Working on the BCWA new identity
When the BCWA (British Columbia Weightlifting Association) reached out to Four Nine Digital, their board of directors was in agreement that the new vision for the association was not being served by its current brand. Some of the limitations were:
- The logo does not effectively represent the province of British Columbia.
- The overlapping “W” and “A” characters were causing problems with legibility.
- The typography could be more distinguishable.
The goal was to create a new brand for BCWA to promote weightlifting and highlight key aspects of British Columbia.
A rebranding project is much more than redesigning a logo or updating fonts and colour palettes. It’s a journey we dive into, with distinct stages that involve researching the current brand and understanding the universe we are working with. We start by conducting surveys, analyzing responses, and digesting key information, which become the ingredients for creating a brand core document.
But before we go too deep into the process, let’s clarify what BCWA is.
The Association
BCWA is the official weightlifting association of British Columbia, Canada. Its main purpose is to support and promote the sport as a whole (involving coaches, clubs, and events) and act as a facilitator for individual athletes of all types throughout their weightlifting journey.
The Research Process
One fascinating characteristic of working on design projects at Four Nine Digital is exploring new solutions for various topics and industries. Weightlifting is a traditional Olympic sport developed in Ancient Greece and Egypt and is still part of the Summer Olympic Games. It requires strength, precision, and excellent technique while also pushing your body to its limits during competition.
After we had the initial project meeting with the client, we dove into the weightlifting universe to understand its characteristics. After conducting surveys with the board of directors, we analyzed the data and laid the foundation for the rebranding project.
Before we started sketching ideas, we developed a brand core document to establish the fundamentals of the Association. This document includes the point of view, purpose, priorities, promises, and positioning of the brand.
The next step was to work on character traits to support the brand identity. After several explorations and validating with the client, we defined four groups of words to express the personality of the association. Then, we started collecting visuals to express those words. The visual examples were organized into groups called mood boards. On this project four mood boards were created. We then asked the BCWA to select 1 or 2 mood boards that best represented the direction they would like to take the brand. We then used these mood boards as a guiding reference for future visual concepts.
Another significant portion of our time was spent on competitive analysis and researching visual trends. It is important to understand the landscape the new identity will exist in and what factors will make it stand out long term.
The Design Process
This can be one of the most exciting stages for designers (and for clients too). We started the sketching phase, exploring several different concepts. We worked with shapes in black and white and combined elements like the weightlifting plates, the association initials, the sun, and the water, which are strong symbols represented on the British Columbia crest, among other explorations.
After each round of design, we received feedback from internal and external sources. We used this feedback to make iterations, narrow down the options, and delve deeper into typography and colour choices.
We reached a point where we had two logo options. We invested time designing swag items and social media posts with logo variations to help the client in the decision process. In the past we found that seeing a logo applied to real-world scenarios can really help to see how effective they are.
The client was able to make a final decision. After this point, we focused on finalizing the logo colours, typography, and variations which are documented in detail in the brand guide.
The New Brand
The inspiration for the logo silhouette comes from an athlete’s initial and final positions while weightlifting. The logo composition relates to the shape of the British Columbia crest and combines several vital elements (mountains, water, sun) of the brand inside of a shape.
The straight lines of the mountain section represent discipline and strength. At the centre, we have a strong typography with the BCWA initials bracketed by the weightlifting barbell. The bottom section represents BCWA’s support for athletes, with its fluid lines. The water element symbolizes integration and collaboration, important characteristics of the Association.
Conclusion
It was a great experience to work with BCWA. We are excited to contribute with a rebranding project that reflects the Association’s new positioning and objectives, representing our province and honouring the sport of weightlifting.
After the launch we created a survey to gather feedback on the new brand directly from community members. Initial results from the first two events of the year were very positive. We will continue to gather more submissions throughout the event season.
Thanks for reading! Learn more about the project by checking the case study, and feel free to share your thoughts or insights on rebranding projects.
Four Nine is a full-service Digital Agency located in Vancouver, BC. Learn more about us by visiting our website or contact us at info@fournine.digital
