FC Bayern Munich
Turning a title contender into a champion
The global footballing landscape has changed drastically. Hence for clubs to remain leading sports brands, it is no longer sufficient to only win titles and trophies but imperative to also dominate the game off the pitch. Having analyzed business opportunities and the competitive landscape we created a strategic foundation and a differentiating identity worthy of FC Bayern München‘s ambitions.
Unbreakable passion, a unique heritage, and international acclaim. Those are the attributes that define FC Bayern München. In contrast to the accomplishments in football, this self-image was not reflected in a strategic foundation nor in a differentiating identity. With this in mind, it was essential to find a way to establish the club internationally in the long-term, and maintain the essence of football by simultaneously developing into a club with an outstanding brand profile in the sports industry.
This positioning was translated into a visual language and the “tradition meets the modernity era” was established as a guiding principle. In essence this ment that historical richness was brought together with the club’s ambition to become a progressive global player in existing and as well new industry segments. The positioning and overall appearance, that has been awarded with multiple design & brand awards, now represents what the club aims to stand for and believes in. One visible language across all tangible and intangible touchpoints, including one of the most unique brand experiences: the player’s tunnel at Allianz Arena.
Since the launch of the new brand identity, the number of memberships increased to a record-breaking number of 293k, making the FC Bayern München the biggest club in the world – in soccer and beyond. This reflects the success of the strengthened brand and sets the stage for all of the moves that are to come by one of the world’s leading sports brands.
“It turned out great. We wanted to create a climax that when the team comes out of the locker room, they know directly what to expect: A sold out stadium and a fantastic atmosphere. And the opponent also knows that the red hell awaits.”
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
CEO, FC Bayern München AG
