Role
Sole product designer
Skills
Product strategy, Visual design
Team
1 designer
5 consultants
Timeline
April-June 2025
Problem
Gen Z only makes up 17% of Team USA fans, and they disappear between major Olympic games
Gina Lux, VP of Fan Engagement
Client (Team USA) diagnosis via GROW framework
G
GOAL
Increase Gen Z fanbase
Represents the future, but lowest engagement (17%)
Sustain long-term engagement
Between Olympic cycles, leading up to LA28
R
REALITY
Globally recognized brand
10M social media followers, valued at $10 billion
But...sharp engagement drops
Fans disappear between Olympic competitions
Constraints
Learning to make sound judgments while working under ambiguity
Brand Legacy
Innovation
To provide “fresh Gen Z insights” while staying true to the brand, we referenced Team USA’s 2025 Vision, but prioritized innovative concepts over precedence.
Adaptable Frameworks
Given limited info on tech stack and budget, we focused on designing adaptable frameworks.
Consumer insights
Gen Z doesn’t lack interest... they lack reasons to stay
Fresh Gen Z insights > Historical data
We had legacy reports/historical data at our disposal, we chose to prioritize the Gen-Z voices we interviewed and surveyed. After all, our client this is the kind of fresh take our client was looking for!
#1: It’s about the social connection (wins, memes) and #FOMO, not gameplay.
Most Gen Z fans aren't sports fanatics. They engage with Team USA content for the athlete backstories, shareable memes, rivalries, and more. Put simply, they live for the messiness.
#2: To introduce something new to Gen Z, make it feel familiar.
An unfortunate byproduct of our generation’s dopamine addiction cycle (#screenagers), and the resulting lower attention span. Meet Gen Z where they are: mobile-first, Instagram/TikTok.
#3: Gen Z is heavily motivated by tangible, immediate progress and rewards.
Elite FlameKeeper
You’re on fire! Only 150 XP to Platinum.
Gold
Premium
1,000
2,000
Backstage Athlete Q&A
Get exclusive access to a private Q&A session with a top basketball player. Hear personal stories and....
For products that aren’t necessary to everyday functioning, Gen Z favors those that have addictive streaks/progress bars, and high-value rewards they can use ASAP.
User personas: Which Gen Z are you? Mission-driven humanist? Deal hunter? ...
Mission-driven
humanist
Instant
gratification seeker
Sports
enthusiast
Deal
hunter
Social connection
Personalization
Instant gratification
Tangible reward
Low friction
Career growth
We affinity mapped our user research into major user personas and values. We grounded our fan engagement strategy and designs in these.
Solution
FlameKeepers: a 4-stage engagement engine that turns passive fans into brand advocates
Active participation = Deeper commitment. Throughout this engagement cycle, we use an omni-channel strategy to ultimately drive all traffic into a single mobile app, also called FlameKeepers.
The specifics of phases 1, 3, and 4 are more strategy-heavy. The gist is that:
Phase 2: Engage
Phase 2: FlameKeepers, a gamified app for action-driven brand engagement
Onboarding: establishing FlameKeepers as “cool” and “with the culture”
Speaking to Gen Z’s affinity for modern and futuristic, design styles
Sarcastic, teasing tagline (Gen Z tone)
Embarking on Quests: engage in Team USA-related experiences for coins
Using coins/XP to ignite Gen Z’s desire to recognition and achievement
Each challenge is designed to be shared organically
Making sure there’s something for everyone (the fashion enthusiasts, content creators, etc.)
Embarking on Quests: engage in Team USA-related experiences for coins
Using coins/XP to ignite Gen Z’s desire to recognition and achievement
Each challenge is designed to be shared organically
Making sure there’s something for everyone (the fashion enthusiasts, content creators, etc.)
I designed the info arch of Rewards and Quest screens to match how fans actually use it: quests in a one-column format for quick action, rewards in a multi-column for leisurely browsing!
Visualize progress: personal stats and local leaderboards for quantifying progress
Progress dashboard, quick stats, and an invite to jump right back into the Flamekeepers quests
Fans compete with nearby players, not globally so climbing ranks feel more achievable
Early explorations
Other fun ideas we threw on the whiteboard...
Fan journey map
Adored this visual, but ultimately felt it didn’t clearly reflect a user’s progress
In the end, prioritized intuitiveness (UX) > visuals (UI)
eWallet check-in card
Would’ve allowed users to quickly sign into in-person events & redeem rewards directly
Ultimately didn’t include due to uncertainty around technical feasibility about the wallet integration
Emily Shen
8L53
Industry feedback
The pitch: presenting to Team USA executives
Overall, I received positive feedback on how grounded our pitch was in Gen Z behaviors and motivations, and our compelling storytelling.
They would’ve liked to see a more focused approach, and greater detail on the business case.
Kind words from my Team USA project mentor
“I was consistently impressed by Emily's sharp analytical skills to work through complex product requirements. She excels at making strategic judgments and translating them into actionable solutions under pressure.”
Igor Mandrosov
Senior Product Manager
Learnings for the future
What working on FlameKeepers taught me about product...
When entering a new market, new ideas stick better when they fit existing habits.
Balancing legacy with evolution
Storytelling
MATTERS.