Minnesota Vikings ’Winter Warrior’
The 7th Annual Awards
- Best Art Direction
ABOUT THIS ENTRY
The Vikings introduced their “Winter Warrior” alternate uniforms, featuring a white-on-white design with metallic gray accents and the franchise’s first-ever white helmet. Debuted at the Winter Whiteout game on Dec. 16, 2024, this icy look was designed to be the coldest in the league.
How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?
This launch set a new standard for engagement by transforming a uniform reveal into a visually-led cultural moment. The bold, cohesive art direction—from the icy white palette and metallic accents to the custom-built set and layered textures—was central to capturing attention and sparking conversation. The strategic 24-hour anticipation window, paired with striking visuals, demonstrated how thoughtfully staged rollouts can drive both sustained excitement and immediate action.
Engagement benchmarks were shattered: one of the highest-ever single-day follower increases, 10M video views, and the #1 spot in NFL social growth for June. But the impact extended beyond engagement—Winter Warrior outperformed the team’s Classic alternate by 60% in 48-hour sales and helped drive a 30% year-over-year jersey revenue increase.
This work shows how modern uniform design, when paired with elevated visual storytelling, can become a vehicle for both cultural relevance and commercial success. It sets a benchmark for how art direction can powerfully shape the fan experience and challenges teams and brands to treat product launches as immersive, style-driven moments—not just announcements.
Objective
The Vikings had an opportunity to introduce a new alternate uniform to their existing collection. After unveiling the Classic uniform in 2023—responding to years of fan demand—the team saw an opportunity to design another uniform that would resonate with a different audience. The goal was to create a look that felt authentic to the Vikings while engaging and appealing to Gen Z. Beyond just aesthetics, the objective was to generate national buzz and excitement, further solidifying the team's presence in the cultural conversation.
Strategy & Execution
The Winter Warrior uniform was created to resonate with the modern sports fan—especially Gen Z—by blending high-performance design with inspiration from fashion, culture, and climate. Every detail, from the icy white palette to the reflective silver numbers and metallic helmet stripe, was chosen to create a bold, cohesive visual identity.
Following the 2023 release of the fan-requested Classic uniform, the Vikings set out to introduce a second alternate that would expand the brand’s cultural relevance. To ensure an all-white look would feel authentic to both the team and its audience, the Vikings launched a “Winter Whiteout” game in 2022, encouraging fans to wear white while the team debuted a white-on-white home look. The overwhelmingly positive response validated the direction and informed the uniform’s development.
The final art direction leaned into cold-weather identity and bold minimalism, reflecting the region’s climate while creating a distinct visual experience across social, retail, and in-stadium touchpoints. The creative system extended beyond the jersey—using tonal layering, metallics, and high-contrast textures in everything from photography to set design—resulting in a campaign that felt more like a fashion launch than a traditional uniform drop.
Organizations
- Nike
- NFL
- Riddell
- Minnesota Vikings
Links
Credits
Jacqueline Ramacher
Art Manager
Minnesota Vikings
Alicia Dreyer
Creative Director, Brand & Design
Minnesota Vikings
Bryan Harper
Vice President, Content & Production
Minnesota Vikings
Martin Nance
Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer
Minnesota Vikings
Erin Swartz
Sr. Director of Brand, Marketing & Project Management
Minnesota Vikings
Elizabeth Douglas
Design Manager
Minnesota Vikings
Michael Parsons
Director of Equipment Services
Minnesota Vikings
Jason Wright
Expert Designer, NFL Uniforms
Nike
Ryan Airhart
Design Director, NFL Uniforms
Nike
Celebrate in NYC
Join us for the 7th Annual Hashtag Sports Awards™ on the evening of June 24, 2025 as we celebrate finalists and reveal the winners of this year's awards live during the show.
