25/11/2020 13:38
Volleyball Ireland putting the sport front & centre through new, innovative brand
News from the National Federations
Dublin, Ireland, November 25, 2020. Volleyball Ireland has revealed a new logo, brand identity and website that represent a break from traditional sporting body branding.
The VLY. Concept puts Volleyball itself, rather than the administrative body that governs it, to the forefront. Using an abbreviation rather than an acronym is a key differentiator that stands Volleyball Ireland out from the crowd.
National President of Ireland, Grainne Culliton said, “Our primary role is to govern and promote the sport, and when you have a sport like Volleyball, it makes sense to put it at the front and centre of everything you do. It shows we are proud of our game and of what it represents. The sport is our brand and we want to celebrate that.”
The branding project came about following a competition run in collaboration between marketing agency Branding Sport and online media company Sport for Business, which led to one sports body being given a full brand makeover.
Patrick Murphy of Branding Sport added, “We discovered that Volleyball in Ireland has a really interesting story to tell. On top of that, the team at Volleyball Ireland were very keen to develop a standout brand identity for a sport that is full of colour, energy and vibrancy. We are very happy that the new identity delivers against the ambitions of Volleyball Ireland and is a fresh start in promoting the sport in a modern, energetic way that we believe will appeal to the right audience.”
Coinciding with the brand launch is the introduction of a new website developed by former International player and current Dublin Volleyball Club star Cillian Bracken of Vine Digital Ireland. The website, like the brand puts Volleyball first with more focus on club activity and participation opportunities.
Keynotes related to the brand rationale:
Youthful: The marque is intentionally youthful. The key strategic aim of Volleyball Ireland is to strengthen the pathway from school to club to national team, to grow participation in colleges and to develop volleyball programmes nationwide. With over 900 school teams competing in Volleyball Ireland competitions and a newly formed youth national league, having a clear and progressive pathway for participation and performance is a key priority for the organisation.
Energetic, dramatic & fun: Volleyball is fiercely athletic and dramatic, where every point is an event. Both on the court and on the sand, the sport is great fun to play. The shaping of the VLY logo represents the athletic, twisting and stretching movements that are prevalent in Volleyball.
Equality: Volleyball is one of the few sports where male/female participation is relatively equal. In Ireland, 62% of players are women or girls. Volleyball Ireland’s board and sub-committees have equal representation with 62% of board/committee members being female. The brand is intentionally gender neutral to represent its membership.
Multi-cultural: 74% of adult volleyball players in Ireland are foreign nationals, representing 64 different nationalities. The colour palette is purposely neutral to represent all members and the global community that exists in the Irish volleyball community.
Ambitious: To be truly ambitious you have to be different, you have to stand out from the crowd. The new brand is not afraid to do that, it is bold and it is dramatic – just like Volleyball.
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