New Brand Identity for the Canadian Olympic Team

June 21, 2011

Did you know the maple leaf was associated with the Canadian Olympic team for 60 years before it was actually used on the Canadian flag? Today, the maple leaf is the most iconic symbol of Canada, so it wasn’t surprising when the Canadian Olympic Committee rolled out its new brand identity this month that the maple leaf took center stage.

The new Canadian Olympic Team logo, shown to the left, was created to pay tribute to the history of the Canadian Olympic team and the Canadian spirit, but it was also designed with the knowledge that it needs to work on athletes’ clothing, advertising, and merchandising. Canadians are strong supporters of their athletes, and ensuring the logo translates to merchandise was an intelligent strategic decision that is often overlooked during the design phase of brand identities.

The new mosaic maple leaf graphic has its own story as described on the Canadian Olympic Team brand website:

“Based on the geometry of the maple leaf, the concept was inspired by Canadian artwork, iconography, the tradition of quilting, and Canadian athletes’ remarkable performance and pride. The tones are based on the five colours of the Olympic Rings, which represent the flags of the world. The extended palette infuses colours from Canadian landscapes. The whole, vibrant and dynamic, represents Canada’s cultural mosaic and the energy of the Canadian Olympic Team.”

Check out the video below that explains what the new identity means and how it was created. It’s very well done and makes you really appreciate this logo and the great job that was done by everyone involved.

The Canadian Olympic Team Brand from Canadian Olympic Team on Vimeo.

So often companies go for the outrageous or overly-stylized design, or on the flip-side, they fall back on the old standards (a circle, a swoosh, etc.). The new Canadian Olympic Team logo works in its most simple form and in its more conceptual identity of lines and colors which tie directly back to the Olympic rings and colors of the flags of the world.

What do you think of the new Canadian Olympic Team logo and brand identity? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

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Susan Gunelius

President & CEO at KeySplash Creative, Inc.

Susan Gunelius is the author of multiple marketing, social media, branding, copywriting, and blogging books, and she is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc., a marketing communications company. She also owns Women on Business, a leading blog for business women. She is a featured columnist for Entrepreneur.com, a featured writer for Forbes.com, and the Guide to Blogging for About.com. Additionally, her marketing-related articles have appeared on websites such as MSNBC.com, FoxBusiness.com, WashingtonPost.com, TheStreet.com, SmartMoney.com, TodayShow.com, BusinessWeek.com, Yahoo! Finance, Yahoo! Small Business, and more. She has nearly 20 years of experience in the marketing field having spent the first decade of her career directing marketing programs for some of the largest companies in the world, including divisions of AT&T and HSBC. Susan also appears at in-person and virtual events where she speaks about marketing, branding, social media, and more (visit www.SusanGunelius.com for more information). You can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.