Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee
Rebranding, 2015
A dual identity for the Olympic committee, ready for Rio 2016
The Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee rebranding resulted in a dual identity solution able to accommodate both the institutional requirements and the marketing demands of the Olympic organization.
In preparation for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, and with the impetus of a new management team, the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee (COSR) commissioned Brandient to rebrand the venerable institution, a task with a considerably high challenge and responsibility.
Just stepping into its second century, the COSR bears a double allegiance: like all National Olympic Committees, it abides by the Olympic Charter and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), while also representing Romania in front of the international sports community, as sports have always been strong pillars of national branding.
The strategy centered on striking a balance between the demands of the task: adherence to universal Olympic guidelines versus national representation, and satisfying a wide variety of stakeholders, including athletes, coaches, sporting federations, organizations, associations, sponsors, and the public. The identity itself is multifaceted, transcending traditional brand categories. It is simultaneously an institutional identity, a franchise identity, an ideology identity, a services identity, and a crucial contributor to the enhancement of the national brand.
The proposed strategic approach resulted in a dual identity solution: the corporate logo, adhering strictly to the technical requirements of the Olympic symbols, and a vibrant communication symbol design for the Team Romania brand, offering a freer expression of the national spirit. The brand narrative is encapsulated in the line "One Nation, One Spirit, One Team."
The institutional (“corporate”) identity
The revitalized COSR logo (done in a mandatory facelift design approach) provides the manifestation of the institutional ("corporate") identity, to be used on official documents, stationery, sports equipment, pins, and other communication materials. The novel, proprietary symbol is a contemporary rendition that simultaneously evokes a flag featuring Romania’s national colors and a winners’ podium for medalists. The complete logo comprises the proprietary tricolor podium, the word ROMANIA, and the Olympic rings, all contained within a frame evoking a sports arena.
The “Team Romania” Key Visual
The second identity manifestation is a communication symbol for the Team Romania brand. This symbol is designed to embody national beauty, joy, pride, playfulness, friendship, and the celebratory emotion of victory. It incorporates a capital "R" interwoven with the letter "O", created from stylized Romanian traditional stitching symbols in the national colors, visually representing a Romanian folk motif, the "hora" dance. The words "Team Romania" form the vertical part of the "R". This identity is primarily used on Romanian teams’ materials and equipment for various Olympic competitions, as well as in communication and marketing materials.
Client:
Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee
Industry:
Sports, Media and Entertainment
Project type:
Rebranding — Brand Reconstruction
Date:
2015
Services:
Brand Audit, Narratives and Voice, Logo design and Corporate ID Program, Branded Environments, Digital Design, Communication Design, Brand Guidelines
Awards:
• REBRAND 100® Distinction in 2015
• Graphis Merit Award for Logo Design in 2016
• Hiii Profesional Id Bronze Award in 2015
• Hiiibrand Best Brand Award in 2022
The institutional identity
The revitalized COSR logo (done in a mandatory facelift design approach) provides the manifestation of the institutional ("corporate") identity to be used on official documents, stationery, sports equipment, pins, and other communication materials.
The novel proprietary symbol is a contemporary rendition that evokes a flag featuring Romania's national colours and a winners' podium for medalists. The complete logo comprises the proprietary tricolour podium, the word ROMANIA, and the Olympic rings, all in a frame evoking a sports arena.
Client:
Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee
Industry:
Sports, Media and Entertainment
Project type:
Rebranding — Brand Reconstruction
Date:
2015
Services:
Brand Audit, Brand Positioning, Brand Name, Narratives and Voice, Logo and Visual Identity Program, Corporate ID Program, Communication Design, EVP and Employee Brand Engagement, Brand Guidelines.
The “Team Romania” Key Visual
The second identity manifestation is a communication symbol for the Team Romania brand. This symbol is designed to embody national beauty, joy, pride, playfulness, friendship, and the celebratory emotion of victory.
It incorporates a capital “R” interwoven with the letter “O,” created from stylized Romanian traditional stitching symbols in the national colours, visually representing a Romanian folk motif, the “horă” dance.
The words “Team Romania” form the vertical part of the “R.” This identity is primarily used on Romanian teams' materials and equipment for various Olympic competitions and in communication and marketing materials.
Client:
Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee
Industry:
Sports, Media and Entertainment
Project type:
Rebranding — Brand Reconstruction
Date:
2015
Services:
Brand Audit, Brand Positioning, Brand Name, Narratives and Voice, Logo and Visual Identity Program, Corporate ID Program, Communication Design, EVP and Employee Brand Engagement, Brand Guidelines.
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