The KHL launched a children’s direction around its website and social channels. The initial task was to build a content and promotion system. As the direction grew, the number of platforms and formats increased, as did publishing frequency. The project evolved into ongoing production that needed to be maintained and developed from season to season.
KHL
Three years of design support for children’s media
Context
What we did
- Designed the system: workspace, guidelines, templates and a pipeline for assembling materials.
- Run ongoing design production: comics, an animated series, Telegram formats and game mechanics.
- Set up art direction, monitor content quality and improve the production process.
- We regularly analyse reach and engagement, update formats, and refine both the presentation and production process based on analytics.
Outcome
We have supported the content production system since 2023. Performance of the KHL’s children’s channels in the 25/26 season, according to the project report:
- 358.8K — total audience.
- +87.3K — new followers during the season.
- 44.9M — content reach.
- +32.2% — total audience growth during the season.
Awards and shortlists
The project was shortlisted for the SBC Awards three times:
- ‘Media Project of the Year’ — 2024
- ‘Sponsorship Integration of the Year, budget up to 1 million rubles’ — 2024.
- ‘SMM of the Year’ — 2025
Design system
We built the project’s visual infrastructure with graphic assets, a design system, reusable templates and principles for assembling materials. This foundation helps the team work faster and keep the visuals consistent.
serial comic about the KHL mascot
Instead of a static book layout, we used the energy of action comics: extreme angles, exaggerated emotions, custom typography, expressive speech bubbles and sound effects. Hidden references encourage readers to revisit each issue.
Animated series / clips / graphics
We created 2D animation featuring club mascots. We moved from horizontal videos to vertical ones. We build the visuals around sound and rhythm, paying particular attention to the opening seconds. We use dynamic animation: camera movement, parallax, smear frames and exaggerated impact effects. We also developed recurring clips and Telegram formats with players and mascots, plus puzzles, guessing games and other interactive content.
Analytics and development
Together with the project’s content team, we collect performance data by platform and format: audience dynamics, reach, top-performing publications and channel-level changes. At the end of each month, we consolidate the period’s data, highlight the best publications and formats, and identify what needs improvement. Based on the reports, we adjust publishing frequency, strengthen effective formats and plan the next cycle.
