U.S. Soccer - Only Forward / ICNCLST

We’re proud to share the creative campaign we developed with our partners at U.S. Soccer — Only Forward / Solo Pa’lante — a campaign focused on uniting fans and the Men's National Team in a collective, inspirational journey to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The campaign has continued through this World Cup cycle, which saw the USMNT progress to the knockout round of the tournament.

“The goal of the campaign is to connect the ethos of this dynamic collection of young leaders with the spirit of today’s youth” said U.S. Soccer Vice President of Marketing Kay Bradley. “It is important for people to be able to make a human connection with our players.

This campaign channels the optimistic attitude and swagger of the team in a way that’s honest, relatable and invites fans from all backgrounds to be a part of the story as it's unfolding.”The campaign was born from insights gathered through in-depth interviews with the players and national team staff during a multi-month period. These conversations underscored that this team has confidence beyond the game, providing an opportunity to transcend traditional sports verbiage and visuals by connecting the team to the culture they embody on and off the field.

"Our mission with this project was to create a campaign that reflects this team's attitude, shared values, and collective mindset—unique to this moment in time,” said Co-Founder of ICNCLST Nikle Guzijan. “We spent time interviewing old and new players and coaches to understand their voice and collective experience. We listened, processed, and iterated. These powerful conversations and consistent through lines inspired 'Only Forward / Solo Pa’lante', a collaborative platform that we feel has the flexibility to apply not only to the games ahead, but also to the team and nation's collective headspace as we head into this new era of the U.S. Men's National Team—together."

The campaign, created in partnership with WØRKS, aims to powerfully represent a reenergized Men’s National Team that is dedicated to connecting and motivating U.S. Soccer’s growing youthful, diverse, and multicultural fan base.