Uniting Baltimore Through Soccer.
This conceptual project is part of the Brand Football Club initiative (BRND.FC), which aims to empower football clubs to adopt a professional branding approach. This project introduces a football club in its inaugural season to illustrate how strategic branding can be a powerful tool for launching a club with significant presence and market value. The project aims to establish a Major League Soccer footprint in Baltimore, a city known for its sports enthusiasm yet missing from America's soccer landscape.
The development of Baltimore United FC began with thorough research into Baltimore’s rich history and cultural landmarks, shaping brand attributes that resonate with local narratives. I crafted a strategic framework that positions the club as a cornerstone of community identity and pride, using symbols and elements to design a brand identity that embodies the city’s spirit of unity and collective passion.
The visual identity incorporates key symbols from Baltimore's history, integrating them into a cohesive logo and color scheme that reflects the city's heritage and vibrancy. Meanwhile, the verbal identity was tailored to communicate directly to the community, reinforcing themes of resilience and belonging. This effort engages fans and residents in a shared narrative, culminating in a final positioning: Uniting Baltimore Through Soccer.
The Baltimore United FC crest features key symbols that reflect the city’s heritage and values. At its center, a 'V'-shaped clipper boat emblem, iconic to Baltimore, celebrates the city’s historic seaport and its resilience during the war of 1814. Nested inside the boat, a White Oak tree—Maryland's state tree—symbolizes Baltimore's deep roots. A shield surrounds these elements, signifying protection and unity, while two crosses bottony from Maryland’s flag highlight historical connections.
The logo suite is enhanced by a secondary logo and a brand mark, each adding flexibility and depth to the brand identity. The secondary logo isolates the shield and clipper boat, emphasizing the core symbols of the primary crest. The brand mark features a compass design with the White Oak tree symbolizing an arrow pointing north, representing guidance and forward movement. Additionally, the suite includes a wordmark to maintain a consistent and recognizable presence.
Baltimore United FC's football kits, including both home and away uniforms, staff apparel, and travel kits, were meticulously designed to reflect the team's personality and maintain consistency with the visual identity. Each piece harnesses the essence of the club's branding, showcasing the distinctive combinations of colours and symbols that represent the club.
The tone of voice draws inspiration from Edgar Allan Poe and ‘The Star-Spangled Banner,’ crafted in Baltimore. It is designed to be welcoming and authentic, fostering community unity and pride. This inclusive and engaging language strengthens the club’s connection with fans, reinforcing its role as a community pillar and embodying the city’s spirit.
A flexible visual identity that enables the brand to expand and be easily recognised across various touchpoints, cultivating pride among its fan base in any scenario.
Though conceptual, Baltimore United FC showcases the profound impact of strategic branding. The design and strategy are finely tuned to resonate with Baltimore’s cultural values, aiming to establish the club as a beloved icon within the city. This approach not only promises to attract fans but also deeply engages them, fostering a sense of community pride and unity. The project highlights how thoughtful branding can integrate sports teams into the fabric of their cities and inspire local pride.
