In 2017 Gymsports New Zealand changed their name to Gymnastics New Zealand. With the name change came a new logo and a general re-brand.
Brand workshop
The first stage of the re-brand was a brand workshop with the Gymnastics New Zealand team. We developed and conducted a questionnaire and discussed the outcome with the entire team. The results of this informed the brand strategy and the brand development process.
Logo development
The logo is the main piece of branding for Gymnastics New Zealand. It often is displayed on its own on the international stage without being accompanied with other brand elements. It had to tell the story of not only the sport, but also New Zealand as a nation.
The iconic silver fern inspires pride and belonging. No other symbol can be said to represent New Zealand in sports as extensively as the silver fern. It has the ability to unify and unite while being versatile in the way it can be visualised.
The silver fern is normally depicted as somewhat rigid and similar in shape amongst other sports organisations that have incorporated it into their logo. We have depicted the fern with movement and fluidity, representing the fundamental and shared essence of gymnastics sports. The shape of the fern is also somewhat playful, making it accessible and fun.
The stars of the southern cross inspire achievement. Appearing on the nation’s flag and a strikingly unique feature in the southern hemisphere’s night sky, it holds great historical significance for New Zealanders.
The evolution of the fern into figures, then stars represents the journey of the people of gymnastics. Gymnastics empowers its athletes with fundamental movement skills to achieve and aspire to greatness. This speaks to all gymnastics participants, from the recreational Gymnast to the athlete aspiring for Olympic gold.
The font was designed by an award-winning New Zealand typographer, Kris Sowersby of Klim Type Foundry. Solid and somewhat weighty, it adds a strong base for the logo.
Research – Comparing nationally and internationally
After exploring multiple options for the logo and comparing them to Gymnastic logos of other countries and logos of other New Zealand sports it became clear which version is best suited.
The silver fern and the distinctive use the movement and fluidity typical for gymsports nicely fits amongst the look and feel of other New Zealand sports forming unity on the international stage.
Proud and confident against its international counterparts, it is distinctively New Zealand, making it recognisable amongst the colourful logos of other countries.