Exploring the Premier League’s redesigned brand for the 2023/24 season. Is that this daring rebranding a sensible transfer or a threat that might alienate followers?
The Premier League Revamped Brand—Right here’s Why It Issues
Within the huge universe of sports activities, only a few logos handle to succeed in iconic standing. The New York Yankees’ “NY”, the Chicago Bulls’ raging bull, and the NFL’s patriotic defend—these are logos that don’t simply symbolize a staff or a league; they’re woven into the material of sports activities tradition itself. Now, as we method the 2023/24 English soccer season, the Premier League is aiming to solidify its lion emblem as a type of unforgettable symbols.
A Delicate Transformation with Vital Implications
Right here’s the kicker: the precise adjustments to the lion icon are nearly negligible. Critically, you would possibly want a magnifying glass to identify the variations. The lion continues to be the lion; regal, imposing, and each bit the image of English soccer that it has been since 2016 when it was initially designed by DesignStudio and Robin Model Consultants.
So, what precisely has modified? Nomad Studio, the branding company answerable for this visible evolution, is referring to the brand new design as a “radical simplification.” And whereas that may initially sound like some advertising and marketing fluff, there’s substance behind these phrases.
The lion will now be standing alone, sans textual content, sans the phrase “Premier League.” This can be a aware transfer to raise the Premier League into the ranks of these elite manufacturers which can be immediately recognizable by a solitary image: assume the Nike Swoosh or Apple’s apple. What they’ve basically carried out is present the lion with an almost full define, making it simpler for the attention to acknowledge it as a stand-alone entity. The lion, they hope, will roar loudly sufficient without having to spell out “Premier League.”
The Colour Palette: A Splash of Freshness or Confusion?
The Premier League has additionally gone for a shade improve. Say goodbye to the earlier six stable colours. Of their place are three hanging gradients meant to make the symbol extra instantly eye-catching. Whereas some would possibly argue that this transfer counteracts the entire simplification theme, let’s keep in mind that vibrant hues are in vogue proper now. If carried out proper, these shades would possibly make the lion much more interesting, turning heads each on and off the pitch.
But, one query looms massive: Will individuals mistake this lion for Simba from The Lion King? It’s an actual concern. The very last thing the Premier League would need is for followers or newcomers to affiliate their sturdy, aggressive league with a beloved kids’s film. That’s a PR hiccup ready to occur.
Scoring a Purpose or Risking an Personal Purpose?
Rebrands might be difficult. There’s all the time a threat when altering one thing that’s already entrenched within the public’s creativeness. However the Premier League appears to be threading the needle fairly skillfully. The league is taking one thing acquainted and giving it simply sufficient of a twist to make it recent, with out alienating its core fan base. In contrast to Spain’s La Liga, which took a pointy flip and ended up with a “online game brand,” the Premier League’s redesign appears to be like extra like a calculated threat than a wild gambling.
In a nutshell, the Premier League isn’t just altering its brand; it’s reimagining its whole model id. It desires its lion to be greater than only a image—it desires it to be a logo, an announcement, a declaration of the league’s essence. Will it succeed on this daring endeavor? Solely time will inform. However one factor is definite: the Premier League’s new branding is designed to be unforgettable, both as a masterstroke or as a lesson in what to not do.