AKQA launches new Virgin Sport brand to “inspire the world to move”

AKQA has created the brand concept for Virgin Group’s new sporting experience venture, Virgin Sport.

Based in London and New York, the company’s aim is to “inspire the world to move”, says AKQA associate creative director Ricky Bowry, and it will be launching four fitness-based festivals across the UK and US in 2017.

The consultancy has designed the visual identity, website and festival experiences for Virgin Sport, as well as coming up with an appropriate tone of voice across its communications.

“Support” and “motion”

The identity centres around the concept of movement, with a logo derived from a circle – representing both “support” and “motion” – that holds the word “sport” together.

It also sees several moving patterns surrounding the logo, either swirling, bouncing or beating to suggest a sense of rhythm.

A vibrant colour palette spanning different shades of pink and orange is used throughout, which looks to allow the branding to go beyond just the classic Virgin red colour scheme, as well as giving it more flexibility.

“Witty” and motivational tone of voice

Bowry says: “Virgin Sport events will play host in multiple cities around the world and partner with multiple sponsors, so the ability to play nice with other brand identities [is] vital.”

Meanwhile, the tone of voice has been developed to reflect the Virgin Group’s “witty” style overall, while also including motivational language often used by sports and fitness brands.

Virgin Sport’s festivals will also roll the brand identity across all touchpoints – including screens, t-shirts, print adverts and installations – in order to give each individual event a sense of consistency.