Seattle Sounders FC
American Soccer Majesty
Our Role
Research, Strategy, Design Exploration, Copywriting, Brand Manifesto
Collaborators
Column Studio, DNA Seattle, Name and Number
Interviewing a range of stakeholders
To gather authentic insights, we conducted extensive interviews (1:1 and focus groups) with the broader Sounders community, including Season Ticket Members, the Alliance Council, fans, players, alumni, staff, and local stakeholders. We also delved deep into the club’s heritage and Puget Sound history.
Surveying the soul of Seattle
We contributed to the design of quantitative research (online surveys) fielded by local Seattle agency DNA. We then distilled the findings from our qualitative and quantitative research into four evidence-based guiding principles: Community, Progress, Excellence, and Perseverance. These principles grounded all of our strategic and creative explorations and will continue to guide the club moving forward.
Setting a solid foundation
Based on our research and guiding principles, we developed a strategic platform, “At the Water’s Edge,” that weaves energy and optimism into a broader story about water, progress, and the Puget Sound community. Water is crucial to the multi-thousand-year history of Seattle and will continue to be an important resource uniting people living and working around Puget Sound.
Crafting a lasting mythology
Our “At the Water’s Edge” platform included brand-narrative explorations that began to crystallize how we’d tell the story of our reinvigorated Sounders brand. These explorations inspired a brand manifesto that capped off our work with the Sounders and supplied a go-to script for multiple brand-launch activations.
“Athletics was a major asset in the creative process of the brand evolution. Their expertise in elevating brands through design, strategy and comprehensive research made it an easy decision to bring them onto the project.”
“From Column and Athletics establishing the brand design of the new markings, initiating the fan and market research of the launch with the help of other agencies DNA and Name and Number, and working together with the front office and marketing staff of Sounders FC to bring ideas to life, it was a joint effort from beginning to end. ”