Sammy The Sounder
During the 2024 season, the Seattle Sounders FC celebrated their 50th anniversary. As part of this milestone, the organization released a limited edition "throwback" bobblehead. Our team was responsible for directing and executing the launch announcement for this collectible. From the photoshoot to the final graphics, our approach was inspired by a vintage look that evoked a nostalgic, old-school aesthetic, perfectly aligning with the commemorative nature of the bobblehead.
CLIENT
Seattle Sounders
ROLE
Art Director
YEAR
2024
TYPE
Promo Campaign
Strategic Approach
🎯 OBJECTIVE
Create a nostalgic connection that resonates with longtime fans and drives higher game attendance.
Develop fan-centric visuals that appeal to both die-hard supporters and a newer audience of collectors and casual fans discovering the team for the first time.
⚡CHALLENGE
Extremely limited timeline: We had 72 hours to complete the photoshoot, build the creative assets, and prepare all deliverables for promo channels.
Zero additional budget: The project required high-impact creative results using only in-house production. This meant repurposing existing props and materials from our archive and finding resourceful ways to elevate the overall aesthetic without external vendors.
🚀 APPROACH
Leaned fully into nostalgia-driven visuals to capture an authentic throwback look and feel that matched the theme of the release.
Built mood boards referencing vintage styling, textures, and visual cues—expanding beyond the product itself to evoke an emotional, era-specific connection.
Partnered closely with our in-house photographer and Senior Designer throughout the photoshoot and asset creation to ensure a cohesive creative direction.
Included the team mascot as an intentional fan-connection element, adding personality, energy, and approachability to the campaign.
Designed scalable, multi-use imagery that could seamlessly adapt across all platforms, including email, web, paid media, and organic social channels.
Impact, Insights & Contributors
📈 RESULTS
The collectible giveaway sold out at the gates, signaling a strong fan response and confirming that the promo visuals resonated.
Engagement metrics increased across social channels, with fans actively interacting and expressing excitement about securing the item.
Match-day attendance goals were successfully met, aligning with the campaign’s primary objective.
Internal leadership provided highly positive feedback, which led to additional in-house photoshoot opportunities and strengthened cross-department trust.
Our corporate partner was extremely satisfied with both the product and the creative launch, increasing their brand visibility during a key moment in the season.
💡 KEY LEARNINGS
Clear creative direction and tight collaboration between design and photography accelerate turnaround without sacrificing quality.
Incorporating familiar visual cues (mascot, heritage colors, textures) created an emotional bridge for both long-time supporters and newer collectible-driven fans.
Simple, resourceful production setups can still deliver premium results when the concept is strong and cross-team collaboration is intentional.
🤝 TEAM
David Marksbury // Photography // @gldtop
Ethan Wong // Box Design + Graphics // @ewongdesigns
SEATTLE 2026