Delaware State University Athletics Case Study
How DSU modernized its athletic brand and boosted engagement through a year-round creative partnership with OTM Studios.
The Challenge
Before partnering with OTM Studios, Delaware State University’s athletic department faced a familiar challenge: the desire to modernize their brand without the internal bandwidth to make it happen. Their teams were competing at a Division I level, but their media presence didn’t yet reflect that same energy, pride, and professionalism. The department wanted to create a cohesive visual identity—one that would excite fans, inspire players, and capture the attention of top recruits.
However, with limited staff and competing priorities across multiple sports, keeping up with the demand for high-quality, on-brand content was nearly impossible. DSU needed more than a one-time video shoot—they needed a creative partner who could bring vision, consistency, and strategy to their storytelling all season long.
That’s where OTM Studios came in: ready to help the Hornets turn their program’s culture, grit, and community pride into cinematic content that matched their ambition.
Strategic Cinematic Storytelling
OTM Studios developed a full creative direction for DSU Athletics designed to capture the all the teams’ energies, identities, and competitive spirits. We began by immersing ourselves in the program’s culture—understanding their traditions, the personality of the players, and the pride that fuels their fan base. From that insight, we built a creative vision that would not only look cinematic but also feel authentic to DSU.
Our team led every stage of production—from concept development and storyboarding to lighting design, camera movement, and sound design. Using professional cinema equipment like the RED Komodo and Canon R3, we crafted a visual language that reflected the speed, emotion, and intensity of college basketball at the Division I level. Every shot was intentional, every angle built to highlight both the power and personality of the athletes.
In post-production, we layered dynamic motion graphics, player-specific animations, and high-energy sound design to create a national-level intro package worthy of broadcast. We didn’t stop there—our team delivered multiple versions optimized for social media, scoreboard display, and recruiting use, ensuring that DSU’s message and brand consistency carried across every platform.
The result: a cinematic identity that gave players a sense of pride, fans a reason to engage, and recruits a clear vision of what it means to wear the Hornet jersey.
What We Created for Delaware State University
Each deliverable was designed to strengthen DSU’s athletic identity and tell a cohesive story across every touchpoint. From high-impact hype videos and striking player visuals to animated scoreboard graphics and culture-driven storytelling pieces, every asset served a purpose—to energize fans, empower athletes, and showcase the program’s excellence to recruits and supporters alike. By maintaining a consistent creative vision across all content, we helped DSU establish a bold, recognizable brand presence that feels unmistakably theirs.
- Team Show Open
- Media Day player headshots & motion clips
- Scoreboard motion graphics & player ID packages
- Social recap edits
- Culture-driven storytelling features
- Recruiting-focused assets
The Impact
The project created a major spike in social media engagement across DSU Athletics, with athletes calling the new video “the best the program’s ever had.” The strong response from players, fans, and the community helped position OTM Studios as a trusted, long-term creative partner for the athletic department. As a result, DSU leadership expanded the collaboration into additional sports, recognizing the value of consistent, high-quality storytelling for the entire program.
Show Opens
Media Day Photos
Motion VFX
Social Recaps
Behind The Scenes
What DSU Said.
Our work speaks for itself, but the voices of the athletes, coaches, and leaders we partner with say even more. From boosted engagement to renewed program pride, schools consistently share how our creative partnership elevates their brand and brings their vision to life. Hear directly from the teams who’ve experienced the impact.
Ready to Bring This Level of Creative Power to Your Campus?
Let’s build a partnership that brings your athletic story to life in a way that resonates with athletes, excites fans, attracts recruits, and reflects the excellence of your entire program. When we collaborate, you get a creative team committed to capturing the energy, pride, and identity that make your school unique—and turning it into content that leaves a lasting impression all season long.