new mexico united / new mexico true

project overview:

New Mexico United was founded on the belief that New Mexicans should feel proud of their state, leaving behind the 'bottom of the good list, top of the bad' mentality. The goal was to celebrate New Mexico’s identity in every facet of its culture. Years before United’s founding, the state’s tourism brand, New Mexico True, had already embraced this mission, showcasing the state's natural and cultural beauty with a level of craftsmanship unique to the Land of Enchantment. The phrase '____ is New Mexico True' became a mark of excellence for local products and businesses.

unveiling the landmark partnership (2021)

Securing a front-of-jersey partnership with New Mexico True had been a goal since my first conversation with C.E.O. and majority owner Peter Trevisani in 2018. We wanted to celebrate New Mexico through the world’s game, and in 2021, after a year of pandemic-delayed talks, the partnership was finalized. At the time, the New Mexico Tourism Department was also ready to unveil a new logo, entrusting United’s jerseys to carry its weight. The resulting campaign became one of United’s most successful, not just selling jerseys, but reinforcing that United is here to stay—United is New Mexico True.

Produced entirely in-house, the campaign featured a script co-authored by myself, Lukas Cash, and former Albuquerque Poet Laureate Manny Gonzales, who performed the narration. We even managed to play a bit of footy inside a hot air balloon.

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

Being a state government entity, New Mexico True could only commit to single-year contracts due to annual budgeting constraints. This meant we had just a few weeks to bring together major assets, including the prized jerseys, as contracts were finalized right before the season’s start. Despite these challenges, we had been working since May 2021 on United’s first unique jersey produced by PUMA. By March 2022, everything was ready to unveil both the jersey and two marquee partnerships. The brief for the campaign was clear: we’d already announced the partnership—now it was time to elevate it. United has always embodied the underdog spirit of New Mexico, and we wanted to reflect that in 'The Greatest Story Ever Told.'

Produced entirely in-house, the campaign featured a script co-authored by myself, Lukas Cash, and former Albuquerque Poet Laureate Mercedez Holtry, who also narrated. The cast included United players and multigenerational New Mexican families. I directed the project with editing help from Isaiah Watts and photography by me and Eric Lovato. Special thanks to Netflix Studios for providing their soundstage.

the chile's retro kits (2021)

Before United's brand was established, ownership acquired the rights to the logos of New Mexico’s former professional soccer teams, most notably the New Mexico Chiles, who played in the 90s. As we entered the 2021 season, Graphic Design Intern Caleb Brenden revived and updated the Chiles logo, and as part of New Mexico True’s partnership, we pitched a 'retro' jersey to be unveiled as a limited-edition collector's item ahead of their specialty night. The Chiles were a perfect fit, given New Mexico's 'State Question' of 'Red or Green?' (I always go for Christmas, a mix of both), celebrating the Chile Capital of the World.

In the rollout, we leaned into the Chiles' legacy and the idea that New Mexico had always been a soccer state. All profits from the limited-edition jerseys were donated to the Somos Unidos Foundation, ensuring United Academy, in its first season, would remain free for all players. I designed the jerseys, with the campaign produced entirely in-house by the United Creative Team. Photography was by myself and Eric Lovato.