new mexico united / new mexico true

employer:

New Mexico United

year:

2018 - 2022

location:

albuquerque

type:

creative direction, partnerships, video production & direction, photography, script writing, copywriting, media buying, social media

role:

creative director

project overview:

The club was founded on the principle that the people of New Mexico ought to feel proud to call this place home, that the "bottom of the good list and top to the bad list" mentality belonged in the past, and that the New Mexican identity ought to be celebrated through every aspect of the state's culture. New Mexico True, the brand established by the state's tourism department years ahead of United's founding, was accomplishing that mission remarkably well. New Mexico True was celebrating the state's outstanding natural and cultural beauty at a level of craftsmanship only the land of enchantment could espouse, and the fill-in-the-blank of "____ is New Mexico True" had become a statement of the highest quality for local products and businesses.

unveiling the landmark partnership in 2021

The front of jersey partnership with New Mexico True was a goal of mine since my first conversation with the C.E.O. and majority owner Peter Trevisani in 2018. Want to celebrate New Mexico through the language of the world's game? Say it with your chest, or rather, wear it on our chest. In 2021, with a front of jersey partnership agreement finally in place after a year of conversation through the pandemic, the New Mexico Tourism department was also ready to push their brand forward by unveiling a new look logo for the New Mexico True campaign, and were entrusting their partnership launch on United's jerseys to carry the weight of their new logo.

The resulting campaign was one of the most successful in United's history, not just selling jerseys, but selling New Mexicans on the idea that, having weathered the storm of the pandemic, United is here to stay, United is New Mexico True, and that two of New Mexico's strongest representations of optimism and pride were pushing forward together. Also, we finally had an excuse to play a bit of footy inside a hot air balloon.

The campaign was produced entirely in house by the United Creative Team. Script co-authored by myself, Lukas Cash, and former Albuquerque Poet Laureate Manny Gonzales who performed the narration. Shot by Isaiah Watts, David Young, myself, and including footage from Talweg Creative. On screen talent included United's New Mexican born players as well as community members of several pueblos and towns around the state. Edited by David Young, directed by me. Photographs by myself and David Young.

unveiling United's first unique PUMA jersey design & deepening the partnership in 2022

Being a state government entity, New Mexico True is only able to commit to single-year contracts in accordance with the annual budgeting process, which means that any major assets -- let alone the most prized jerseys themselves -- would need to be ready to come together in a matter of weeks as the annual allocation process and resulting partnership contract with United would only be finalized within a few weeks of the season's start. In spite of those constraints, we'd been working since May of 2021 on the first completely unique United jersey to be produced by PUMA. Come March of 2022, everything was in place to unveil this evolution of United's merchandise line as well as two of it's marquee partnerships.

The brief for the campaign was similar to the jersey itself. We've announced the partnership, now we're taking it up a level. United's been New Mexico True, let's channel that underdog spirit that defines the state and club DNA, The Greatest Story Ever Told. The campaign was again produced entirely in house by United's Creative Team. Script co-authored by myself, Lukas Cash, and former Albuquerque Poet Laureate Mercedez Holtry who performed the narration. Shot by Isaiah Watts, David Young, myself, and including footage from Talweg Creative. On screen talent included United players and multigenerational New Mexican families. Directed by myself with editing assistance from Isaiah Watts. Photographs by me and Eric Lovato. Special thanks to Netflix Studios for allowing us to use their soundstage.

the chile's retro kits, 2021

Before United's brand was established, the ownership had acquired the rights to the logos of New Mexico's former professional soccer teams through the years. The most notable among them was the New Mexico Chiles, a team playing professionally and semi-professionally during the 90s. Our Creative Team's Graphic Design Intern Caleb Brenden had revived and revised the classic Chiles logo, and as we headed into the 2021 Season, part of the pitch in New Mexico True's partnership was a secondary "retro" jersey that could be unveiled as a limited edition collectors item ahead of their specialty night. As the only state with an official "State Question" of "Red or Green?", referencing the question asked at any New Mexican restaurant opting for Red or Green Chile as part of their meal (I always opt for Christmas, which is of course getting half of each), the Chiles were the perfect way to tie into the newly established partnership and celebrate the Chile Capital of the World. In the roll out, we leaned into the legacy of the Chiles team and the notion that New Mexico had always been a soccer state, with 100% of the profits from the limited edition jerseys were donated to the Somos Unidos Foundation which in turn ensured the United Academy, then in it's first season, would remain free to all players for years to come. I designed the jerseys, with the campaign produced completely in house by the United Creative Team. Photography by myself and Eric Lovato.