Since 96
“History” isn’t a word that gets tossed around much in regard to Major League Soccer. Most of the league’s fans can remember a time before it existed, and a long period of time when it didn’t enjoy much respect on the stage of American sports.
But if any team can claim history, it’s the one from LA. One of the 10 founding MLS teams, the Galaxy have achieved great success over their 21+ years. Besides being the most-decorated franchise in league history, the club has also been at the forefront of league innovation: from signing the first global superstar in David Beckham, to fielding the first lower division professional development team, to signing the first openly gay player of a major American sport in Robbie Rogers.
The team wanted to launch its 2018 season with a campaign that celebrated its rich history, while at the same time energizing its fans in the present. They asked Stink Studios to develop a visual style and messaging guidelines that their internal teams could utilize in a wide range of marketing and collateral.
We approached this brief with inspiration from the team’s history, the spirit of the city, and culture at-large. Our mood board included the original 1996 jersey, the flag of Los Angeles, local historical design references, vernacular signage, soccer culture, and even the flora of southern California. Together, these elements were interpreted to create the campaign’s visual language.
The campaign visual language centers around graphic marks derived both from the Galaxy’s original uniform and current quasar logo. The campaign tagline was undeniable — LA Galaxy: Since 96.
Our final delivery was a brand book that outlined graphic, type and photography guidelines, as well as a campaign manifesto with tone and language to influence brand communications. The best part of it all, of course, is seeing the work come to life in the streets of L.A. and in-game at the stadium.