Plongkitz on Designing Kiefer Ravena’s Logo and Branding as a Door for Opportunity
What was another uncontainable “Uy Philippines” moment, Kiefer Ravena recently unveiled his player-exclusive (PE) Jordan 39 colorway of what appears to be the national team’s blue-yellow staple alongside his “KR” icon. The Yokohama B-Corsairs’ frontman debuted the Air Jordan XXXIX x KR15 “Philippines” PE in their win against his former club last October 27, 2024, posting 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists in 27 minutes on the floor.
His logo, conceived through the vision of Filipino graphic artist Plongkitz, is reminiscent of Ravena’s leadership and decades-long hooping influence. Consisting of several back-and-forth discussions, Plongkitz’s interpretation exemplifies Ravena’s pivotal role and impact on the game, while remaining grounded on who he is as an individual.
Plongkitz speaks to ALL-STAR Magazine on his relationship with Kiefer Ravena, designing his logo, and the importance of branding as a door for opportunity.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Instagram: @allstar.magazine, @kicksof2k, and @kieferravena15
What was the experience once the pair was released online?
Seeing the logo on a sneaker was surreal—especially a Jordan Brand pair. Everyone was calling me and it started to sink in that I did something special. I’m from this small town in Mindanao with around 30,000 people and they shared it on our community Facebook page.
What’s your relationship with Kiefer? How did working on his logo come about?
Kiefer (Ravena) has been my idol since my grade/high school days. I made a graphic of him and posted it on Instagram when in 2021, he reached out for a logo. I asked myself: “Is this for real?” Our relationship developed from drafting ideas to thinking about the future of it making it into a sneaker. We were thinking of mockups of a sneaker and hoped it would happen one day. Kiefer did all his work to get noticed and recently he called me randomly to show the box with the logo, which gave me a lot of flashbacks—from making beginner artworks to working with one of the best in the game.
Can you recall your first interaction with Kiefer?
Actually, my only real-life encounter with Kiefer was around two to three minutes. I was in a hotel waiting for a flight, and when I came down, he was there with Gilas Pilipinas. I didn’t want to call his attention because we’d never spoken in person. I was standing there and he reached out to me. He introduced me to a bunch of Gilas guys and I would have never thought he would recognize me. It was truly a kilig moment so to speak.
What was the process of creating his logo?
I probably have a hundred logos drawn for Kiefer and it’s more of making a lot and finding the best one. I’ve always known him as a leader and thought: “What are shapes, icons, and symbols that represent who he is? As a point guard, I started with an arrow—considering his leadership-driven role on the court, but as to how it would connect to Kiefer, I created logos with his initials comprised in an arrow. The process took around two to three weeks, but refining it took time. When we released it, it only became relevant around four years later.
Is there anything you would like to tell Kiefer?
Kiefer did a phenomenal job balancing everything—marketing himself, grinding to perform, and the reason why this all happened. There were logos that I made that weren’t maximized because they didn’t work out for the players or because they didn’t market themselves properly. Congratulations, Kiefer!
How important is branding, especially when it comes to athletes?
I began advocating branding for athletes after reading Jeremy Darlow’s “Athletes Are Brands Too: How Brand Marketing Can Save Today’s Athlete.” It made me realize that those (athletes) who have brands become more relevant than logos.
I started making logos when I was 21, and monetary value was not a thing for me. It was more of building myself and my portfolio, hoping to prove this concept. With this opportunity, I’ve worked with Matt Nieto, Simon Encisco, Mikey Williams, Juan Gómez de Liaño, Bobby Ray Parks, and Iran’s Arsalan Kazemi before Kiefer (Ravena). Personally, it’s not about how good you are, but also how you build your brand and basketball is a door to building a brand.
Are there players you’re hoping to work with in the future?
Kai Sotto has his logo, but it would be amazing to work with him. Japan’s Yuki Kawamura would be cool too, because you can relate to him. He’s 5’8” and he’s out there competing with the best. He’s already in the NBA and the opportunity is there to build a brand.
Read similar: Breaking: Kiefer Ravena Receives Own Jordan Player Exclusive Shoe
