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Powering Purpose: Branding & Marketing Tools Fuel Clarity
Case Study: USA Karate
SERVICES: Clarity: Brand Positioning, Brand Narrative | Creative: Sales Tools, Multi-Media Campaigns
Fixing Disconnect to Fuel Growth
National Governing Bodies (NGBs) often face the same challenges: passion-driven teams working with fragmented messaging, underutilized brand assets, and no clear roadmap to grow membership or attract sponsors. USA Karate was no exception. While steeped in Olympic legacy, the organization struggled to communicate its broader value to a diverse member base.
USA Karate partnered with Muse to bring structure, storytelling, and strategy to its brand.
CLARITY
Brand Narrative & Value Proposition
USA Karate needed a compelling story that spoke to every member, not just Olympic hopefuls. We repositioned membership as a journey rooted in community, discipline, and national pride.
- Reframed membership from transactional to aspirational
- Balanced the Olympic message with inclusive narratives for beginners, youth, and lifelong practitioners
- Crafted a value proposition that distinguishes USA Karate from other martial arts organizations
- Clarified membership tiers and created audience-specific messaging
- Developed member personas to guide targeted communications
- Aligned internal goals with actual member motivations and expectations
Messaging & Content Consistency
To unify the organization's voice, we developed a messaging framework that could be used across all platforms and by all team members.
- Eliminated fragmented messaging by building a central brand story
- Created a consistent tone and message hierarchy for email, social media, website, and print
- Developed a marketing playbook to guide current and future content creators
Promoting all events with equal energy and professionalism was key to member engagement. We helped USA Karate broaden its promotional lens beyond major competitions.
- Developed a more balanced event promotion strategy
- Elevated niche and regional events alongside national tournaments
- Provided branded templates and strategies to drive awareness and attendance
Visual Identity
USA Karate’s brand needed visual structure to match its high-performance image. The brand is recognizable but hasn’t always been used to its full potential. We provided guidance and structure the whole team could follow.
- Standardized the logo suite and file types for professional applications
- Documented visual guidelines including color use, typography, and photography styles
CREATIVE
Sales Tools
With a refined logo suite and guidelines, we created assets that brought prestige and consistency to every touchpoint.
- Created a Canva Brand Kit to empower non-designers to produce on-brand materials
- Designed brochures, flyers, and membership charts
- Delivered branded letterhead and polished pitch materials
- Created assets to support sponsor engagement and growth
Social Media
Likewise, we created social media templates to share engaging, branded content beyond event recaps.
- Branded, editable templates for Facebook and Instagram
- Celebrated member wins and key events with on-brand visuals
- Empowered the team to post confidently and consistently
IMPACT
Muse helped USA Karate transform scattered tools and messaging into a unified brand system built for growth.
- Unified brand message that resonates across all member levels
- Increased team alignment and confidence in communication
- Professional visual identity that reflects Olympic-level excellence
- Tools and templates that empower staff and volunteers
- Greater clarity and consistency in external promotions and member outreach
“Working with Muse was one of those fundamentals we didn’t realize we needed. After going through the process, it became clear we had been skipping steps. Now, everything we do feels more cohesive, and the impact is much greater.”
— Elisa Au, President, USA Karate
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