[MLB Athletes]
THE CHALLENGE
Three MLB All-Stars had massive visibility, but no cohesive content system. Content was sporadic, created by various collaborators with no unified vision. Their pages lacked personality and aesthetic consistency. Without defined personal brands, they were leaving partnership value and audience connection on the table.
The operational constraints were brutal. We had 12 hours between game performance and content irrelevance, and coordinating media was difficult because game footage was not always readily available. We staffed a full-time photographer with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to capture raw material consistently. Manufacturing custom cleats presented another challenge. We needed to find artists whose work could survive the punishment of professional baseball, meet tight deadlines, and stay within budget.
THE INSIGHT
Personality is rarely translated in MLB. Most players do not cultivate personal brands beyond their stats, making them less attractive to modern partnerships that value cultural influence and audience engagement. The posts these athletes were sharing did not reflect the brands they could be building. The opportunity was to position them as cultural figures, not just baseball players.
Traditional athlete gear is heavily controlled by teams and sponsors. Cleats offered a loophole. They became our canvas for showcasing personality on the field in ways athletes had not fully explored. Baseball is changing. In-game personalities now attract audiences to the players themselves, not just the game. The insight that validated everything was the earned media. Press devoured it. Fans loved seeing their passions collide. Combining custom footwear with professional sports created an engagement avenue that extended far beyond traditional baseball content.
THE IDEA
We built a performance-tied content system that treated game results as storytelling moments, not just stats. We developed SOPs for photographers and designers to ensure consistency, speed, and quality across the operation. The content strategy was rooted in aesthetic coherence and personality expression. We made their pages feel intentional and reflective of who they were beyond baseball.
The cleat strategy was the differentiator. We directed creative briefs rooted in player storytelling. Each design concept stemmed from the athletes' tastes, interests, and cultural touchpoints. Fernando Tatis Jr. wore cleats tied to cities and games. Oneil Cruz's Donkey Kong cleats referenced his childhood nickname, El Mono. Special occasion designs for Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Veterans Day added emotional resonance. We managed the full visual rollout: photography, captions, campaign assets, and coordination with athletes, creative partners, and external collaborators like The Shoe Surgeon.
The magic was in the integration. Social content amplified the cleats. The cleats gave us content that generated conversation. We oversaw content production for over 10 cleat drops during the 2024 season, with every drop timed to maximize visibility and relevance.
What we built:
Social media content orchestration for Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., and Oneil Cruz
SOPs for photographers and designers with 12-hour turnaround systems
Collaborative cleat design process turning player passions into storytelling products
10+ custom cleat drops including special occasions (Mother's Day, Father's Day, Veterans Day) and game-tied activations
Multi-platform athlete brand development frameworks
THE RESULTS
548,000+ Organic Impressions
Cleat campaign posts generated over half a million impressions, with viral executions like RIP Peter and Tatis & Co. driving massive reach. The RIP Peter cleats for Fernando Tatis Jr. became the standout moment with 548K impressions and 45K interactions alone.
Official MLB Team Amplification
Content was shared and amplified by official MLB teams, including the San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays, extending reach beyond individual athlete audiences.
Consistent Game-Day Engagement Spikes
Performance-tied content featuring custom cleats drove consistent engagement spikes on game days, validating the strategy of tying storytelling to live sports moments.
Widespread Earned Media
Custom cleats generated coverage from Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports, GQ, and other major outlets. The work positioned the creative operation as a force in custom sportswear and athlete branding.
All-Star Game and Venue Display
Cleats were displayed at the All-Star Game and other high-profile venues, elevating visibility and cementing the cultural impact of the work.
10+ Cleat Drops Across 2024 Season
Managed and executed over 10 custom cleat drops throughout 2024, the breakthrough year for the project. Standout designs included Tatis & Co. (collaboration with The Shoe Surgeon), Donkey Kong cleats for Oneil Cruz, and multiple game and city-tied executions.
Industry Influence
By 2025, other athletes had taken notice and begun replicating the approach. The work became a template for how modern athletes could use custom product design and social content to build personal brands beyond their sport.
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