The Colgate 13: Tour Merchandise

Overview

I created official tour merchandise adopted by all active members and alumni, balancing legacy and fresh identity. Every January, the Colgate Thirteen travels nationally or globally for their JanTour, performing for audiences of all ages and backgrounds. For 2025 and 204, I was asked to design merchandise that could honor an 80-year tradition while still exciting current members and young alumni.

My role felt like designing for two audiences at once, a legacy brand rooted in 1940s tradition and a student group eager to wear something modern. To deliver a design that satisfied both groups, I worked with a leading group member to set clear expectations up front:

  • Audiences: honor 80+ years of tradition while appealing to current students.

  • Scope: a front logo for apparel and branding + a back tour stop design.

  • Timeline: 2 months from concept to print, with iteration built in.

My Role & Design Process

My Role

  • Led creative direction, exploring concepts that balanced legacy and modern identity.

  • Coordinated feedback with group leaders and alumni, refining designs based on input.

  • Executed final graphics in Adobe Illustrator and prepared files for print production.

  • Managed timeline milestones to ensure delivery before the JanTour launch.

Design Process

  • Research & Framing: Identified the need to appeal to two audiences alumni (tradition) and current members (modern appeal). Familiarized myself with the groups current and former branding and style.

  • Concept Development: Sketched and tested motifs of travel, flight, and performance.

  • Iteration: Shared drafts with stakeholders, refining typography and iconography.

  • Finalization: Delivered front logo and back tour design as cohesive apparel graphics, approved by all members.

Production & Outcomes

Final Deliverables

  • Production-ready front logo and back tour graphic, exported in vector formats with vendor specifications for screen printing.

  • Design system adaptable to apparel and marketing collateral, ensuring consistent typography, iconography, and layout.

  • Proofed pre-production samples with the vendor, checking color fidelity and scaling before final print.

Impact & Outcomes

  • Officially adopted for the 2025 JanTour, worn at every performance and purchased by both members and alumni.

  • Strengthened the group’s 80-year legacy with a refreshed identity that resonated across generations.

  • Positive stakeholder feedback: alumni praised the nod to tradition, while students appreciated the modern design.

  • Demonstrated ability to scope, iterate, and deliver on time under real production constraints — mirroring industry design workflows.