Small Projects, Big Wins: How a Sports Media Wall Levelled Up a Sports Brand’s Game Day Presence
- Maria Angelica Flores
- Apr 27
- 4 min read
When you're running a sports brand or fitness business, it’s easy to think only the “big flashy projects” will move the needle.New websites. Giant campaigns. Massive launches.But here's a little truth I've learned, both on the field and in business:
🏆 Sometimes the smallest, smartest moves create the biggest wins. WATCH VIDEO
This is a true story of how a simple media wall project — forgotten for months in a dusty design brief folder — ended up making a huge impact for one of my clients.
And how you can think differently about your own brand projects too.
The Backstory: Overwhelm, Budget Fears, and Print Confusion
My client had a clear goal:
✔ They needed a branded media wall for their game days.
✔ They wanted to show up professionally at events and in social media.
✔ They knew it would help them with future promotions.
The problem?Like many businesses, they were overwhelmed.👉 Tight budget👉 No time👉 No idea where to even start with print specifications
Sound familiar?(If you're nodding along, you're not alone — it happens to more brands than you think.)
They reached out because they needed someone who could not just design — but understand how to make it EASY.
Thanks to my background in print advertising (4+ years deep before launching my own studio), I speak "printer" fluently. Bleeds, crop marks, CMYK, GSM — all that jibberish? ✅ I translate it into something simple, actionable, and stress-free.
The Project: Small Move, Strategic Mindset
Here’s how we approached it:
Stay True to the Brand Identity: I reviewed their brand guidelines to make sure every design option aligned with their core brand — colours, logos, tone of voice, everything.
Offer Strategic Design Options: Instead of overwhelming them with 10 choices, I presented 2-3 strong, strategic concepts — clean, clear, purposeful.
Keep It Simple for Print: The final design was not just beautiful — it was printer-friendly and ready to go. (No last-minute surprises. No tech headaches.)
Move Fast and Smart: Once approved, I passed on the print-ready files. The media wall was produced within days, in time for their next big event.
The Result: A Small Project That Created Big Impact
✔ The media wall became a hero backdrop at their game day events ✔ It boosted brand visibility without blowing the budget ✔ It provided fresh content opportunities for Instagram, TikTok, Facebook ✔ It made their team and community feel proud to represent the brand
And it all started with a project that almost didn’t get done.
The Bigger Lesson for Business Owners:
Small ≠ Unimportant.
One of the biggest branding myths I see is this idea that "small projects aren’t worth it."
Unpopular Opinion:It’s not about how big the project is.It’s about how creatively and strategically you use it.
A media wall is more than fabric and a logo.👉 It’s brand recognition at a live event.👉 It’s a content engine for social media.👉 It’s physical proof of your brand showing up in the real world.👉 It’s pride for your athletes, staff, community.
Brand design at its best means seeing the opportunity — even in what feels like “just” a backdrop.
Why Brands Delay (And Why You Shouldn't)
A lot of brands delay these "small" moves because:
Fear it won't be enough
Confusion about the process
Lack of time or understanding
But delaying work that could build your brand is like standing still when the game is already in play.
🚀 Find people who understand what you're trying to build.Partner with people who can simplify the process.And most importantly — do the damn thing.Done well and aligned to your brand, even a simple media wall can become a game changer.
How Gels.Design Helps Brands Move Smarter (Not Just Harder)
At Gels.Design, I help women-led sports and fitness brands take those overwhelming ideas and turn them into clear, strategic moves.It’s not about throwing more marketing out there.It’s about making sure every move you make — small or big — is intentional, strategic, and aligned with where you want your brand to go.
Whether you need help with brand strategy, print design, or creating marketing assets that actually move the needle, you're in the right place.
Key Takeaways:
Don’t underestimate the power of small projects.
Strategic, brand-aligned design can make a lasting impact — even on a tight budget.
Execution and follow-through matter just as much as having a vision.
Done is better than perfect. Small wins stack into big wins.
Want to Finally Get That “One Day” Project Done?
If you’ve got a dusty brief, a half-finished idea, or a project you know would help you show up better — maybe it’s time to bring it to life.
✨ I'd love to help you make it real.
"It was great working with Gels on this project. She understood what we needed, communicated well and worked with our timeline. We loved the outcome! Thank you Gels for our Media Wall, it’s been a great piece for our ongoing events at CBBA." Denise - CBBA
コメント