SPORT TRADING CARDS | Photographer | Creative Director
Project: Trade Your Hero For Mine
For the first time in history, a limited edition series of sport trading cards printed in both English and Spanish, made entirely by women, down to the typeface.
Photographer: Elena Parasco
Sports Team: Selección Femenil Mexicana de Hockey sobre Hielo (CDMX)
Lead Designer: Ana Thompson
Printing House: Pacific Plus
Casting: Akrav Agency
Production: Alonso Mejia, Contenido Neto Producciones (CDMX)
Magazine Feature + USA Card Distribution: Victory Journal
Press: i-D, Bleacher Report, i-D Mexico
2018 JULY ISSUE OF VICTORY JOURNAL
A personal project featured in the 2018 issue of Victory Journal, the limited edition trading card series and documentary film, titled TRADE YOUR HERO FOR MINE, features the inspiring story of Mexico’s first National Women’s Ice Hockey team.
The limited edition trading cards is shot by, designed by, subjects, and features typefaces created by: women. All proceeds from sale of cards go to funding the team’s ice rink time for the 2022 Olympic Games.
The project aims to liberate and directly challenge a millennium of male-dominated visual sport language by placing women under a fresh and carefully considered lens. Aiming to generate a new discourse around powerful female athletic stories within competitive sport culture.
In a country where ice rinks are expensive and rare, this team beat the Men’s National Hockey team in a huge upset, defied all odds in winning the 2017 World Championship (II B), dealt with adversity in continuing their training after the devastating earthquakes, and made history by being Mexico's first female team to advance to the second round of the Winter Olympic tryouts. Selección Femenil Mexicana de Hockey is now the highest ranked National female sports team in Mexico.
And yet their hometown and country barely know they exist.
Trade Your Hero For Mine is a project that intentionally utilizes the female gaze, spans two languages, and leverages the broad audience of online distribution, to promote diverse and inspiring female sport stories.
Asking audiences to challenge our current barometer for what we consider an athletic hero. In doing so, creating a new guard of powerful yet accessible, female role models.
Printed stories to talk about.
Physical stories to share.
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TRADE YOUR HERO FOR MINE is a limited edition trading card series that tells the story of Mexico’s National Women’s Ice Hockey Team. In a country where ice rinks are expensive and rare, this team beat the Men’s National Hockey team in a huge upset, defied all odds in winning the 2017 World Championship (II B), dealt with adversity in continuing their training after the devastating earthquakes, and made history by being Mexico's first female team to advance to the second round of the Winter Olympic tryouts. Selección Femenil Mexicana de Hockey is now the highest ranked National female sports team in Mexico.
Revealing relatable and badass anecdotes of being a female athlete in Mexico, the growing sisterhood of the team, and the undeniable influence of their country's spirit.
TRADE YOUR HERO FOR MINE brings sport trading cards into a modern, female-led vernacular. Composing a new guard of printed athletic role models that places the story of powerful female heroes into our front pocket.
The short film, which premiered with i-D Magazine and Bleacher Report, acts as a video portrait on the team, where the larger story on the team unfolds in each trading card, in the player’s own voice.
CARD FEATURES
- Spot UV: “Sé Una Chingona” (“Be A Badass Girl”) on both English and Spanish versions
- Spot UV: CDMX, the Team’s Hometown
- 11 Player Cards that reveal the story of how the team, through the voice of each player directly
- Gold Foil Scratch Off, revealing 35mm team photo
- Reflective Gold Art Card, flanked by embossed text “Sí Se Puede” (“Yes, You can do it”) and “Make the Impossible Possible,” acting as a mirror to the viewer so for a fleeting moment the card-holder too can be part of the team.
CREDITS
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Trading Cards:
Photographer: Elena Parasco
Designer: Ana Thompson
Team: Selección Nacional Femenil de Hockey sobre Hielo
Casting: Akrav Agency (Sarah Benjamin NYC; Tania Nieblati CDMX)
Production: Alonso Mejia, Contenido Neto Producciones (CDMX)
AD: Anna Ritsch
Wardrobe Stylist: Jocelyn Carona
Hair + Make-Up: Adrian González
PA: Astrid Cortés
Translations: Edgar Duran D'Gyves
Post: Urban / CVLT Studio
BTS Photography: Anna Ritsch
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Editorial Shoot:
Casting: Akrav Agency
Fashion Director: Gia Seo
Creative Consultant: Dana Brej
Prop Stylist: Oak Laokwansathitaya
Talent: Alvina Bokhari, Izzy Benyamin, Sean Pantea, Ximena Balmori, Tanima Mehrota, Jamari Leacock, Alecia Rodriguez
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Special Thanks:
Thea Maxine
Victory Journal
Olivia Cohen
Cyntia Leo
Paul Chang
Dexter Navy
Sarah Benjamin
Dana Brej
Jonathan Ostos Yaber
Ana Thompson
Nick Wiesner
Ryo Yamamoto + Urban / CVLT Studio
Bobb Barito
Bruno Garcia
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