Rebranding CDF

CDF (now TNT Sports) is the biggest private channel dedicated entirely to football content in Chile. The channel launched in 2003 and was controlled by the Asociación Nacional de Fútbol Profesional, the Chilean football league. Given the organic, fast growth in past years, a plethora of technical issues appeared everywhere due to the increasing distribution formats and specs, from TV to apps in SD, HD, 4K and more.

But the biggest issue had been the lack of a cohesive language, both narrative and technical. This was a complex project where I worked as Associate Creative Director coordinating not just the high-level concepts of the rebranding, but also following the execution of all video formats, 3D animation, storytelling, and providing quality assurance and consistency for all pieces.

New Storytelling Beyond the Game

We developed a new storytelling with less focus on the game, focused instead on the impact to our everyday lives, creating an emotional engagement with audiences instead of mere transactional consumption. Information hierarchy is key for sports motion graphics, allowing viewers to get their information delivered quickly and clearly.

Visuals represented the hero’s journey from humble origins to the highest leagues, putting special emphasis on how those stories revolutionise their families and communities. Rather than simply showing goals and statistics, we crafted narratives that connected Chilean football to national identity, family pride, and community transformation.

Technical Complexity Across Formats

CDF got a new colour palette of grey and green with new graphics, adapted from sister channel TNT Sports. The challenge extended beyond aesthetics to technical implementation across wildly different platforms and specifications.

Digital tools and software have revolutionised the industry, enhancing efficiency and creative possibilities. We needed animations that worked seamlessly whether broadcast in 4K on premium cable, streamed in HD on mobile apps, or displayed in SD on older systems. This required meticulous planning of file structures, render settings, and scalable design elements that maintained visual impact across all technical specifications.

3D Animation and Visual Language

For 3D animations, Autodesk Maya or Blender are excellent choices, whilst vector-based animations can be created using Adobe Animate. Our animation work needed to feel dynamic and contemporary whilst remaining technically deliverable across CDF’s diverse distribution ecosystem.

The 3D animation work ranged from broadcast graphics to promotional content to stadium displays. Each piece needed to align with the new brand storytelling whilst meeting strict technical specifications for broadcast. I coordinated with animators to ensure visual consistency, narrative coherence, and technical compliance across hundreds of individual assets.

Brand Manual and Team Training

Finally, I planned and structured the brand manual to be used by CDF’s internal design team of animators. A successful design is about using elements to communicate emotion and tell a story, where every element has its strength and its part to play.

The brand manual wasn’t just a static document of logo specifications and colour palettes. It needed to be a comprehensive guide for how to execute the new storytelling approach across formats, platforms, and content types. I led introductory and technical workshops to resolve questions and ensure the implementation of the new design programme would be effective and consistent.

These workshops covered everything from technical rendering specifications to narrative frameworks for different content types. The goal was to empower CDF’s internal team to maintain brand consistency whilst adapting to the fast-paced demands of daily sports broadcasting.

Quality Assurance and Consistency

Being Associate Creative Director meant overseeing every piece for quality assurance and consistency. In sports broadcasting, content moves quickly. Matches happen, graphics need updating, promotional materials require rapid turnaround. The challenge was maintaining rigorous brand standards whilst respecting production realities.

This comprehensive creative direction approach ensured that whether viewers encountered CDF on their television, mobile device, or social media, they experienced a unified brand that told meaningful stories about Chilean football’s impact on lives and communities.

Project Vitals

Client: CDF (Canal del Fútbol), now TNT Sports Chile
Role: Associated Creative Director
Services: Brand Strategy, Storytelling Development, 3D Animation Coordination, Video Format Execution, Quality Assurance, Brand Manual Development, Team Training Workshops
Scope: Complete channel rebrand across all platforms (TV, apps, SD, HD, 4K)
Deliverables: Brand manual, animation assets, technical specifications, team training
Team Coordination: Internal design team, animators
Duration: 1 year (2014-2015)
Tools: Adobe Creative Suite, 3D animation software