Identica to rebrand Wembley

National sports venue Wembley Stadium has appointed The Identica Partnership to rebrand the business in the run up to the opening of a new stadium in 2004. The project also takes in branding for the stadium itself, which is designed by architects Foster and Partners and sports specialist HOK Lobb.

The consultancy won the job in a paid pitch from a shortlist of three, drawn from an initial pool of 11 design groups, according to Wembley National Stadium communications director Chris Palmer. HGV and Journey are believed to be the two other main contenders.

According to Identica chairman and managing director Michael Peters, the rebranding is due to be completed in May and will take in everything relating to the venue, including retail and merchandising. The first manifestation will be marketing material for the stadium’s “premium facilities”, says Palmer.

Palmer says it is a complex exercise. The branding “will have to be visible at 70mph on the M40 as well as on crockery in the Banqueting Hall”. A key thing, he says, is to create a sense of company commitment and get the company values across to staff – Wembley employs some 2000 stewards, among others, on an event day. “A strong brand will do that,” he says.

He says Identica won the job because it “put its ‘A’ team on it”, including Peters as creative director. This team “understood the importance of Wembley as an international icon and what we’re trying to do with the business”, says Palmer.