The Big 12 Conference Celebrates Expanded League and Refreshed Brand with Earthgang

The Big 12 Conference has unveiled its latest campaign, "What's Next," marking another major moment in the Conference’s evolution. Revealed by Commissioner Brett Yormark at the 2024 Football Media Day in Las Vegas last month, the campaign celebrates the conference's expansion to 16 teams and further introduces a new look and feel a part of the Big 12’s brand refresh signifying the conference’s growth. The brand anthem is voiced by Grammy nominated duo and UnitedMasters’ artists, Earthgang. Earthgang aligns with the Big 12’s deepening connection to contemporary culture and looking towards the future of what’s next. 

The brand anthem unifies the conference and showcases the expanded regional, athletic and cultural presence of Big 12. This is the first time that all 16 institutions within the conference have been celebrated together through the campaign including new members — Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado. "What’s Next." – turning a question into a statement – is a bold declaration of the Big 12’s identity and purpose, demonstrating the Big 12’s confidence in charting the course forward and embracing the future of what is to come.

“Our “What’s Next” campaign, in partnership with Translation, will continue to elevate the Big 12 as an innovative brand that transcends traditional college sports,” said Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark. “This enhanced look and feel of the Big 12 Conference will resonate across the country as we continue to grow as a conference of 16 iconic institutions.” 

The new campaign also unveiled more of the conference’s efforts to rebrand, introducing new logo designs and branding elements for the conference. The conference has developed a secondary, sport specific logo system that spans across 18 sports and its 16 member institutions. This updated branding will continue to be rolled out throughout the year. The latest design system features a refreshed colour palette incorporating each school, aimed at building brand equity and reflecting the evolving identity of the conference. 

This is the second brand campaign that has gone live in partnership with Translation, the Big 12’s official creative partner. Back in October of 2022, Translation was brought in to modernise the conference, and with this new campaign, they are continuing to help bridge the gap between the growing conference and their diverse community. They are redefining what it means to be a collegiate conference for today’s athletes through the celebration of students and fans during this new tradition. This latest social campaign is reinforcing the Big 12’s role as trailblazers in the college sports landscape and demonstrating how they have always been greater than 12. 

“Our collaboration with the Big 12 has been transformative, allowing us to capture the conference's innovative spirit and evolving identity in college athletics. This campaign celebrates the students, fans, and new traditions, reinforcing the Big 12's position as trailblazers in college sports. As we continue to modernise the Big 12 and bridge the gap between the expanding conference and its diverse community, we're excited to showcase how they're redefining the collegiate experience.” said CEO and founder of Translation Steve Stoute.