SITA'S DESIGNERS SHARE THIER MONTHLY INSPIRATION!

RICHARD WHITE - DESIGN DIRECTOR

Paris 2024 Olympic pictograms

Last month, Paris 2024 unveiled the pictograms for the 62 different Olympic disciplines, 15 of which are Paralympic-only designs, with eight shared across the Olympics and Paralympics.

Each icon has been created to resemble a coat of arms, featuring a piece of equipment essential to the sport and an element from the playing field, which has all been designed in an axis of symmetry.

The Paris 2024 team sought to give each pictogram a more emotive feel by adopting a coat of arms as a badge of honour, moving away from traditional sporting depictions.

View project here.

ELLEN KERBEY - CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Refinement of Aston Villa’s crest

Aston Villa are rebranding – did you know?

The club has unveiled its new crest, but I’d like to focus on just one element - the iconic Villa lion. Although it is not immediately obvious from this image, you may notice that the lion has changed direction, now facing to the right, instead of the left. In my opinion, this small change makes the brand feel more open to the future, more optimistic and forward thinking.

What previously felt like a slightly flat, yellow lion cut-out has now become a chiselled piece of art that holds much more power and strength. The delicate, detailed work that’s gone into such an important element of their logo has inspired me to think more about the subtle elements in upcoming branding projects, especially as in recent years, brands have been shying away from adding detail to their identities.

The overall rebrand is a work-in-progress by Dragon Rouge, with the full project set to be released in May.

View project here.

ALEX DAY - MID-WEIGHT BRAND DESIGNER

Julio Rodriguez Sorare squad

I spotted this on my Twitter feed, alongside promotional adverts and a number of content creators also talking about it. I love the variety of animations and elements that are combined together to make this engaging content piece, particularly how the square format is utilised to combine the video and the on-screen player selections (14 seconds in).

With the content created by the in-house team, Sorare MLB seems to have a lot of financial backing with the variety of athletes that are featured in the videos, which you can see have been very skilfully put together. Each element has been carefully considered throughout, especially how the typography and graphics interact and transition in unison with the video.

It’s inspired me to look at other ways that content can be displayed in the 1:1 format. I think this could be something to bring to the Shay Given brand ambassador content that I currently work on for our client, LeoVegas.

.@JRODshow44 with the elite ball knowledge. 💯

What does your #SorareSquad look like? Play with us. https://t.co/v7W58qeS53 pic.twitter.com/Hp33memH6y

— SorareMLB (@SorareMLB) March 23, 2023

GURDAIN BHARJ - MID-WEIGHT MULTIMEDIA DESIGNER

Expressive typography

I recently came across a social campaign by JBL Audio featuring NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo in a stylised animation. However, what I particularly enjoyed was the expressive typography. It was executed very well, complementing the video and bringing character to the words. The project also includes snapshots of the process, which I find to be very insightful, and something I’d like to explore myself.

View project here.

DANIEL FRAIN - GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Puma’s marketing style

In a sports world dominated by Nike and Adidas, I feel it can be hard for other brands to stamp their authority and make their mark. If someone had suggested to me a pair of boots other than Adidas Predators or Nike Tiempos back in the day, I would have turned my nose up, even more so when it came to activewear. I have noticed in recent years that Puma has emerged as a worthy competitor to these sporting juggernauts and, although the Puma Kings have always been an established piece of footwear, the overall brand identity didn’t quite have the pull (not for me, anyway).

The above case study I feel really showcases the audacious, modern direction Puma is trying to forge for itself by combining playful text, vibrant colours and texturised, atmospheric backgrounds. The presentation as a whole represents the evergreen design trend of ‘retrofuturism’, and resembles, dare I say, our work on the Content Creators Cup quite superbly.

CAMERON BOYALL - GRAPHIC DESIGNER

USC Football social graphics

I first came across USC Football last month on Twitter, when my feed was filled with NFL content ahead of the Super Bowl. I was scrolling and saw their creative carousel ad, which instantly caught my eye. Even though the design is in black and white, it expresses a unique feel and I find it really stands out amid the typically vibrant and colourful content you tend to see on social media feeds.

Having explored the page further, I then collaged a variety of their social graphics to highlight the array of creative directions they take when designing content. The USC Football typography, compositing and photography all complement one another and showcase the high-quality production that is evident throughout. This is definitely a channel that inspires my ideas and creativity.

It takes 𝔱𝔯𝔲𝔰𝔱. 😤✌️

— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) March 23, 2023

THOMAS DEVENEY - JUNIOR DEVELOPER

Lacoste web customisation tool

Sports fashion brand Lacoste has released a new introductory tool to its website that not only provides the user with a smooth and elegant welcome, but also offers the option to create your own Lacoste-branded polo shirt. The brand even hosts a competition in which you can submit a polo design and be in with the chance to win exclusive gifts.

This feature is an example of how websites are becoming more personable and can spark the user to explore their own creative mindset. Not only does this increase the brand’s engagement with users, but also provides the website with a fresh, modern look. All in all, I think this addition to the Lacoste website can only impact the brand in a positive way, boosting engagement and ultimately increasing revenue streams.

View project here.