What cities can learn from sports teams about branding

When we first started CivicBrand our original logo included a crest-shaped icon like you see below. We’ve since dropped the icon and simplified our logo to just the wordmark but the spirit and meaning behind that original crest still stands as a defining mission for our company.

Several years ago I was in London with my uncle on a soccer trip . These were annual trips where we would pack in as many Premier League games as we could cram into our short over seas visit. By far my favorite part of the experience was the crowds and people watching.  I was enthralled by the overwhelming pride that everyone had for their teams.  Riding the train to the game is where it all started. As we got closer and closer to each stadium more and more fans would slowly board the train at each stop until eventually the entire train was full of home team supporters all wearing jerseys, holding up scarves, and singing the many chants and songs that everyone knows by heart.

Even when they are cussing up a storm about how s*%t their team is playing they are still loyal, still there, and still singing. The fan bases of these team are incredibly localized to their part of town and fans follow their teams even down into the the lower leagues. This level pride for their local team is what inspired the shield in our original logo.

Premier League teams all typically have some kind of crest-style badge on their kits and they wear them with pride. I kept asking myself, what if people were as passionate about their neighborhood or city as they are their football team?

The games are certainly fun but that level of pride doesn’t just come about because sports are enjoyable to play and watch. Sports teams do a lot of things right when it comes to establishing a brand and creating something that people want to be part of. Sports teams have a unique ability to unite people and create a strong sense of community. Their fans are passionate about their teams and they go to great lengths to show their support. This level of passion is something that cities could learn a lot from to build their brand and foster civic pride.

At the heart of this passion is not just the team colors or logo (that’s important and we’ll get to that shortly), but it’s the shared experiences that fans have when they come together to cheer on their team. Whether it’s the thrill of a last-second victory, of tailgating with friends, or going through the ups and downs with your team, these experiences create an emotional connection that runs deep.

Cities looking build a brand need to acknowledge the significance of these shared experiences play and prioritize creating more opportunities for people to connect rather than solely focusing on logos and campaigns. This can be done through community events, the activation of public spaces to foster social interaction, and cultural programs that celebrate the city’s unique character.

At CivicBrand we’re big believers the power of these experiences, placemaking, and the role branding plays in bringing them to life. We designed and implemented a pedestrian plaza in Downtown Waco that quickly evolved into a center for social activity and community pride.

Regarding team colors and logos: Their specific design, mascot, and colors are far less important than how they are used. While some designs may better represent the community, it’s important not to expect colors or logos to conveying everything about a community. Too often we expect logos to capture everything about a place which is unrealistic and what leads to overly busy logos that shoehorn in every idea. Initially, a logo can hold little to meaning but if it is a good vessel it will gradually builds significance over time, serving as a reminder of those shared experiences. This process mirrors Pavlov’s dogs’ classical conditioning, where a bell sound became associated with food. There’s nothing about a bell sound that inherently means food. However, a bell sound is a good vessel for relaying  message because it’s simple, consistent, and there’s nothing that detracts from your message. So it’s not the bell sound but rather the association with the experience.

Instead of judging a logo solely based on how well it captures or represents your community it’s more beneficial to ask questions such as: Could this logo be consistently applied across various platforms and channels? Does the design convey anything contrary to our intended message? Your logo could simply be a blue dot, devoid of additional elements. However, if this blue dot is consistently used across all brand communications and where positive experiences happen, it will eventually come to remind people and therefore represent those experiences.

The plaza we designed in Waco wasn’t merely a gathering space. It also had a distinctive visual identity that residents could share. The plaza became the backdrop for numerous life experiences, ranging from engagement photos to senior portraits to concerts and community events. The plaza provided people with the means to express their pride and share their experiences with others. The branded pattern on the street served as a reminder of these experiences, similar to the bell for Pavlov’s dogs. When individuals now encounter those colors and patterns, it evokes feelings not solely due to their design but because it simply reminds them of their time in the plaza. It’s simplicty allows for seamless integration across mediums like street murals, websites, social media, and even homemade Christmas ornaments.

When people feel a deep connection with a city, sport team, product, or brand and have positive experiences they are more likely to champion it and spread the word to others.

By building strong connections and offering these opportunities for expression, cities can create brand that is built upon authentic experiences.  Our role as leaders, designers, and marketers is to provide a platform where people can participate in memorable experiences and then simply arm them with the tools (logos, colors, campaigns, photo-ops, etc) to cherish and share those moments.