Brand Identity and Strategy
(Live Client)
The Ask
Craft a story surrounding women’s golf that creates excitement and engages more audiences to turn on women's golf and feel invested in watching them play.
The Problem
Women’s golf has struggled to establish deep roots in sports culture, as societal norms have created significant barriers for its growth and recognition.
The Solution
The Missing Link; Connecting the World to Women's Golf
Brand Background
NXXT came to TBL with the ask to be more relevant
NXXT is a new platform, striving to help and inspire the next generation of women’s elite golfers through cultivating a community and providing resources for them to advance their career and passion for the sport.
Golf's Popularity is on the Rise
Appealing to more audiences
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Since 2020, "there has been a net increase of 2.3 million females and 2.1 million golfers of color playing on course”.
Becoming more accessible
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Increased media coverage
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More outlets to play EX:Top Golf
But, there are still stigmas surrounding the sport:
Those who know best know more
Mintel. 2023
Unfortunately golf, like almost every sport, does not translate equally between genders.
This inequity drives lower viewership and prize money for women's golf:
Viewership for 2023 Final U.S. Opens:
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Women's: 971,000 viewers
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Men’s: over 3.4 million viewers
-Mintel, 2023
2024 LPGA vs PGA Prize money:
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Scottie Scheffler earned over $29 million
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Nelly Korda earned over $4 million
-Golf Post, 2024
Which in turn creates limited opportunities and funding for women on the road to the LPGA:
These stories are endless
Problem:
Women’s golf has struggled to establish deep roots in sports culture, as societal norms have created significant barriers for its growth and recognition.
Societal influences have created this deficit for women's sports:
"Men’s sports are more popular because they have had exposure for way longer than women’s, which leads to more money in the industry and attention..."
-Survey Respondent
Driving perceptions that women's performance is inferior:
Men’s sports are, in general, a better product because you’re watching people perform at a higher level.
-Survey Respondent
This all translates into limited visibility and diminished awareness for women's golf
"I can’t name a single women's golfer."
-Survey Respondent
"Don’t have the four major tournaments that the men have."
-Survey Respondent
Insight:
Fandom isn’t driven by the sport alone— It’s the sense of connection and identity that fans latch onto that truly cultivates loyalty and passion.
If people knew the athletes better, they would feel more invested in women's golf
100% of survey respondents testified to this:
"If the personalities behind the athletes got exposed
more I think people would by in."
-Survey Respondent
“Yes. I need a story, a context like Caitlin’s to get into it.”
-Survey Respondent
The GOAT Effect
Caitlin Clark's impact on women's basketball is undeniable:
Soaring viewership and media coverage in the NCAA and WNBA
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2024 Final 4 Game: "18.9M Viewers: Most-Viewed Women’s College Basketball Game on Record"
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“The entire [WNBA] postseason averaged 1.1 million: up 139%"
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“Over 162,000 media stories featured Clark, resulting in 177 billion media impressions"
- Interbasket, 2024
- ESPN Press Room, 2024
- Front Office Sports, 2025
Axios, 2024
Caitlin is just one example in the recent rise of women dominating sports conversation.
Ilona Maher
Now, young girls are no longer just dreaming, they're believing.
Target Audience:
People who are captivated by personal journeys, whether it’s the resilience of an underdog or the legacy of a champion.
1st- The next generation of female golfers
2nd - Male golfers
3rd - Non-golfers who watch sports
4th - Current fans
Opportunity:
Redefine how we present women’s golf to audiences, by showcasing the sport through its athletes and their stories.
By doing so, we can reach a broader audience and show female golfers that this is a platform where they can succeed.
Strategy:
NXXT, The missing link
Connecting the world to women’s golf
Creating media channels and sources of exposure for these women
Creator Collab Cup
's Idea: Series on the NXXT golf tour, modeling the format of a traditional Pro-Am tournament, but instead of involving amateurs, they will feature women’s golf creators who will generate content.
Golf creators appeal to a broader audience:
""They are breaking a lot of the traditional rules and making the game more accessible to all people."
- Survey Response
"Make it look fun to people who have never golfed before, bringing in more audiences past those who play"
- Survey Response
"They do a good job of getting young people interested"
-Survey Response
We are lifting the veil:
These creators will help bring more awareness to women's pros by allowing them to show their personalities, explain their game, and tell their stories.
Deliverables:
Image: I didn't want to just say golf, I wanted to show it. Commanding attention through action and power.
Name: The NXXT Swing brings even more power to the name, inspiring young girls that they could have the next greatest swing.
Color: Exchanging the bright teal blue for this yellow-green brings more elegance to the logo that these golfers embody.
Manifesto:
Women’s golf isn’t like other sports. It’s a game of precision, patience, and mental grit. A discipline few truly understand until they’ve stood on the green themselves.
To grow the game, we have to bring people inside it. Let them see the course through her eyes. Feel the stillness before the swing.
The NXXT Swing answers the silence history, and society, left behind. This is a new era. One that challenges a world long shaped by men’s sports… And redefines what power, pressure, and performance truly look like. It puts women’s golf, and the athletes who embody it, at the center of the conversation.
This isn’t just a campaign. It’s a platform. For the next generation of female golfers. We’re amplifying their voices. Their stories. Their skill.
Because when young girls see what’s possible… They pick up a club. They imagine a future in the game. And one day, they become the NXXT GOAT case study.
We’re building the kind of fandom that lasts. That creates legacy. That earns these athletes the spotlight, the support, and the compensation they’ve always deserved.
Website:
Merch:
Recommendations to make the Creator Collab Cup a must-watch event
Host Suggestion, Heather McMahan:
1. Mic'd Up - No Announcers
“I think having the golfers mic’d up and showing their personalities is growing the connection you have with the athletes.” - Survey Response
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Behind the scenes interviews
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Dual Screens: during walks to the next hole, show playbacks and have them narrate or give tips to the creators
2. Team Interaction
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Chirping between teams
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Teams do mini competitions throughout the match
3. Audience Interaction
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Pull in audience member for a competition
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Trivia questions about the pro players
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Play what are the odds
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Think Savannah Bananas
4. Celebration
When they make the ball into the hole, let’s celebrate it!!!!
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Shots in the crowd
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“Goal songs”
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Handshakes
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Throw out balls or shirts to the audience
5. Shot Clock + Time Penalty
"Anything that makes the game go by faster" - Survey Respondent
6. Mixed Gender Events
"I think golf viewers really appreciate when they have the events where men's and women's pros play together on teams. These always seem to be fun and a huge hit. This also demonstrates the women's talent." - Survey Respondent
Conclusion:
By implementing these recommendations, we hope to see
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Higher awareness and popularity of women’s golf
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A breakout women’s golf star capturing national attention
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Rise in the number of collegiate women’s golf programs
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Surging viewership for the NXXT and LPGA tournaments.
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Inequality diminishing between men's and women's golf.
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More funding and resources available for young female golfers on the road to the LPGA.
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Bringing relevancy to the NXXT golf platform
The Team
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Bianca Cherry (Art Director)
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Yanna Nguyen (Experience Design)
My Role
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Focus groups and survey facilitation and analysis
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Cross functional team management
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Category research
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Creative brief writing
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Deck storytelling
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Client relations
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Creative ideation