The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are the most iconic NFL cheerleading team, known for their high-kicking precision choreography and glitzy, over-the-top style. The competition to become part of the elite squad is not easy, taking place over a series of high-stakes auditions at a training camp each spring. This rigorous process is the subject of “America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders,” the latest Netflix docuseries from Greg Whiteley, producer-director of the Emmy Award-winning “Cheer” and “Last Chance U.” (The second season reveals the Cheerleaders recently received a 400 percent pay raise.)

Pentagram designed an identity and title sequences for the show that reflect the Cheerleaders’ cultural impact and winning, take-no-prisoners charm. The titles build on the approach Pentagram has developed for Whiteley’s other Netflix series, including “Cheer,” “Last Chance U,” “Last Chance U: Basketball,” and “Wrestlers.” The elegant and expressive use of type in each show provides a graphic signature for Whiteley and helps set off the real-life stakes and drama.

For “America’s Sweethearts,” the type is bold and brassy, with a 3D dimensionality that conveys the team’s strength and power while also feeling fun and friendly. The gleaming metallic type references the Cheerleaders’ eye-catching uniforms and boots adorned with glittering rhinestone stars. The customized slab serif nods to the type in the Dallas Cowboys logo, dialed up with a little extra oomph in fuller letterforms with tighter angles and curves. 

A sheen sets off the beveled type, and the Cheerleaders’ signature star drops right into the center of “Sweethearts.” The symbol appears throughout the graphics, like the shining star that locates scenes set at the Cheerleaders HQ, aka “The Star.” Lower thirds identifying various members suggest their rank by time spent with the team with a series of stars. The type appears with a gleam, then subtly dips from blue into white, the team colors.

Other titles reference sports graphics, reinforcing the idea that the Cheerleaders are elite athletes themselves. A roster counter tracks the number of rookies and veterans with an indicator that moves the count up or down as training progresses. A diagram surrounds a Cheerleader in a cloud of logos to illustrate the many corporate sponsors that go into the team’s distinctive look. Other interstitials are integrated into shots like the virtual sports graphics that are projected onto the field during games for at-home viewers, drawing fans behind the scenes and into the Cheerleaders’ inspiring and glamorous world.