Jessie Kavana (aka JKav) is a Senior Graphic Designer at BSE Global, the company that owns the Brooklyn Nets, NY Liberty, Nets GC and more. She joined the show to discuss her career and evolution as a creative. A native New Yorker with a passion for hoops and a dream to work in sports marketing for the New York Knicks, Jess began her journey at Skidmore College as a college basketball player. Stints in college athletics and ESPN would finally lead Jess to settle down in Brooklyn to work for the 'all black everything' Nets. It has been in there where Jkav has really found a home and has caught her stride as an in-house sports designer. Along with previously discussing her career path, we discuss how Jess has gained trust with her leaders and ownership group and it has allowed for her to take on some high-profile projects within the organization such as working on uniforms with Nike, designing the player entryway, and more. Jkav touches on how the Covid-19 shutdowns led her to experiment with a new discipline: illustration. We discuss how she used the quarantines to push herself and evolve her creative skillset. Lastly, we discuss Jessie's re-awakened past hobby of sneaker painting and customization. Sneaker painting is having its moment in sports culture and Jessie has been able to take this hobby and leverage it to work with professional athletes as a side hustle. Listen along as JKav shares her story. Mentions Include: JKav Portfolio JKav on Twitter JKav on IG Learfield IMG College ESPN Stats Twitter Ep. 24: Chin Wang, Sr. CD at ESPN Carol Boyl, ESPN CD Lucas Nickerson, MNF CD at ESPN Ep. 73: Tim O&#39;Shaughnessy, College Football CD at ESPN Ep. 5: Steve Vollmer, Jr., (Current) Creative Director, Tampa Bay Bucs @BamBamBam99 Disney series illustrations My next guest is Ali Rahmoun, Founder and Creative Director of SportsTemplates, a company that provides 3d content and templates to the sports industry. Ali can be found on Instagram & Twitter. Sign up for the email newsletter for updates, discounts on future products and exclusive content for subscribers. You can also show your support and keep the podcast sponsor free by joining the member community or purchasing merchandise from the Makers of Sport® shop. Additionally, if you enjoyed this episode, please rate and/or write a review of the show on  Podcasts and be sure to follow host @TAdamMartin and Makers of Sport® on Twitter & Instagram.

Makers of Sport®

Basketball, Sneaker Customs, Illustration & Graphic Design with Jessie Kavana of the Brooklyn Nets

Dexton Deboree, Founder & Chief Creative Officer of Falcon, and director of the award-winning documentary, "Unbanned: The Legend of the AJ1", joined the podcast to discuss storytelling, entrepreneurship and the role of filmmaking in sports culture. A lost youth in Florida, Dexton didn't have a path. He was unsure of his future; however, a revelatory moment in the middle of the night in college changed him forever and led him to creative pursuits and a transfer to a film school. Obsessed with the idea of being a screenwriter, Dexton became fixated on writing—almost to a fault—believing that if he wasn't writing he wasn't pursuing his destiny. This caused him to nearly miss out on a breadth of experience he would later gain as a P.A., which led to a wealth of knowledge about the business of film. Listen in as Dexton shares stories about the early years of his career and how his unorthodox path led him to eventually buy and rebrand a studio, and later leave that studio to found Falkon®. Dexton shares the things he's learned being an entrepreneur in film, including how unpredictabe business is and how no one truly has things figured out. Lastly we discuss two films Dexton wrote, directed and produced: "Unbanned: The Legend of the AJ1", a film about the legendary sneaker and its alleged banning from the league featuring numerous interviews with famous personalities at Nike, the NBA and entertainment; and "Promiseland", a docu-series following 2019-20 NBA Rookie Ja Morant as he ventures through the first year of his pro basketball career which happened to include Covid-19 shutdowns, the NBA bubble, social justice issues and winning Rookie of the Year. Mentions Include: Dexton on IG Falcon on IG Falcon Website 'Range' by David Epstein Los York Episode 110 with Barton Damer Jimmy Smith, Ad Legend The Art of Flight documentary Unbanned: The Legend of the AJ1 My next guest is Jessie Kavana, a Senior Designer for BSE Global, the company that owns the Brooklyn Nets, Barclays Center, NY Liberty, NY Islanders and more. She can be found on Instagram & Twitter. Sign up for the email newsletter for updates, discounts on future products and exclusive content for subscribers. You can also show your support and keep the podcast sponsor free by joining the member community or purchasing merchandise from the Makers of Sport® shop. Additionally, if you enjoyed this episode, please rate and/or write a review of the show on  Podcasts and be sure to follow host @TAdamMartin and Makers of Sport® on Twitter & Instagram.

Filmmaking & Entrepreneurship in Sports & Advertising with Falkon® Founder Dexton Deboree

"Apply what you learn [online] and actually do something—even if it's not for making money—just make something. Do something with what you're learning and practice it." Matt Halfhill, founder of Nice Nicks, is not a monolith or a cliche ‘sneakerhead’. The son of college professors who moved to California from the Midwest, Matt played in a Dixieland Jazz band as a kid, fell in love with sneakers in the Caribbean in Grenada, and dropped out of college to start the Internet’s first-ever sneaker blog. Today, what started as a blog has become a digital media brand that is one of the most trusted in the footwear industry with over 4 million followers on Instagram. From experimenting with web development in the late 90s to learning to sell overstocked sneakers on eBay from his first job, Matt developed a love of technology and digital communication as a youth. Halfhill joins MoS to discuss the story of Nice Kicks, its mission to be inlusive of all folks wanting to become a fan of sneakers no matter their level of knowledge about the industry, as well as how the company has evolved over the years. We discuss the shift of content marketing from brands, what it was like to open and then later popular brick-and-mortar sneaker shop, as well as why news is a commodity and our voice is all we have to sell that is truly unique when it comes to building a digital media brand. Matt's love of sneakers and his hacker-like mentality for figuring things out has led to a lifelong career in a billion dollar niche at the intersection of sport, culture and fashion. Listen along as Matt shares the story of NiceKicks.com. Mentions Include: Matt Halfhill on IG Matt Halfhill on Twitter Nice Kicks Website Nice Kicks on IG Converse Sky Rider Reebok Answer 1 "Navy Patent" Jimmy Smith, advertising veteran Nice Kicks Shop My next guest is Dexton Deboree, founder & filmmaker at Falcon Content; a content creation company born at the intersection of advertising and entertainiment with clients such as Nike, Brand Jordan, MLB, and more. Sign up for the email newsletter for updates, discounts on future products and exclusive content for subscribers. You can also show your support and keep the podcast sponsor free by joining the member community or purchasing merchandise from the Makers of Sport® shop. Additionally, if you enjoyed this episode, please rate and/or write a review of the show on  Podcasts and be sure to follow host @TAdamMartin and Makers of Sport® on Twitter & Instagram.

Founding the Internet's First-Ever Sneaker Blog with Nice Kicks Founder Matt Halfhill

"Apply what you learn [online] and actually do something—even if it's not for making money—just make something. Do something with what you're learning and practice it." Matt Halfhill, founder of Nice Nicks, is not a monolith or a cliche ‘sneakerhead’. The son of college professors who moved to California from the Midwest, Matt played in a Dixieland Jazz band as a kid, fell in love with sneakers in the Caribbean in Grenada, and dropped out of college to start the Internet’s first-ever sneaker blog. Today, what started as a blog has become a digital media brand that is one of the most trusted in the footwear industry with over 4 million followers on Instagram. From experimenting with web development in the late 90s to learning to sell overstocked sneakers on eBay from his first job, Matt developed a love of technology and digital communication as a youth. Halfhill joins MoS to discuss the story of Nice Kicks, its mission to be inlusive of all folks wanting to become a fan of sneakers no matter their level of knowledge about the industry, as well as how the company has evolved over the years. We discuss the shift of content marketing from brands, what it was like to open and then later popular brick-and-mortar sneaker shop, as well as why news is a commodity and our voice is all we have to sell that is truly unique when it comes to building a digital media brand. Matt's love of sneakers and his hacker-like mentality for figuring things out has led to a lifelong career in a billion dollar niche at the intersection of sport, culture and fashion. Listen along as Matt shares the story of NiceKicks.com. Mentions Include: Matt Halfhill on IG Matt Halfhill on Twitter Nice Kicks Website Nice Kicks on IG Converse Sky Rider Reebok Answer 1 "Navy Patent" Jimmy Smith, advertising veteran Nice Kicks Shop My next guest is Dexton Deboree, founder & filmmaker at Falkon®; a content creation company born at the intersection of advertising and entertainiment with clients such as Nike, Brand Jordan, MLB, and more. Sign up for the email newsletter for updates, discounts on future products and exclusive content for subscribers. You can also show your support and keep the podcast sponsor free by joining the member community or purchasing merchandise from the Makers of Sport® shop. Additionally, if you enjoyed this episode, please rate and/or write a review of the show on  Podcasts and be sure to follow host @TAdamMartin and Makers of Sport® on Twitter & Instagram.

Tori Boykins is a creative with many layers. A boxer, entrepeneur, graphic designer and gritty midwesterner, Tori joined the show to discuss her long journey breaking into the sports design scene, first at the Kansas City Chiefs, and currently as a graphic designer with the Kansas City Royals. From majoring in interior design at a Big Ten university known for engineering, to starting a business in college and running it six years, Tori has had quite an eclectic career. We attempt to peel back the many layers of her story beginning with a love of art and geek culture as a kid in Cincinnati, Ohio. We discuss how she got sucked into "old school mentality" choosing to attend community college to get an associates in graphic design after already obtaining a Bachelors in Interior Design years earlier and founding a small business. Tori also elaborates on how a black-owned design studio in Texas gave her a chance as a design intern, as well as how pitching free projects to real, underserved sports brands such as women's boxing and a local basketball team led her to an interview with an NBA team and an eventual gig in the NFL. Throughout the episode, we discover a common theme of Tori's midwestern grit and hustle, as well as how important humility and risk-taking are when it comes to pursuing your dreams in the sports business. Lastly, Tori touches on the importance of learning new skills and why she hopes to leave a positive legacy for minorities that come after her in the sports design industy. Mentions Include: Tori Boykins Portfolio Tori Boykins on Instagram Tori Boykins on Twitter J12 Designs Alamo City Aztecs Tori's WBC & IBF women's boxing poster UnderConsideration's Brand New Ashley Strauss, Creative Director, Detroit Lions Ashley Strauss on MoS Jordan Giesler, Brand & Creative Manager, Kansas City Chiefs Jordan Giesler on MoS Caitlin Wienck, Design Manager, Kansas City Chiefs My next guest is Matt Halfhill, the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Nice Kicks. Matt is an early 2000s Interent entrepeneur that has made a living his entire life working for himself providing breaking news, commentary and history in the sneaker industry. Sign up for the email newsletter for updates, discounts on future products and exclusive content for subscribers. You can also show your support and keep the podcast sponsor free by joining the member community or purchasing merchandise from the Makers of Sport® shop. Additionally, if you enjoyed this episode, please rate and/or write a review of the show on  Podcasts and be sure to follow host @TAdamMartin and Makers of Sport® on Twitter & Instagram.

Tori Boykins, Graphic Designer, Kansas City Royals

A bonus episode for your enjoyment. On Episode 25, Joe Bosack of Joe Bosack & Co. turned the mic back on my tell my own story. This was a few years ago and Makers of Sport® was just getting off the ground. Considering I have many more listeners and the podcast has played such a big role in my life since then, I figured it was time for an updated story about the host of your favorite podcast. Enjoy the listen as I joined Sports as a Job Podcast to tell my own story of running a freelance design studio and starting a long-running podcast. Mentions Include: T/A Martin Studio T/A Martin Studio on Instagram Makers of Sport® My next guest is Tori Boykins, a talented graphic designer for the Kansas City Royals. Tori has had a fast rise to becoming one of the most talented designers in professional baseball. Sign up for the email newsletter for updates, discounts on future products and exclusive content for subscribers. You can also show your support and keep the podcast sponsor free by joining the member community or purchasing merchandise from the Makers of Sport® shop. Additionally, if you enjoyed this episode, please rate and/or write a review of the show on  Podcasts and be sure to follow host @TAdamMartin and Makers of Sport® on Twitter & Instagram. Sign up for the email newsletter for updates, discounts on future products and exclusive content for subscribers. You can also show your support and keep the podcast sponsor free by joining the member community or purchasing merchandise from the Makers of Sport® shop. Additionally, if you enjoyed this episode, please rate and/or write a review of the show on  Podcasts and be sure to follow host @TAdamMartin and Makers of Sport® on Twitter & Instagram.

Bonus Episode: The Updated Story of Makers of Sport® on Sports as a Job Podcast

Dan Simon, Creative Director of Studio Simon in Louisville, KY, joined the show to discuss his lengthy career as a sports designer. Dan began his career at a west coast design studio who allowed him to freelance at night using their equipment. Him and an account rep wanted to pursue sports branding and ended up creating some mocked up work with acual sewn jerseys and it eventually led Dan down a 30-year path of designing for sports. We discuss how tough it is, even today, to win quality clients in sports design, why he chose his name for his studio instead of a made up name and why the former is important. Dan tells the story of working on three Super Bowl logos, including the patriotic XXXVI logo of the 9/11 season. Finally, we discuss how the industry has changed, burnout, and how to run a studio in a commoditized design industry. Dan is a treasure trove of stories and was the first-ever in-house sports designer for a profesional sports franchise. Listen along as he shares his story. Mentions Include: Studio Simon Studio Simon on Instagram Scott Mednick SME Branding Duffy & Partners Charles S. Anderson Design Co. Ep. 15 with Matt Stevens The Max 100 Project Ep. 84 with Ross Yoshida Ep. 74 with Brian Lindstrom My next guest is Tori Boykins, a talented graphic designer for the Kansas City Royals. Tori has had a fast rise to becoming one of the most talented designers in professional baseball. Sign up for the email newsletter for updates, discounts on future products and exclusive content for subscribers. You can also show your support and keep the podcast sponsor free by joining the member community or purchasing merchandise from the Makers of Sport® shop. Additionally, if you enjoyed this episode, please rate and/or write a review of the show on  Podcasts and be sure to follow host @TAdamMartin and Makers of Sport® on Twitter & Instagram.

Dan Simon, Creative Director, Studio Simon

Dane Storrusten, Senior Creative Director at the NFL, joins this episode to discuss his multidisciplinary design career and path to "The Shield". From majoring in illustration in art school, to designing products at Microsoft, robot interfaces, and NFL brand identities, Dane has had quite an eclectic career. He believes in saying yes to every opportunity and how doing so can lead to amazing opportunities to learn and experience new things; something that has proved to be true for his career. We discuss the value of being multidisciplinary versus specializing, starting and running a design studio, and more; including how doing side projects Dane was passionate about led to a call from the NFL with a newly-created position for him in Los Angeles. Dane gives us a peak into the creative heirarchy at the NFL between the L.A. and N.Y. offices, as well as how the teams collaborate on various projects, and the importance of breaking down creative silos in large organizations. Lastly, Dane spends some time sharing about the processes behind NFL team rebrands, including how they handle leaks, the pitchesk, the league's involvement and more. It's a treasure trove of information for those interested in team branding and uniform design. Listen along as Dane shares his story. Mentions Include: Gridiron Labs Dane on Twitter Dane on Instagram Prologue 2advanced, Eric Jordan Ep. 94 w/ Shane Mielke Microsoft PixelSense Southern California Design Co. "Range" by David Epstein Ep. 22 w/ Fraser Davidson Helmet of the Future Case Study by Gridiron Labs NFL 100 Campaign 72andSunny My next guest is Dan Simon of Studio Simon. Dan a sports branding veteran that has designed everything from MiLB brands to Super Bowl logos. He's also full of stories. Sign up for the email newsletter for updates, discounts on future products and exclusive content for subscribers. You can also show your support and keep the podcast sponsor free by joining the member community or purchasing merchandise from the Makers of Sport® shop. Additionally, if you enjoyed this episode, please rate and/or write a review of the show on  Podcasts and be sure to follow host @TAdamMartin and Makers of Sport® on Twitter & Instagram.

Dane Storrusten, Senior Creative Director, NFL

William Peebles, Founder & Maker at Huntington Base Ball Co. in Boston, joins this episode to discuss industrial design, being a maker in the sports product industry and turning his love of baseball into a lifestyle business. We begin with William's time in art school which led to working as a designer at Reebok during their prime when endorsers were athletes like Shawn Kemp, Shaq, Allen Iverson, Frank Thomas and more. It was here he decided to take a crack at making his own baseball as a side project. It was not good. In fact, it was so bad he thought he'd never make another one again and moved onto working in other industries for a decade. A couple of economic downturns and layoffs over the next 10 years would force Peebles into making taking a second chance. He read, he researched, he practiced; 11 years later, William's passion for revitalizing relics from baseball's past has turned into a business and well-crafted brand at Huntington Base Ball Co. Listen along as William shares his story. Mentions Include: Huntington Base Ball Co. Huntington Base Ball Co. on Twitter Huntington BBC on Instagram My next guest is Dane Storrusten, Sr. Creative Director at the NFL in L.A. Dane is also known online as Gridiron Labs, a freelance design studio where he takes on work and conducts creative experiments from time to time in the sports vertical. Sign up for the email newsletter for updates, discounts on future products and exclusive content for subscribers. You can also show your support and keep the podcast sponsor free by joining the member community or purchasing merchandise from the Makers of Sport® shop. Additionally, if you enjoyed this episode, please rate and/or write a review of the show on  Podcasts and be sure to follow host @TAdamMartin and Makers of Sport® on Twitter & Instagram.

William Peebles, Founder & Maker, Huntington Base Ball Co.

“We got in early on the digital brand stuff. We found it extremely important for us to know why we are who we are and tell that story consistently over time." Jordan Gielser, Creative Services & Brand Manager of Super Bowl LIV Champion Kansas City Chiefs, joined the podcast to discuss his lengthy career working for a historic NFL franchise. Jordan found his way into the Chiefs organization after majoring in commercial art in college; however, after a seasonal gig with the team he would find himself leaving sports design for a b2b industrial gig. Eventually, he returned to the Chiefs and would climb from junior graphic designer to creative services & brand manager which is his role today. The Chiefs had many successful campaigns this season including their 2019 Mexico City Campaign; which we discuss in depth. Jordan also touches on developing the creative for the historic 60th Season of Chiefs Football and how they were able to balance a completely different look for the season paying homage to the past but remaining true to the current brand. Lastly, Jordan shares his unique, behind-the-scenes insight into what goes into working as a creative at the Super Bowl. From the planning, to the potential unused creative in case of a loss, to the gameday duties; we get a rare glimpse into hectic weeks heading to up to and following the biggest event in sports. Listen along as Jordan shares his story. Mentions Include: Jordan on Twitter Chiefs in Mexico City Campaign Chiefs 60th Season Campaign Style Guide George Toma, Chiefs groundskeeper Lamar Hunt patch Tungsten by Hoefler & Co. Tad Carpenter Arrowhead Art Collection True North Vikings Creative Christine Zambetti, Manager of Design, 49ers My next guest is William Peebles, product designer & founder of Huntington Base Ball Co.. Huntington Base Ball Co. is a company that makes and sells hand-made baseball goods paying homage to American craft. In the meantime you can follow William on Twitter @HuntingtonBBC. Sign up for the email newsletter for updates, discounts on future products and exclusive content for subscribers. You can also show your support for the podcast by joining the community and keeping it sponsor-free. Did you enjoy this episode? Then please rate and/or write a review of the show on  Podcasts. Also, be sure to follow show host, @TAdamMartin and Maker of Sport® on Twitter & Instagram.

Jordan Giesler, Creative Services + Brand Manager, Kansas City Chiefs

“Fear is good, you can feed on it and it makes you work harder to be good and be better. If you get too complacent and happy, that's where you get in trouble.” A special episode from MLC Connect 2019 with two of the keynote speakers, Amy and Jen Hood of Hoodzpah Design of Southern California. Through their studio the duo have worked with companies ranging from small California businesses to major brands like Google and Target. Jay F. Hicks, a digital strategist and content lead at Bayler University Athletics and also the host of Sports Creatives Podcast, joined me to co-host in the MLC media room in the Atlanta Braves' stadium. Listen along as Jay and I chat with the Hood twins as they share how they began their company,imposter syndrome, how they developed soft skills and emotional intelligence, managing imposter syndrome, how they collaborate seamlessly with one with another and more. Mentions Include: Hoodzpah Design Hoodzpah Design on Twitter Hoodzpah Design on Instagram Jay F. Hicks on Twitter My next guest is Peter Robert Casey aka PRC. Peter is the Vice Chairman at SLAM Magazine and is a digital marketer, tech startup founder and CEO of JDS Sports, a venture capital fund for sports-related companies. Sign up for the email newsletter for updates, discounts on future products and exclusive content for subscribers. You can also show your support for the podcast by joining the community and keeping it sponsor-free. Did you enjoy this episode? Then please rate and/or write a review of the show on iTunes. Also, be sure to follow show host, @TAdamMartin and @MakersofSport.

From MLC 2019: Amy & Jen Hood, Creative Directors, Hoodzpah Design

“Working with people is something you need practice with. Everybody has their own agenda, everybody has things that are important to them. You have to respect that but there’s times you have to fight for what you believe in.” Insung Kim joined the show to discuss his cross country journey from enivironmental design in Southern California to Kansas City to now working in the South as Senior Creative Director for the Atlanta Braves. Insung discusses how his immigrant parents supported his creativity leading him to attend art school and eventaully find a job as a designer in environmental graphics at a company where he stayed 15 years. Looking for a change, Insung moved his family to the middle of the country to work for internationally-known sports & entertainment architectural firm, Populous (formerly HOK Sport). While designing graphics for the Braves new Atlanta stadium, Insung struck up a relationship with Braves executives and was offered a job as Creative Director where he now leads a team of creatives and manages the Braves' iconic brand. He sheds light on how to have difficult conversations and what we as sports designers should really focus on and get joy in instead of the cool hero imagery. Listen along as Insung shares his story. Mentions Include: Insung on Twitter Insung on Instagram Seth Godin Harvest Crusade David Riley Associates Hunt Design Populous Robzilla Kev Roché My next guests are Amy and Jen Hood from Hoodzpah Design. The Hood twins are a graphic design duo running their own studio in Southern California. They also happen to be Kentucky natives which, y'all already know, makes me drawn to them. The interview was conducted at MLC Connect 2019 after their keynote. Sign up for the email newsletter for updates, discounts on future products and exclusive content for subscribers. You can also show your support for the podcast by joining the community and keeping it sponsor-free. Did you enjoy this episode? Then please rate and/or write a review of the show on iTunes. Also, be sure to follow show host, @TAdamMartin and @MakersofSport.

Insung Kim, Senior Creative Director, Atlanta Braves

Damer on getting work: "You have to be a hype machine. You have to create hype around yourself and most artists are very uncomfortable doing that because they feel they are bragging or they feel like they are going to get made fun of online." Barton Damer, founding artist and creative director of the boutique 3d animation and motion design studio AlreadyBeenChewed, joined the podcast for a chat about his career and how he has grown his company into one of the leading studios for producing motion content in sports and entertainment. Barton reveals how an injury skateboarding—a sport and culture he has always been passionate about—pushed him to learn graphic design and motion so he could continue to hang out with his skateboarding buddies. Damer touches on how he moonlighted nights and weekends for years while having a full-time job because he was the sole income supporting his family of 5 and how fourteen years into his career he began getting his first big brand work from sneaker companies as he developed a new style outside of his job. I ask Barton many questions about how one can get into motion, where to start, etc. as a total n00b on the medium and he shares some great advice. Lastly, Barton shares his thoughts on the future of motion including where VR/AR fit into the space. Mentions Include: AlreadyBeenChewed Barton on Twitter Barton on IG ABC on IG Computer Arts Digital Artist of the Year Peter Drucker, Business Author Andrew Kramer, Video Co-Pilot Troika DigitalKitchen Shilo Jab Jab Jab Right Hook by @garyvee GreyscaleGorilla Houdini by SideFX My next guest is going to be Insung Kim, Sr. Creative Director of the Atlanta Braves. Insung is a designer that began his career in the architectural space of sports working for Populous before joining the in-house team at the Braves. Sign up for the email newsletter for updates, discounts on future products and exclusive content for subscribers. Did you like this episode? You can also show your support for the podcast by joining the community and by writing a review of the show on iTunes. Also, be sure to follow show host, @TAdamMartin and @MakersofSport.

Barton Damer, Founding Artist & Creative Director, AlreadyBeenChewed

Simon Dent shares his thoughts on the future competition of sports teams as it regards to selling attention and tickets.

Simon Dent of Dark Horses on Sports Teams' Competition for Attention

"On a Saturday afternoon when every sports fan is going to watch their chosen sport, there are thousands of brands barking at them whether it's a print paper, online, in stadium on LEDs, in the matchday program; there's all these messages and presumably only the best are going to get taken home with fans and that's what our job is: to be the best messengers." Simon Dent is a former sports business lawyer & agent turned creative agency founder in the U.K. As managing partner of Dark Horses, Simon leads a team of world-class creatives working with brand such as Peloton, PUMA, City Football Group, Southampton F.C., Under Armour, Nissan and more. Whilst working as an agent, Simon realized that brands were missing opportunities to better engage fans via athletes he represented, so he founded an advertising agency. Simon discusses the emotional aspect of sport and how consumer brands can leverage those emotions to engage consumers in a more authentic way rather than simply sharing a logo on the scoreboard. We also chat about how an outside agency can bring a different high-level, strategic perspective to clubs and avoid being pigeonholed as production creatives like so many in-house creatives do with team marketing execs. Simon elaborates on why sporting brands should be vary weary of the competition for attention in future fans now that the internet offers attention grabbers like Fortnite, YouTube and Netflix. Lastly, we discuss creative culture and more specifically how Dark Horses uses it to recruit and keep creatives. Mentions Include: Dark Horses Simon Dent on Twitter Dark Horses on Twitter Dark Horses on IG Lucky Generals BBH Sport Fornite brand activations Droga5 My next guest is going to be Barton Damer. Barton is the founder of AlreadyBeenChewed, a 3d animation and motion shop in Dallas, TX that has worked with many major brands such as Nike, Marvel and more. Sign up for the email newsletter for updates, discounts on future products and exclusive content for subscribers. You can also show your support for the podcast by joining the community and keeping it sponsor-free. Did you enjoy this episode? Then please rate and/or write a review of the show on iTunes. Also, be sure to follow show host, @TAdamMartin and @MakersofSport.

Simon Dent, Founder & Managing Director, Dark Horses

Conversations about design, branding, creative business, products, footwear, technology, entrepreneurship and more in the sports industry. Featured in Apple Podcasts New & Noteworthy. Missing episode numbers are paid & private community content. Join the community at makersofsport.com/community.