Ryan Miller, Leipzig Is Ours | MFA Graduate Research Project
Whether it was drawing his favorite Super Friends characters, spending hours building with Lego or redesigning the logos of MLB teams, Ryan often could be found creating something as a child. He graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2001 with degrees in Graphic Design and Photography.
Before returning to IWU, Ryan spent 22+ years as a designer and creative director on thousands of diverse projects. He has worked with major brands such as Nike Golf, Adidas, The North Face, Merrell, Lands’ End, Delta Faucet and Ruth’s Chris to name a few. His vast experience has equipped him with a firm understanding of how the design industry works and what it takes to be successful.
When not sitting behind his computer designing, Ryan loves spending time with his family. He and his wife have three daughters and a son. He is also passionate about coaching basketball, soccer and baseball, as sports have always been a big part of Ryan’s life.
Leipzig Is Ours investigates how sports branding can shape culture, identity, and community through design. It’s a complete rebrand of the German Bundesliga team RB Leipzig. Centered on a speculative rebrand of a Bundesliga professional football club, the project addresses the challenge of redefining one of the league’s most polarizing teams by shifting its identity away from corporate perception and toward a stronger connection with the city of Leipzig and its people.
Grounded in research and cultural context, Leipzig Is Ours develops a comprehensive identity system that includes logo design, typography, color, uniform kits, campaign strategy, stadium environments, and fan-based applications, each designed to function cohesively across multiple touchpoints. This project is meant to demonstrate how branding operates as a lived experience rather than a static mark, reconnecting a corporate brand into a community-first club that plays for the city, with the city, and as the city.
This work positions design as a tool for building belonging, showing how a football club’s visual identity can move beyond representation to actively shape community, reinforce local pride, and create a shared cultural narrative.
More Work by Ryan
Stoel Furniture Co.:
This project is a conceptual furniture brand inspired by the clean lines, functionality, and craftsmanship associated with modern Dutch design. This project centered on the design and build of a Dutch-style lounge chair, the creation of a complete visual identity for the contemporary furniture company, and associated brand collateral. The name Stoel, the Dutch word for “chair”, serves as a direct connection to the brand’s heritage-inspired roots while reinforcing its focus on thoughtful furniture design.
Design Your Journey: Switzerland & Germany:
This project is a branding and promotional campaign for a graphic design study abroad course exploring the design heritage of Switzerland and Germany. Inspired by Swiss modernism and contemporary European design, the project includes a custom visual identity, travel guide, promotional materials, and digital assets. Through bold typography, grid-based layouts, and a refined visual system, the work communicates the course’s emphasis on design history, cultural immersion, and experiential learning.
Tall Timbers Woodworking:
This project is a conceptual branding project for a community woodworking school focused on teaching craftsmanship to all ages. Inspired by natural materials and traditional woodworking practices, this project includes a visual identity system, marketing campaign, environmental graphics, and digital experiences that promote community engagement and celebrate the value of hands-on making.
