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Stuart Watson knows a thing or two about sports branding changes for the 21st century, although few of them may have borne the brunt of expectations as the most recent project
Watson and his creative team at design agency Nomad are the people who brought the new Wigan Warriors badge to life, unveiled on Sunday night, with a radical design that departs dramatically from the traditional crest
Gone are the adapted version of the city coat of arms that adorned Wigan’s cherry and white shirts in various forms over the years, and a simplified circular design in the club’s two primary colors featuring a first-time warrior
The old crest, which Watson has a picture of hanging on his living room wall, will be reused for heritage lines and the man behind the new logo is no doubt that the Warriors are leading the way with their bold new look for the digital age
« I’ve been to games, I’ve seen guys getting tattoos [the traditional badge] and I can only imagine what they would do to me in a dark alley, » Watson said. to Sky Sports « I would tell them I get it, but we’re not killing the other thing
« On the contrary, we make it more valuable and what we’re trying to do is help you cope with the change of mind and take the lead – and what a great way for your club to lead the whole league. guaranteed everyone will follow, so being the leader of the peloton is so much better than a follower
« The reason for this drastic change is that we are dealing with a different world We are dealing with digital, social media, broadcasting, cell phones and very small real estate to cut
« We knew it had to be simple and it had to work in all of these areas Everyone kind of introduced the idea that the warrior is in our DNA, especially the Brigante warriors, and then it was a journey iteration and consultation to get there »
Watson has been involved in recent rebranding of organizations such as the Premier League and Super League, although the difference this time around was that it changed something that meant so much to fans
A panel of Wigan fans of all ages, including the club’s historian, were consulted during this process, all understanding the need for a badge that works well in different formats such as social media, cell phone screens and television broadcasts
The inclusion of the Iron Age warrior Brigante with the initials ‘WW’ in the beard, club colors, founding year and motto ‘Ancient and Loyal’ was, according to Watson, given to Wigan something which is much more theirs too and he was happy that the supporters could play a part
« We feel the burden of responsibility on this and we just wouldn’t do it if the club weren’t willing to go through the right process, » Watson said
« Fan engagement is paramount and being allowed to do that by the fans, and by a very wide range of ages from 20 to 70 and everyone understands the benefits of that
« You have to leave your ego at the door and it’s not about creating award-winning work or doing something wacky, you feel the pressure to get it right
« I’m sure we’ve done it right is we’ve come back to the name, we’ve gone back to Wigan, we’ve found this warrior and we’ve built it, and it’s full of authenticity That’s not to say people aren’t going to hate him, but it’s all out of control «
Having been responsible for the dynamic new look of the Super League which took place ahead of the 2020 season and has now helped Wigan with his badge redesign, Watson has ideas for the rest of the clubs in the competition.
As a rugby league fan who grew up in Bolton and studied at Wigan Art School, now living in London, Watson is keen to help the sport spread beyond its traditional heart and is undoubtedly a small step towards achieving this
« It’s a wonderful sport that’s in a bubble and we have to burst that bubble to make it the super sport it can be – and that’s part of that journey, » Watson said
« It’s not the answer, it’s not the solution, but it’s part of the journey everyone is committed to taking, fans included
« Everyone has their warrior, don’t they? There’s a dragon, there’s a rhino, so we could really go into town and make a bunch of awesome club brands and really raise them. clubs at the next level «
© 2020 Sky France
Wigan Warriors, Super League, Rugby league, Kris Radlinski, Bevan French
World news – UK – Wigan Warriors: designer Stuart Watson on the club’s radical new badge and sport in the digital age
SOURCE: https://www.w24news.com