NYJTL 2023 Gala
NYJTL (New York Junior Tennis & Learning) was founded in 1969 by Arthur Ashe and several of his colleagues. Ashe, to this day the only African American male player to have won the US Open and Wimbledon, was committed to ensuring equal access for all youth to tennis and education. For 50 years, NYJTL has changed lives; today, it’s the largest nonprofit youth tennis and education program in the nation, serving 85,000 K-12 NYC youth. Every year, the organization holds its largest fundraiser in the spring, its annual gala, in New York City. Funds raised allow NYJTL to offer community and afterschool programs at no cost to participants across all five boroughs of NYC.
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These programs include tennis clinics and training, academic tutoring, scholarships, leadership development and mentorship. For its 2023 annual gala, the goal was to develop a creative and engaging logo and assets to communicate three key points/messages: NYJTL provides access to resources to foster empowering educational opportunities for young students; NYJTL provides tennis clinics and instruction to foster fitness, healthy living, leadership and many other positive attributes that are gleaned from athletic pursuit; and NYJTL builds a community that is fostered to create a healthier, more sustainable, and more equitable NYC. The tagline: “For Scholars. For Athletes. For NYC.” along with the logo mark that is a combination of tennis court/graduation cap/NYC skyline communicates the totality of the value proposition and serves as a call to action, to encourage current and past donors, partners and community members to join and support the cause. It was important to communicate all three elements in both visual and copy context. Arthur Ashe said, “Through tennis, lives can be changed and spirits reclaimed.” He envisioned “one” NYC, where any child, from any borough, could be a part of a life-changing community. In the city skyline illustration that accompanies the logo, iconic symbols of NYC are featured alongside an illustration of the Cary Leeds Center, located in the South Bronx, the result of a public/private partnership which has helped transform this neighborhood and provides free year round programming to children from all over the city. The combination of all the key messages into one dynamic identity was the ultimate goal. The client loved the design; assets included logo, save the date, printed and digital invitation, event program, event signage, eblast template, web banners and additional print and digital assets. The goal was also to infuse the event itself with the graphics in a way that generated excitement, built awareness and encouraged brand loyalty to the organization and its mission. The event was a resounding success, raising more than $1.25 million, marking it as one of the organization’s most successful fundraisers of its 50-year history.