UEFA EURO 2008™ Championship competition kicked off this afternoon, and it seems like a good time to discuss the identity and branding used for this tournament.
Back in June 2005, the UEFA EURO 2008™ logo was launched at a special ceremony at the Hofburg Place in Vienna, Austria. We were also introduced to “Flix and Trix”, seen in the header of this post. These two mascots, and the logo for the tournament were created by “English and Pockett Associates“, a London based creative agency.
The design evokes Switzerland and Austria’s mountain scenery and also the red and white colours common to both countries’ national flags.
The UEFA EURO 2008™ brand comprises of a variety of logo formats with a visual identity made of six individual and collective graphic icons, including three dimensional perspectives. The visual identity is produced in ten different color palettes.
Logo elements
The logo includes a variety of elements:
• Mountains
Welcoming. The love for nature and football is symbolized by the mountain embracing the football. The mountains’ stunning backdrop are central to the host nations, Austria and Switzerland.
• Typography
The word EURO is rendered in shades of red and symbolizes the unification of both Austria and Switzerland in staging this great event. The host country names are set in a confident and contemporary type face, with a rounded friendly feel.
• Ball
Inspired by the pure and rugged surroundings. The football is sculpted from stone and features the green forests and valleys of both countries. The pattern is based on contour maps of the Alps.
• UEFA arch
The mark of top European football.
• Colors
Red and white are the national flag colors of both host countries. The green core of the ball reflects the importance of nature in the region.
“Trix and Flix” have also been featured in a promotional video to further the branding and imagery of the competition. You can view the video here
Mascot action
The video sees Trix and Flix playing football and dancing in the mountains of Austria and Switzerland and in football stadiums, giving their growing legion of fans a chance to see the striking twosome in action. The video has been targeted at children and young people, but the organizers of UEFA EURO 2008™ hope Trix and Flix’s signature tune will be a hit with adults too.
Infectious spirit
With the real Trix and Flix being kept busy with their commitments to promoting UEFA EURO 2008™, the video will help the official tournament mascots spread their passion to parts of the world they cannot visit in person. While the video amply demonstrated their footballing skills, it is also hoped that their infectious spirit will give fans a taste of the great footballing celebration to come in Austria and Switzerland this summer.
Video signatures
Produced by Swedish animators KAKTUS, the project has been in development since last summer and is expected to be the first of a number of animated clips involving Trix and Flix released as the final tournament approaches. A 20-second animation of Trix and Flix’s unforgettable goal celebration is being planned which, along with a number of other sequences, may be used in the stadiums at the finals to capture the imagination of fans and players.
source: http://en.euro2008.uefa.com/
Related Links to this post:
About UEFA : The Organization
Official UEFA Euro 2008 Tournament Website
Previous UEFA Euro Logos and Identities:
UEFA Euro 2004 – Portgual
UEFA Euro 2000 – Belgium / Netherlands
UEFA Euro 1996 – England
What do you think of the current 2008 identity, with “Flix and Trix”? Do you think it will appeal to adults as well as children? Do you think these characters can inspire an atmosphere around the stadiums and cities hosting this tournament?
