Juan C. - Children's Athletic Program Builds Brand Recognition from Fragmented Visual Identity
Sugar Maple Athletics represents a successful brand development case study in the competitive children's fitness and activities industry. Founded to instill a love for physical activity in young children through engaging, age-appropriate programs, Sugar Maple Athletics offers specialized sports experiences for children ages 2-10, emphasizing skill development, confidence building, and positive associations with physical activity.
Client Profile: Children's Athletic Program
Name: Juan C.
Organization: Sugar Maple Athletics
Industry: Children's Fitness & Recreation
Focus: Multi-sport programs for ages 2-10
Location: Queens, New York
Mission: Creating positive, nurturing environments where young children develop athletic skills, confidence, and lifelong love for physical activity through specialized programming including soccer, basketball, field hockey, music integration, and mini Olympics.
Sugar Maple Athletics faced critical brand identity obstacles that hindered effective parent engagement and program recognition in a crowded children's activities market. Like many growing youth programs, they encountered several key issues:
Fragmented visual identity across programs
Lack of cohesive branded materials
Underdeveloped illustration system for child engagement
Inconsistent communication with target families
Solution
EPM Consulting Group implemented a comprehensive brand identity system featuring a unified visual language, extensive illustration library, and cohesive branded materials across all program touchpoints. The brand development centered around a warm, approachable maple tree mascot and established a complete brand ecosystem that spanned typography, color palette (vibrant greens and yellows), character design, and program-specific visual identities.
Unified brand system (logo, mascot, colors, typography)
Extensive child-friendly illustration library
Program-specific branding for Soccer Explorers, Lil' Ballers, Field Hockey, Jam Play, and Mini Olympics
Comprehensive printed materials and marketing collateral
Measurables: The transformation delivered strong brand recognition among target families, enhanced program differentiation, and a scalable visual system positioned for growth in the children's athletics market.
Brand Positioning: Sugar Maple Athletics now stands as a premium children's athletic program that combines expert instruction with nurturing, fun-focused experiences, targeting families who seek comprehensive physical development beyond traditional sports programs. The brand successfully communicates growth, joy, and safety through its distinctive maple tree character and child-friendly visual identity system.
Strong brand recognition among families
Enhanced program differentiation & enrollment appeal
Scalable, growth-ready visual identity system
