call-to-actions or presence as a proud partner.
Activation Support & Engagement Funnel:
In-person activation events were an important part of the strategy. Whether at tailgates, games, or sponsored fan zones, Allen Tate needed assets that created visual synergy between physical presence and digital marketing. Branded signs, backdrops, QR code touchpoints, and giveaway prompts were all designed to create a smooth experience from on-site interaction to digital follow-up. These were often paired with pre-event posts and post-event recaps to extend visibility and encourage shares from attendees.
Internal Collaboration & Agent Enablement:
Because many Allen Tate agents wanted to promote the partnerships on their personal pages, we also built a library of co-branded assets they could easily share, customized by team, formatted for Facebook or Instagram, and pre-loaded with compliant messaging. Feedback loops with internal marketing leads helped refine which content types were most used and most successful.
Target Audience & Personas
Designing for sports marketing meant tapping into emotion, loyalty, and regional identity. By identifying key audience types, from die-hard fans to agents looking to celebrate their favorite teams, I was able to tailor graphics that energized followers while strategically reinforcing the Allen Tate brand.
1. The Passionate Fan
Demographic: Ages 18–55, deeply loyal to their team, follows game-day content closely
Needs: Team-branded visuals, strong emotional resonance
Design Consideration: Team colors and slogans, hype-style graphics, gameday countdowns
2. The Allen Tate Agent Advocate
Demographic: Company agents looking to localize their marketing
Needs: Shareable and customizable social assets to promote partnerships
Design Consideration: Co-branded templates, drag-and-drop ease, team-specific options
1. Conceptualization
The conceptualization phase is the foundation of the entire design process. It involves understanding the goals of the partnership, the target audience, and the overall message we want to convey. This phase is broken down into two key steps: Discovery & Brand Alignment and Visual Concept Development.
1.1 Discovery & Brand Alignment
This initial step is crucial for ensuring that all visual assets accurately represent both Allen Tate and the respective sports team. It involves a thorough review of each entity's branding guidelines.
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Team Branding Review: This includes a detailed examination of the sports team's official branding elements, such as logos, color palettes, typography, and any established "fan language" or slogans. Understanding these elements is crucial for creating visuals that resonate with the team's fanbase.
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Allen Tate Brand Standards Review: This involves revisiting Allen Tate's brand guidelines to identify areas of overlap in tone, style, and messaging. The goal is to find common ground that allows for a seamless integration of both brands. This includes understanding Allen Tate's core values, target audience, and preferred visual communication style.
The outcome of this step is a clear understanding of the visual boundaries and opportunities for creative expression within the context of the partnership.
1.2 Visual Concept Development
With a solid understanding of the brand guidelines, the next step is to develop visual concepts that capture the essence of the partnership. This involves brainstorming, moodboarding, and the creation of a core visual system.
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Moodboarding: This involves creating visual collages that combine sports photography, motion-style overlays, and clean real estate graphics. The purpose of moodboarding is to explore different visual directions and identify elements that effectively communicate the partnership's message.
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Core Visual System Development: This is the creation of a flexible visual framework that can be adapted across different sports teams while maintaining Allen Tate's brand identity. This system should include guidelines for typography, color usage, imagery, and overall layout. The goal is to create a consistent and recognizable visual language that reinforces the partnership's message.
The outcome of this step is a set of well-defined visual concepts that serve as the blueprint for the asset production phase.
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2. Asset Planning
Before diving into the actual design work, it's essential to plan out the specific assets that will be created. This involves identifying the different platforms and channels where the assets will be used, as well as the specific goals and objectives for each asset.
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Asset Inventory: Determine all the assets needed for the campaign. This could include social media graphics, digital ads, event visuals, and agent tools.
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Platform Specifications: Research the technical specifications for each platform (e.g., social media image sizes, ad banner dimensions).
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Content Calendar Integration: Align asset creation with the overall content calendar to ensure timely delivery and consistent messaging.
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3. Execution
The execution phase is where the visual concepts are brought to life through the creation of various assets. This involves using design software and tools to produce high-quality visuals that meet the specifications outlined in the asset planning phase.
Assets Designed
The following are examples of the types of assets that are typically designed for Allen Tate's Sports Partner Marketing initiatives:
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Social Graphics: These are visuals designed for use on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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Digital Ads: These are online advertisements designed to promote Allen Tate's services and the sports partnership.
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Event Visuals: These are large-format visuals designed for use at live events and fan activations.
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Agent Tools: These are resources designed to help Allen Tate agents promote the sports partnership and engage with their clients.
Responsiveness and Optimization
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All assets are built with responsiveness in mind, ensuring they look great on all devices, especially mobile. This involves using responsive design techniques and optimizing images for web use.
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Mobile-First Approach: Design assets with mobile devices as the primary viewing platform.
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Image Optimization: Compress images to reduce file size without sacrificing quality.
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Responsive Design: Use flexible layouts and media queries to adapt assets to different screen sizes.
By following this comprehensive graphic design process, Allen Tate can effectively leverage its sports partnerships to enhance brand awareness, engage with fans, and drive business growth. The emphasis on brand alignment, visual consistency, and responsiveness ensures that all visual assets contribute to a cohesive and impactful marketing strategy.
Outcomes:
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Boosted fan engagement and increased visibility for Allen Tate across college and NFL markets
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Strengthened agent morale and promotional opportunities through shareable co-branded content
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Supported physical activation events that captured leads and promoted customer interaction
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Built positive brand association through excitement and community presence
Reflections:
This campaign pushed me to think strategically about multi-brand cohesion while remaining creatively flexible. I loved designing for such passionate audiences and seeing how sports energy could be translated into successful brand storytelling, both on screen and in person.
