OUGD603 - Sports Rebranding - Initial ideas

After researching into the 3 chosen football clubs, I decided that Fulham F.C. would be the best team to rebrand. This was because in comparison to the other clubs in the premier league the crest of Fulham was very simplistic and devoid of any details or traditional symbolism. Therefore, I began looking further into the history of the club, it's football ground and the crest itself. This way several details could be imagined for a rebranding of the club's crest, in a way that gives it stand-out visual identity and hints of tradition.

• the redesign started by focusing on the shield of the logo and how the colours could be manipulated.
• As the crests for football teams often correspond with the colours of the kits, it was essential to use the same colour palette found in the club's branding. (red, white and black)
• I also thought about the club's original designs and how this might influence the new logo. For example, several past FFC logos have featured the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham coat of arms (crossing swords).

When researching the past crests used for FFC, it was clear that the club had taken inspiration from the local identity of London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham (LBHF). It was also clear that the adaptation over the years was influenced by the fans, in particular the recognisability of the club in the premier league. The 1995 logo was made as a way to redesign the LBHF logo with more vibrant colours, whereas the 2001 version of the logo completely changed the identity so that FFC would become a more recognisable competitor in the league.

In the same way, I will aim to take inspiration from the club's history and recognisable iconography, while remaining true to the club's colour identity.

• After considering ways to alter the shield in the logo, I decided to take a different approach that redefined the shape of the crest. By adding a circular outer layer the design would give the brand a more contemporary identity. 
• As the current logo required viewers to know the club based on its initials, I thought about how adding the full title would give FFC more international appeal and recognisability.
• Without overcrowding the logo identity, one idea involved using recognisable imagery that would resonate with fans. Therefore, the triangular shape found within the grounds architecture and the Craven Cottage was used throughout several design examples.
• In order to include hints of tradition, I added the year the club was established and the coat of arms from several past logos. Creating this in a more simplified and less crowded way made the design minimal and easy on the eyes.