September 1, 2021
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Since we had the pleasure of doing the logo and branding work for the RFK Stadium 50th Anniversary campaign, we all have been looking a lot more at what’s been happening in sports branding. I came across the new logo for the Toronto Blue Jays and I was impressed by how well the logo was developed and rolled out.
The first thing was that the logo tapped into the history of the club and when done well that can resonate deeply with fans who appreciate their team’s history. Their “tagline” of “return to Blue” is also nice to way to emphasize one of the key attributes of the club (blue) while at the same time highlighting the return to a grander sense of tradition. I don’t know what the overall fan response has been, but if the blogs and boards are any indication, the initial reactions seems to have been positive.
The second thing that I thought was done really well was the rollout. It wasn’t just a press release or a press conference, though I’m sure they had those, it was an event got right to the emotional reasons for the change. In other words, they seemed to think about how to use the new logo as a way to reinvigorate the entire ball club and in the process get fans excited about the possibilities (see the video here).
The lesson here, and it’s something that we talk with clients a lot about when it comes to identity and branding, is that there needs to be an emotional, impactful and relatable story behind what you do. While a new logo can certainly be a nice add, it’s when a new logo is combined with a real strategy and story that brands begin to be formed.
