Background

Dating back to 1874, the Sydney Swans are one of Australia’s oldest and most iconic sporting clubs. Commonly misperceived as a sunny beachside city, Sydney is everything but what the rest of the world thinks. It might look relaxed, but its work ethic is gruelling. The people might seem lucky, but that luck is born from grit and determination. Sydney’s enemy isn’t another team, or another city, it’s the perceptions that the rest of Australia have of them. So, when it came to redesigning the brand for the Swans, we needed to create something that embodied the city, and gave its people something they could rally behind. After a series of changes for the club; a new generation of players and sponsors along with a new playing environment, the brand needed to look forward. But with such a rich history, it was also important to preserve where it had been.

Describe the creative idea (40% of vote)

The new identity strikes a balance between honouring the club’s past and looking ahead to the future. Central to the rebrand was a reassertion of the clubs ownership of Sydney. As such, the brand’s hierarchy was reordered and a visual shorthand created, accompanied by a new typeface, resulting in a mark truly representative of the aggression and determination of Sydney. With a goal to create something that embodied the city, the new brand embraces the aggression of Sydney, the Swans, and the sport itself.

Describe the execution (40% of vote)

The new swan is illustrated with a sense of movement, urgency and aggression, championing the city’s grit and determination. With a heavier emphasis of the swan in the hierarchy, the iconic Sydney Opera House was seamlessly blended into the feathers. This, along with the removal of the word ‘swans’ allows the new mark to stand as something the city can rally behind. Housed inside a V, a nod to the club’s Victorian origins along with its inception year of 1874, the mark ensured the club’s rich history wasn’t forgotten. Integral to embracing the future and progressive nature of the club, it was important to pair our new swan with a typeface that was just as dynamic and aggressive. With a customised typeface featuring angle notches referencing the illustrative style of the swan, made to compliment both the V and the geometric structure of the pictorial elements.

List the results (20% of vote)

The resulting new brand identity respects the club’s history, speaks instantly to its fans and embraces the future of the Sydney Swans. Set to debut for the 2021 AFL season, the brand has already instantly been adopted by the fans and wider Sydney community. Alongside a refreshed apparel range from the club’s newest sponsor, Nike, which has already seen record-breaking sales in its first month. By creating a flag for the city of Sydney to follow, the brand has given Sydney something they can rally behind, and a future to forward to.