DZ Dawgs

DiamondZone, a baseball training center, asked us to design a mascot to enhance their brand. They were using Manny and Molly, two miners and felt a switch to an animal would be stronger and more fun for the kids. Brett Bradanini, the owner of DiamondZone, shared a similar love for dogs and we quickly decided that a bulldog would bet the perfect animal to move forward with. The idea of Slugger had been born!

I started sketching and worked with Brett to establish a more unique look that would tie in to baseball. The stitches on Slugger's left cheek are the same as the seams on a baseball.

We worked together to create a determined but not overly mean facial expression. Also, it was determined that the mascot would walk on two legs so he could play baseball and attend games (mascot costume) in the future. The collar has unique diamond shapes as well.

Once Slugger's had been completed we worked with DiamondZone to create the uniforms with alternate colors and various forms of merchandising, such as hoodies, hats, jerseys, t-shirts and shorts.