Ladder of Alignment Course Asset Design
(Extreme Ownership Academy)
Overview
Client:
Echelon Front – founded by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, authors of the #1 New York Times bestseller Extreme Ownership, The Dichotomy of Leadership and The Code.
Project Objectives:
Create a visually compelling, high-conversion video course identity that reinforces the leadership philosophy of EF and drives enrollment for the new Extreme Ownership Academy course – Ladder of Alignment – taught by Jocko Willink & Dave Berke.
Deliverables:
Video thumbnail, promotional landing page, full campaign assets, course visuals, email graphics, social posts, and final course badge + certificate.
Quick Wins
Unified Execution
I built Echelon Front’s Ladder of Alignment system for clarity and conversion.
Final Design Approved
Selected as the official course thumbnail after incorporating sketches & notes.
Multiple Departments Served
Final design aligned with instructors, marketing, and leadership teams.
All Assets Delivered Early
Maintained EF’s fast operational tempo & unified visuals across web, social & email.
Audience Engagement Ready
Provided pre-sized graphics for multiple platforms – optimized for clicks.
“AJ has been incredible to work with. At Echelon Front, we have a unique identity, tone, and visual brand. AJ has done the legwork to understand who we are and what our audience expects. He’s designed so many creative assets for us that are exceptional. He’s thoughtful, kind, and asks the right questions to get to what you need.”
Chris Deming | Communications Manager @ Echelon Front
Mission-Aligned
Echelon Front’s mission is to instill battlefield-tested leadership in every organization; my job was to deliver design that reflects that mission and elevates their brand’s authority.
The final thumbnail wasn’t just good-looking – it reinforced the visual metaphor of alignment and discipline central to the course content. Each graphic and symbol (ladder, badge, grit & grime plus powerful fonts) tied directly into EF’s language of clarity, unity, and ownership. I leaned into the military-themed visual strategy hard, because it clearly resonates with their audience.
From certificate to social graphics, I anticipated EF’s needs before they asked. That trust led to more work and deeper creative collaboration. I also incorporated adaptive thinking on the fly when the email campaign faced potential spam flagging with an ultra-fast pivot – creating two versions and offering sliced PNG delivery to speed up deployment.
Step-by-Step Breakdown
Client Background + Initial Ask:
Echelon Front is the gold standard in leadership training. Their on-demand platform, Extreme Ownership Academy, reaches leaders around the world. When they needed a high-impact identity for a new course, The Ladder of Alignment, they brought me in to shape the visual direction.
Early Visual Concepts:
The first batch of thumbnails explored different metaphors: upward momentum, clarity, team focus, light vs. grit. I presented 5 versions – each explained with symbolism, color logic, and structural design notes.
Client Favorites:
V1 (ladder realism) and V5 (glow + clarity).
* Early Visual Concepts
Additional Feedback & Round 2
Corey Mize offered critical insight: The ladder should form an A-frame – mirroring the way alignment narrows as you rise through values and mission, culminating at a single, unified point (or target). This was also very important to Dave. That subtle design shift, plus the addition of more “instructor face” added even more human connection, depth & meaning to the final version.
Additional Support: Email Marketing
Chris Deming, Echelon Front’s resident email strategist, jumped in next. After seeing the final campaign concept, he asked me to stay involved and support a second campaign – plus create marketing assets beyond the initial scope.
The Ladder of Alignment Landing Page
Built for conversion: a clear “Clarity. Alignment. Results.” headline, embedded promo video, benefit icons, and a bold CTA above the fold – backed by EF/EO Academy branding for instant authority.
The visual system stays locked to the course identity (A-frame ladder, orange glow, gritty texture), guiding the eye from problem (“CHAOS”) to solution, with Jocko and Dave positioned as credible anchors. Scannable sections, outcome-driven copy, testimonial proof, device mockups, and repeated (“sticky”) CTAs create a clean path to enroll while mirroring the email/social creative for a cohesive campaign.
This landing page gives Echelon Front a polished, conversion-focused hub that turns interest into course signups.
Ladder of Alignment: Course Completion Awards
Upon course completion, students are rewarded with a customized certificate and badge, showcasing the original Extreme Ownership Academy logo . This ensures new course awards match up with “classic” awards for students that display either on their website or socials.
Social Media Assets
I created a suite of social media graphics in multiple formats to extend the campaign’s reach, ensuring the Ladder of Alignment launch looked cohesive, high-impact, and on-brand across every platform.
Final Deliverables
I’ve had the privilege of creating multiple EOA course graphic packages for Echelon Front, along with a wide range of internal and client-facing projects spanning both print and web. My connection to EF runs deep – Extreme Ownership genuinely changed my life, and I was a fan of the brand and the team long before we ever worked together. Today, I’m still a fan, and I consider it an honor to help bring their mission and message to life through design. Final deliverables included:
- Final Video Thumbnail
- All Course Listing Assets
- Course Completion Awards (Certificate & Badge)
- Dual Email Campaigns (live text vs image-based for A/B test)
- Social Media Graphics Package
- Custom Landing Page for Future Promotions
Every piece backed the central message: alignment isn’t optional – it’s essential.
Ready to Lead Like Echelon Front?
If your course, product, or team needs visuals that move people to act – I’m your partner. Let’s make something great together.
AJ Hauser: Portfolio 