Design Bridge appointed to kick around FA brands

The Football Association has appointed Design Bridge to revamp its existing portfolio of brands and position new initiatives planned for next year.

The group was appointed following a two-way credentials pitch against an unnamed group.

Design Bridge will brand a range of FA projects, including women’s football and the Charter for Quality, concerned with the development of the game.

“Next year is a big year for the FA. There are a lot of new initiatives planned which need branding,” says an FA spokesman.

Design Bridge will also evaluate the client’s existing portfolio of brands which includes The FA Cup, The Charity Shield and the England football team.

Design Bridge creative director Rod Petrie says sports event branding has now become a massive growth area, turning an event into a product and making it more attractive to sponsors.

“People are coming to realise more and more the power of brands. Sponsors are using every sporting activity they can as a branding opportunity – the shirts, the boots and so on. We have to make sure that there are no clashes,” adds Petrie.

Design Bridge has previously branded UEFA’s cup competitions, including the Champions League. It has just completed the World Cup ’98 football for Adidas.