BrandingGame Design
Client
Niantic, with the NBA and NBPA
Scope
Logo, app icon, key art, App Store screens, merchandise, newsletter, teaser, and brand guidelines
Came from
Our in-game UI work on NBA All-World
Type
Rajdhani and Roboto Condensed

The project

NBA All-World Branding

NBA All-World branding began after Dreamspace had already designed the in-game UI for Niantic. Niantic is a San Francisco company that uses AR and mapping technology to blend the physical and digital worlds, guided by four pillars: draw people outdoors, inspire exploration, encourage exercise, and create connection. Made famous by Pokémon GO, Niantic has since released other games, including NBA All-World, a new way to play basketball.

Niantic then invited us into a second, larger undertaking: branding NBA All-World. They asked our team to help shape and bring to life the brand vision, from the logo to the color palettes and typography. The goal was not only to set the tone for the game’s introduction to the world, but to make the brand emblematic of a new era of hoop culture. See how the interface came together in our NBA All-World game UI design case study.

The vision

Brand Vision for NBA All-World

NBA All-World is home to a never-ending array of aspirational, inspirational, and entertaining basketball games, cultures, and lifestyles, regardless of where you are on the planet.

NBA All-World branding color statement graphic

The color principle behind the brand.

The logo

A logo built from community, innovation, and movement.

The design theme is centered on connecting people and community through the augmented reality experience in our world. The logo reflects inspiring and entertaining NBA lifestyle experiences through innovative mobile game technology, augmented reality, and walking around the real world with friends.

The customized type design is active, bonding, and on the move. It is laid back for casual hoopers and engaging for passionate fans. The logo was born from the relationship between three themes: community, innovation, and movement. The result is kinetic and fluid, engaging and connective, modern and sleek without sacrificing personality.

NBA All-World logo lockup in white

The logo lockup.

NBA All-World outlined logo

The outlined version.

NBA All-World AW monogram logo

The AW monogram.

NBA All-World logo in colorways and lockups

The logo in colorways and lockups.

The logo build, and the yellow 2D version, in motion.

Typography

Typography

Our typography creates clarity and harmony across all communications, and it alludes to the sporty boldness of the NBA All-World personality. Rajdhani leads every header, sub-header, and block of body copy, while Roboto Condensed appears sparingly at key points. Both typefaces create a clean look across the board.

Primary

Rajdhani

The main font for headers, sub-headers, and body copy.

Secondary

Roboto Condensed

Used sparingly at key points, small but impactful at a size of 13px or less.

App icon

App Icon

The logo carried into the app icon, shown here on a phone home screen and across the range of treatments we designed.

NBA All-World app icon on a phone home screen

The app icon on a phone home screen.

NBA All-World app icon option 1NBA All-World app icon option 2NBA All-World app icon option 3NBA All-World app icon option 4NBA All-World app icon option 5NBA All-World app icon option 6NBA All-World app icon option 7NBA All-World app icon option 8NBA All-World app icon option 9NBA All-World app icon option 10NBA All-World app icon option 11NBA All-World app icon option 12NBA All-World app icon option 13NBA All-World app icon option 14NBA All-World app icon option 15NBA All-World app icon option 16NBA All-World app icon option 17NBA All-World app icon option 18

The range of app icon treatments.

App Store

App Store Feature Screens

These promotional assets were created to feature NBA All-World in the App Store and Google Play Store. The various assets were created in alignment with the social campaigns running at the time of each featuring.

NBA All-World App Store feature screen 1NBA All-World App Store feature screen 2NBA All-World App Store feature screen 3NBA All-World App Store feature screen 5NBA All-World App Store feature screen 6

Feature screens for the App Store and Google Play.

NBA All-World App Store feature screen 4

A wide feature placement.

Key art

Key Art and the Launch Campaign

Key art and campaign visuals supported the pre-launch and launch of NBA All-World. They carry the logo and brand colors into billboards, social campaigns, and store placements.

NBA All-World key art 1
NBA All-World key art 2

Key art.

NBA All-World key art 3
NBA All-World key art 4

More key art.

NBA All-World billboard mock-up 1
NBA All-World billboard mock-up 2

Billboard mock-ups.

NBA All-World billboard mock-up 3
NBA All-World billboard mock-up 4

More billboard mock-ups.

NBA All-World launch campaign key art 1
NBA All-World launch campaign key art 2

Launch campaign key art.

NBA All-World launch campaign key art 3
NBA All-World launch campaign key art 4

More launch campaign key art.

Merchandise

Merchandise

The brand extended to merchandise, shown here in a short film and a styled still.

NBA All-World branded jacket worn in Paris

Merchandise in motion, and a branded jacket.

Newsletter

Newsletter

The brand also extended to the game’s newsletter, designed for tablet and phone.

NBA All-World newsletter on a tablet
NBA All-World newsletter on a phone

The newsletter on a tablet and on a phone.

Teaser

Teaser Video

A 30-second teaser introduced the brand in motion.

The 30-second teaser. Press play.

Campaign

Campaign Logo

Campaign logo badges supported the pre-launch and launch campaign.

NBA All-World campaign logo badges

Campaign logo badges.

The result

The brand, in the world.

NBA All-World launched worldwide on January 24, 2023, introduced by this brand. On June 29, 2023, Niantic announced it would close the game. What remains is the work: a complete brand for a game built around community and movement.

The work covered eight deliverables: the logo, key art, app icon, App Store screens, merchandise, newsletter, teaser video, and brand guidelines. Dreamspace builds brands that carry from the logo to the store page to the street. Explore our branding services, more game design work, or all of our work.

Credits and notes. Client: Niantic, with the NBA and the NBPA. Dreamspace designed the NBA All-World logo, app icon, typography, key art, App Store feature screens, merchandise, newsletter, teaser video, and brand guidelines. Images and films are from the project, and the billboard, merchandise, and device images are mock-ups.

NBA All-World, the NBA and its teams, player names, logos, and likenesses belong to their respective owners.

Sources: Niantic, NBA All-World global launch, January 24, 2023, and Pocket Tactics, June 29, 2023.