New UEFA Champions League 2018-2021 Branding Revealed
UEFA this week revealed the new branding for the UEFA Champions League. The UEFA Champions League brand for the 2018/19 season has a vibrant new look, based on a concept called 'Highlighting moments that make the ultimate stage'.
UEFA revisits its competition brand identity every three years, in sync with the commercial cycle of broadcast and sponsorship rights. Compared with previous brand identity updates, the new design is a bigger change. While the 'starball' visual gains importance in the new identity, the distinct and successful 'ultimate stage' arena still features in the branding package. This provides an extended range of key visuals that can be used for communication purposes, both internally as well as by UEFA's partners.
New UEFA Champions League 2018-2021 Branding & Identity
The connected stars from the 'starball' in the UEFA Champions League logo are the centrepiece of this new brand identity. The concept captures the iconic moments of extraordinary feats of skill and ability that make UEFA Champions League matchnights so special.
The branding has been designed to be more flexible, while building on established elements such as the anthem, the stadium and the trophy. The blue colour palette deriving from UEFA Champions League matchnights has been enriched with new accent colours – magenta and cyan – to support the fresher look. The UEFA Champions League has expanded to become part of the global entertainment environment, rather than just solely being a sports event.
Guy-Laurent Epstein, marketing director, UEFA Events SA: "The UEFA Champions League is a globally recognised brand in football, sports and entertainment. This brand refresh maximises the opportunities to engage with fans and stakeholders across new technologies and platforms."
Mark Hyde, head of design, BT Sport: "Confident, contemporary and courageous. With refined elegance and a vibrant injection of colour, the UEFA Champions League brand upholds its position as possibly the most iconic of sporting identities."
The new identity offers a new, more flexible colour co-branding system to give commercial partners the opportunity to tailor the brand identity to their own needs.
Hans Erik Tuijt, global sponsorship director, Heineken: "The branding is fresh and appealing. It gives the competition a new, contemporary look while remaining premium."
The identity has been developed in collaboration with UEFA's marketing partner, TEAM Marketing AG, and the London-based creative agency DesignStudio.
What do you think of the updated UEFA Champions League branding? Let us know in the comments below.
