Denver Broncos Identity Design

Project Brief

In 1996, Pat Bowlen of the Denver Broncos came to NIKE and said, “I want a horse that looks like it’s going to kick your ass”.

A small group of core designers took on the daunting task of creating a swoosh that was a horse. Through careful consideration, we were able to understand the Denver Broncos’ story as well as everyone in the organization.

For Bakas, it was a dream come true. He was born and raised in Denver and has been a fan of the team since 1970.

The Solution

The resulting identity reflected a native american legend of a ‘ghost horse of the plains’. A horse so spirited, it couldn’t be tamed by man. That’s why the horse is white—it’s a ghost.

And the eyes are the windows to its soul. The soul is full of fire bubbling beneath the surface like a volcano, one of nature’s greatest uncontrollable forces. That’s why orange is a key color to telling the Denver Broncos’ story.