Governing Bodies

The challenge

French top-flight professional football had been lagging sorely behind its competitors in terms of brand value and fan experience. With France hosting the 2016 UEFA European Championship, it provided a unique opportunity to position French football as a global leader in the sport.

The LFP asked us to elevate the commercial performance of their clubs, most notably the first division.

The solution

We worked with the French LFP to establish a centralised inter-league consulting department to assist each club in achieving their business goals and executing marketing strategies. The department was responsible for improving ticketing, sponsorship, merchandising and licensing, matchday transactions and revenue streams for each club.

Our consolidated effort raised the level of all French clubs, increasing match attendance, team revenues, and the value of domestic and foreign broadcast deals.

The challenge

Axe throwing had passionate founders and fast-growing venues, but no governing structure, no professional standards and no route to recognition as a sport.

The solution

We began by establishing the Toronto-based International Axe Throwing Federation and structuring its roles and responsibilities. We then worked to grow the Backyard Axe Throwing League, now responsible for 400 venues around the world, and are in the process of setting up the Premier Axe League.

We helped axe throwing’s founders set professional standards that cemented their place as the sport’s rightful leaders, bringing unity to the game and turning it into a recognised sport.

The challenge

In 2016, the Badminton World Federation was struggling to grow the sport outside of Asia. Driven by their commitment to “provide as many positive experiences of badminton to as many people as possible”, the BWF appointed us to determine the angle of attack.

The solution

Through rigorous research we determined that the key barrier to participation was badminton’s restrictive nature — a shortage of courts, reserved by serious players. So we set about creating badminton’s official outdoor format, AirBadminton: a sport for all ages and abilities, with a new wind-resistant shuttlecock allowing people to play whenever and wherever they want.

With new rules, new surfaces and new championships, we continue to help the BWF grow across the world and revolutionise the sport.

The challenge

Seeking inclusion at the Olympics, World Lacrosse was trialling a new 6-a-side discipline. With simpler rules, faster play and smaller squad sizes, it was already gaining popularity with existing players. However, lacrosse’s ability to attract new fans was limited by a negative image — a perception as an elitist, expensive sport.

The solution

World Lacrosse asked us to help bring the 6-a-side version to new audiences. Using extensive stakeholder engagement, market research and rapid-fire testing with Division 1 players, we validated the proposition and developed a strong strategy with which to take the game to market.

The new sport, Sixes, encapsulates lacrosse’s pioneering spirit, appeases the existing community and invites new fans to enjoy the fresh energy of the new discipline.

The challenge

The Olympic movement delivers the greatest and most recognisable sporting events on Earth. In 2004, the United States Olympic Committee approached us to build a brand that captivates the nation.

The solution

For six years and across three games, we worked alongside USOC leadership to deliver the Olympic Team brand strategy and activations for the 2004, 2006 and 2008 Olympics.

Highlights include the creation of a US Olympic brand made to engage younger audiences; the conception of Olympic XL, a partnership programme aimed at extending the brand; the fit-out of Olympic houses across the globe; the design of team apparel; and NGB execution and sponsorship activation.

The challenge

The R&A launched its first significant rebrand of The Open, golf’s original major championship, in eight years.

Following the 150th celebratory milestone, The R&A identified The 151st Open as a pivotal moment to look forward and bring fresh energy to a story steeped in heritage — to create a bold new identity that pulls heavily on the raw, wild and natural unpredictability of links golf.

The solution

Kicking off the brand strategy, we collaborated with The R&A to gather perspectives from fans, players and key stakeholders through interviews and workshops. These insights placed fans’ and players’ connection with The Open at the heart of the rebrand.

The new brand captures the immersive, powerful and unpredictable natural forces that present the ultimate challenge to all those who play links golf, crafting a set of new logos that embrace the elements of sun, wind, water and earth. We activated the iconic logo by imbuing it with the colours and textures of each element through animation and visual effects.

The challenge

The 150th Open in 2022 presented The R&A with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to tell the story of The Open and its role in launching professional golf and spreading the game to all four corners of the globe.

Pivotal to this was our ability to guide internal Open content teams and wider external, media and PR agencies at a global scale, to align to this new event strategy.

The solution

Based on research, we developed a simple story around the big idea of “Everything has led to this” to inform and guide everything The Open does across every player, fan and customer touchpoint.

The commemorative logo and graphic language were designed following an extensive research project into the event’s role in the lives of fans, shareholders, ex-players, club officials and long-standing members of staff. The graphic language places a spotlight on the first Open at Prestwick in 1865 and traces the golf journey of every player, professional or amateur.

The challenge

The R&A wanted to position the AIG Women’s Open to “empower the new face of golf” — to engage new audiences, challenge internal perspectives and ultimately evolve the game.

We orchestrated The R&A’s internal teams, as well as wider external, media and PR agencies, to align with this vision and implement the new brand and revenue campaigns.

The solution

In conducting in-depth research with players across the globe, we sought to understand the shared needs and aspirations that inform and validate alternative brand platforms, tested with fans both qualitatively and quantitatively.

Based on that research, we developed a simple story around the big idea of ‘#WorldClass’ to guide everything The Women’s Open does across the journeys of players, fans and partners. By bringing back a challenger spirit, we inverted convention, broadened horizons and celebrated progress.

The challenge

Develop the blueprint for growing the game of golf — reinforcing The R&A’s role in making golf relevant for the future by placing communities at the heart of the experience, and making golf more accessible, appealing and inclusive.

The solution

Golf It! is part of The R&A’s vision for the sport: a community-based golf and family fun centre that has revitalised the former Lethamhill golf course in Glasgow.

We worked with The R&A to understand what local communities and active families wanted from the brand. They wanted more golf, fewer barriers. That led to a piece of strategic work and brand strategy, which then informed the look of the whole facility.