Meddle with sports logos and mascots at your peril - designers discuss 'menacing' trend in football clubs' branding
In June, Partick Thistle unveiled a striking new mascot following a six-figure deal with Californian investment firm, Kingsford Capital Management. Designed by artist David Shrigley, Kingsley was the talk of social media in early summer and this weekend he'll take to the pitch for the first time as Partick Thistle take on Hamilton Accies today (Saturday 1 August).
Described as "terrifying", "horrifying" and "based on nightmares", Kingsley follows an increasing trend stateside where sports branding and mascots have grown ever more menacing with other recent examples including the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks, where the Bucks turned their mascot from a Rocky and Bullwinkle-style cartoon to a "fiercer, more aggressive stag" and the Hawks updated its logo to reflect the team's attacking prowess. The Hawks senior vice president of marketing, Peter Sorckoff, even admitted the plan was to look "more aggressive".
The Atlanta Hawks updated its branding to be more 'menacing'
With Kingsley making his mark, we asked designers if the US trend for piercing logos and mascots could potentially transition to the UK and whether or not allowing sponsors to have so much control over your club's branding was a smart move.
David Jenkinson, creative director, Elmwood
I'm not sure this trend will be coming to the UK any time soon. Although US sports branding (certainly logos) are becoming more menacing, for me the mascot serves a significantly different role.
A mascot needs to represent the heart of the club. And in a sport that is increasingly family friendly, appealing to men, women and, a lot of the time, children.
I'd question who should find a mascot menacing? The opposing fans? The opposing team? The opposing team's mascot?
As a born and bred Derby County supporter, I've witnessed first hand what our mascot 'Rammie' incites in my five-year-old nephew - and that's sheer terror. This from a mascot who looks like he couldn't hit a barn door at fifty paces. Any more menacing and my nephew might even look across the River Trent to support our arch rivals Nottingham Forrest. Now that's a scary thought.
Derby County's 'Rammie'
Richard Clayton, creative director, Coley Porter Bell
In my humble opinion, I don't think this trend will cross the pond. Sport club brands and identities in the UK are generally more intrinsically linked to a historical context whether that be the core trade of the area where a team was originated or a cultural legacy.
Arsenal for instance was formed by workers at the Royal Arsenal Company, hence the cannons. US sports teams seem to be adopting an almost military approach in terms of symbols/logos that are representative of how strong or powerful a team is or their determination to defeat or cause unease in an opponent. This fanged faces on the front of fighter planes or Maori tattoos. Saying that, a cool logo on a piece of apparel that helps the purchases feel more like their sporting heroes can only keep the tills ringing.
Jane Asscher, chief executive officer and founding partner, 23red
On a personal level you meddle with club logos and mascots to integrate sponsors at your peril, they are a core part of the club's heritage and way out live a sponsor.
Cardiff City's new owners alienated Bluebirds famines by changing the club's colours from blue to red and replacing the bluebird with a dragon, so much so they had to make a u-turn.
Cardiff City bowed to pressure in early 2015 and changed its branding back
Andy Hunns, creative director, Clinic
Team logos are the symbol of allegiance to the fans. It's the name on the front of the shirt that matters, not the name on the back. This leads me to question some clubs and why they get it so wrong when they do try to update their branding. We did some work for Ipswich Town back in the 90s when they asked us to tweak their logo. A tweak proved the right thing to do as we simply modernised and reorganised the badge so not to offend supporters who thought their badge was being tampered with. Fan consultation is key because of what it stands for.
When it comes to mascots, I get the whole sports brand/team logo being somewhat menacing to evoke a level, albeit a small amount, of fear in the opposition, so changing an eagle icon to a more swooping position or putting and eye patch on a player is all valid, but at the end of the day once that mascot or icon becomes a physical interpretation with an aim to rally the fans into a frenzy, it's just someone in a costume and that isn't very scary is it?
Brinley Clark, designer, The Partners
In a quest for revenue football clubs are selling their souls like ice-creams on a hot day.
Football teams that are built on century-long traditions are already being changed. Everything from team colours (Cardiff City), to stadium naming rights (Arsenal) and now mascots. What next? Advertising in goal posts?
The reality for me as a designer in this industry is that at any moment one of these complicated briefs might land on my desk whether from a sponsor or a team. The thought of this actually happening should be terrifying but it's not. It would be exciting and challenging to combine the team's bold new ambitions with the long-lived traditions, spirit and heritage of a historic club. All the history, the songs, the cups, the spirit of the fans and the legendary players - the content is so rich and it's there for the taking.
What I don't understand is why anyone would choose not to embrace that. You risk losing the roots and forgetting who you are and where you have come from? An example of this is my very own club, Tottenham Hotspur. For the first time in the club's 133-year history we now have a sash across our home kit. Branded as 'Heritage' - they symbol is devoid of anything in the club's history, just another gimmick to target a coveted American audience.
Tottenham Hotspur's new kit, with sash
My advice for clubs and their mainly commercially-focused owners is to remember the ones who got you here - the fans that travel to games home and away in the wind, rain and snow; the fans that spend a fortune year in, year out on a brand they love unconditionally. Embrace the club's ethos, history and spirit, give it a contemporary twist and your supporters, and their wallets, will follow.