SOCCER IS THE MOST FAMOUS SPORT AROUND THE GLOBE!
FORTUNATE THOSE WHO LOVE IT AS MUCH AS I!
CREATIVE PROCESS
It’s more than twelve footballers chasing a ball, it’s more than the rules, the score, the coaches. Beyond fans talking crap to the ref, shouting every time the score changes… NO it’s far beyond that, and not the typical quote: “It’s more than football” type of vibe, but guess what; it is more than that! It’s something you escape to on the weekends, or after a long day at work, it’s my salvation, your salvation, our salvation… It’s football (soccer)
That was the speech I gave my dear friend (feel like I am in a State Farm commercial)…“Alexis from Amarillo” after he told me I could not convince him to invest in a commission by me! We had reached a common mid-point where I was trying to try a new approach on my design experience and he loved soccer: It was time to venture into a whole campaign floating around a logo redesign!
KICKOFF TIME: ON WITH THE MATCH, THE GAME STARTS TO DEVELOP, IDEAS AS WELL
The ref blows his whistle, you start the match running behind the opponent, looking for the ball… you study the possession, the passing strategy, and start planning ahead to eventually intersect the ball as soon as possible.
The same happens with design and approaching a strategy, you want to study the possibilities and go from the actions of the opponent/ client, and what their interaction/ approach is towards the ongoing development of the match.
MIN 10: THE TEAM DEVELOPS A STRATEGY, YOU NEED TO REACH THE OPPONENTS HALF
After a few minutes you had the opportunity to study your opponent, let the other half run the ball effortlessly… It happens you gain possession of the ball, its time to place yourself in the field and start practicing your strategy. You layout some initial sketches that derive from the historic upgrade of the club’s crest, and it becomes an amazing idea, you get super attached to: lion, crown, city name- just like that and even the colors where easy-peasy: yellow to green and then white.
Eventually a series of sketches/ possibilities took form on my “Field Notes” and the color palette of the team’s crest revolutionized too! Like I said it before it’s never a doubt that just sketching stuff out will eventually solve all your issues, just like a soccer match where as a manager you go over notes, plays, and sketch out tactics in defense of the game in hand!
MIN 30:
We are 30 minutes into the first half and you have studied your opponent left and right, from end to end! The initial layout has come in handy and now your team owns most of the possession! The goal seems near your team reaches the opponent half more often and every time more closer. Keep your team’s shape it’s fundamental, if you want to reach an inviable strategy that would deliver more many games ahead.
You take the initial sketches you created on your “Field Notes” by Draplin Design… and jot down a more detail sketch on your Ipad Pro, or another tablet (Apple is better by the way) those quick sketches on paper take shape: the crown, the lion, the soccer ball, and the name of team with their motto on the bottom. However their are some other more significant details added to the sketch, as you can see the scratches/texture on the negative space of the lower badge! Altogether… the elements start to form an identity and a brand new badge for the soccer team of Leon F.C.
MIN 45:
… A few minutes before the first half comes to an end and your team reaches forward, “tiki, taka” “tiki, taka”, a long lobbed pass forward leaves your star striker alone, with a few inches to spare the offside position… reaches to control the ball, but it goes a little bit far to long… it seems the keeper has the opportunity, but wait a rainbow flick leaves the goalkeeper with no chance your striker all alone, with the goal inches away he shoots… GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL! What a magnificent goal, speechless, please take a bow, just WOW!
You have done it! The last stage of sketches derived to this final result and inking process which is two versions of the final logo remake approach for this soccer team. We decided on keeping all the original colors untouched (well…) with a small twist. We choose to have two different shades of yellow different from the original — something that would represent the greatness of the team in the last decade: gold. The same procedure goes for the green which are actual shades from their current jersey (at the time of the this project). Yes! I know you can guess it already, the crown had to be a symbol as well, why shy away from an element that’s so great, if it works so well for a countless other teams like Spanish side Real Madrid, why can’t it here. Then there is the lion, main symbol all around, the mascot and identity of the club, which all around makes a complete piece… but wait there is still a second half at stake.
MIN 65:
Second half has gone by quick, you manage to maintain composture after the half-time break, now it’s time to elaborate on the ongoing result, and add to the score… securing a so needed win for your team! You maintain tactics but lower the intensity however your team manages to keep the opponent on check, let the timer run its course, we almost there.
Yes we had to do it! Embroid the final logo, because we needed to see what it would like:would it work on denim patched up? a backpack? pinned to a board in my office? Well… yes, and more, how would it work on a jersey? Lets find out after this, but for the moment enjoy this patched work of art:
MIN 80
We are doing so good, however, not good enough! You have lost track of motion and your team got a little carried away, now the opponent reaches forward and the inevitable happens, the score is all tied up! But not to worry, with ten minutes before the final whistle, you have plenty of time to keep it together and maybe score a goal and finish this once for all.
During those last few minutes in the pitch you take the opportunity to see if your jersey idea can go somewhere — after all this is a design for a soccer team isn’t?
Now Ill leave it up to you all but below are three different options of how the logo would work mocked-up into a jersey texture, using colors at the time the team was using/ still uses in their jerseys:
END OF REGULAR TIME:
90 minutes of intensity, anxiety, and pure nail bitting! The team has given its best effort but that 80 min goal was inevitable, however, it did help clarify ideas and your approach towards extra time action and finally putting this game to bed… Go on attack at first test the opposition, and at the first lost ball, let them have it, let them taste a possibility that would never arrive for them. Eventually the extra minutes on the field would start to show on the opposition that has done nothing but ran from end to end collecting the ball you keep blasting far from your goal!
Indeed the 90 minutes are over but you are not going to stay set with what you just achieved, let’s stand above the competition, look at all the angles when it comes to a design! Look beyond the badge, the jersey mockup, see everything that can derive from the result that was just at stake! Juice everything out, make it a multifunctional purpose, like this:
EXTRA TIME & PENALTIES:
As the extra time comes to a close, both the opposition and your team prepare for the final showdown- penalties. Your team and yourself have all deliver the most out y’alls souls with different renditions to the design you had initially in mind. But still is not quite enough…
Shooter one goes and scores, the opposition follows, shooter two breaks the net, the opposition blasts the crossbar, shooter three goes for the chip… he merely scores, it’s all in the hands of opposition number three, steps back slowly towards the ball, takes it’s time, but when he reaches to shoot he manages to send it out into the stands.
A final variation makes the difference, we have reached a completed project in every sense of the word’ Can be used on traditional medium such as this last one (poster), a more interactive experience like an embroilment on a jersey, and of course why not: a fan favorite, stickers, postcards etc.
Congratulations you have won the match and are the victorious side on this rebrand of the Mexican Soccer League side, home of the king of the jungle!
