Man City’s stadium move helps Fudge score work

Bolton-based Fudge Studios has blown the final whistle on designs for Manchester City’s retail offer, which is gearing up for the Premiership football club’s move to a new stadium next season.

The group has completed an identity this week for what is, in essence, a sub-brand of the main Manchester City marque. The work will apply to packaging and point-of-sale material as well as all brand merchandise. Guidelines developed by Fudge Studios have been sent to suppliers.

The project was won in November 2002 without a pitch on the strength of previous work for football clubs, including Rangers and Aston Villa. Brothers David and Andrew Eccles, creative director and designer respectively, led the Fudge Studios team.

According to Andrew Eccles, the club wanted to represent the new stadium in the logo and this prompted an ‘overhaul’ of the existing identity, which is based on a set of three stars.

Eccles adds, ‘It was looking tired as an image. We presented a range of options, including a more graphical one, but they went for the more literal route. However, we treated it in a way so it wasn’t too obvious.’

Manchester City will leave its Maine Road ground later this year, relocating to the £135m City of Manchester stadium – built for the Commonwealth Games. There are also plans for a hotel and a leisure complex at the 48 000-seat arena.