Team USA 2025 | Lead Creative Direction Workshop, Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026
Team USA invited me to lead a two-part design and creative direction workshop with their internal creative team in preparation for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina. The workshops served as both a brand exploration and a creative reset, giving the team space to uncover new ideas, refine their visual identity, and strengthen their presence across digital platforms.
A key focus was addressing two creative challenges the team regularly faced: highly rigid brand guidelines that limited experimentation, and the difficulty of using athlete imagery in winter sports, where gear and equipment often obscure faces and emotions.
The workshop approach was structured over two remote sessions, beginning with discussion, moodboards, and open ideation, followed by design presentations and feedback. Acting as both designer and consultant, I brought an outside perspective to the brand—sharing not only design concepts but also the thinking and principles behind them. This allowed the team to see new creative possibilities and understand the rationale guiding each direction.
Through collaboration and exploration, we focused on how Team USA could break through the noise of a crowded digital landscape while still feeling approachable and connecting with a broad, diverse audience. The result was a collection of design concepts and strategies that provided a fresh perspective and practical tools for the team to carry forward into their Olympic campaign.
Mgr., Creative & Brand Design, Marykate Vlcek. | Creative Director, Corey Nealon.
