Brand Bristol Sport
Agency Mr B & Friends
Deliverables
Brand positioning
Stakeholder engagement
Brand identity
Brand guidelines
Merchandise concepts
Kit design
Awards
Transform Awards Silver
Brand Evolution Bristol City FC
Transform Awards Gold
Brand Strategy Bristol Bears
Bristol Sport was formed as a multi-sport model business with a single-minded goal to inspire sport in Bristol and beyond. It comprises of five sports teams across professional football, rugby and basketball.
The flagship teams are Championship football side Bristol City FC, Premiership Rugby team Bristol Rugby and Bristol Flyers Basketball.
As part of the Mr B & Friends team we have worked closely with Bristol Sport to breathe life into each brand, from the parent brand into the two major sporting teams. Each has it's own flavour, with the long term goal of expanding sport into the communities of Bristol and into the wider world through sporting success.
The beating heart of Bristol.
The first project we worked on was Bristol Sport – the engine room and team behind the sporting teams. The crest was designed to feel like a beating heart, highlighting the organisations vital role in the community, creating champions on and off the field.
Rise up for a new name in rugby.
Next up was Bristol Rugby, with a controversial name change to the Bristol Bears. The club was in need of a distinctive brand to reflect increasing capability, a young ambitious team, led by Pat Lam and a brand for the next generation of rugby fans.
We arrived at the idea of the bear coming out of hibernation, rising up to take on the challenge. A club with serious ambition. A club looking forwards, not backwards. On a bold mission for success.
Investing for success both on and off the field.
Changing a much-loved sports teams name is no small feat with success as a brand and success on the field inextricably linked. Bristol understood this – investing in the players, facilities and relaunch of the brand. The strapline and hashtag #togetherwerise was built into the club. With such a well known symbol and many global sporting teams using the bear we had to get it just right. We explored and crafted a focused bear coming out of its cave, with glowing eyes, rising up to the challenge.
Now the Bears and the brand sit firmly in the top-flight of English rugby in the Gallagher Premiership having also won their first ever European Challenge Cup Title.
The mighty Robin.
A much-loved symbol returns.
Next we were tasked with the biggest brand of all Bristol City FC. regularly filling their 27,000 seat stadium they are the South West's premier sports team. Previously the club had a coat of arms identity, linked to the City of Bristol crest. For ongoing IP and usage, and after stakeholder and supporters discussion groups it was decided to return to the Robin. A symbol with a deep history within the club.
Having researched global trends we worked on the identity, with a crest as well as a Robin symbol that could stand alone. This can be used in merchandise and supporters clothing ranges as well as lock-ups within type.
Designed to work as a digital-first brand as well as a graphical symbol of the club, the Robin sits proudly, looking forward. As part of the launch of the new brand the club painted the city with an OOH campaign featuring light displays on key landmarks around Bristol.
A huge thank you to the clients at Bristol City, Steve and Jon Lansdown, as well as the team at Mr B & Friends - Adam Partridge, Matthew Joy, Simon Barbato, Andy Kaye, Sara Foley, Chris Tozer, illustrator Tim Ulewicz and copywriter Tom Brown.
Brand sitting on the sidelines?
There's not many industries with legions of fans, like sport. I can build on existing heritage, refresh and renew to build valuable assets for loyalty, merchandise and ongoing IP.
Symbol Studio is the site of Steve Richardson – Creative Director and Designer. Strategy, Brand and Creativity. Based in Wellington Pōneke, Aotearoa, New Zealand.