Football Association of Maldives
The Football Association of Maldives (FAM) hosted the SAFF Championship 2021, demonstrating their expertise in organizing major football events and showcasing the country's passion for the sport. Their successful execution solidified their position as a respected football association in the region.
Services Provided
— Brand Research
— Identity Design
— Graphic Design
— Illustration
— Editorial Design
— Brand Guidelines
— Asset Distribution (Public)
Introduction
The SAFF Championship 2021 branding was developed in close collaboration with Football Association of Maldives and Nova Associates (the Marketing Agency for the Event). NOVA, the company hired by FAM for SAFF 2021, subcontracted the branding component to Encrea. We appreciate the creative space and direction provided by Encrea in developing this brand identity.
The collaboration resulted in a branding strategy that celebrated the essence of the festive championship, drawing inspiration from the vibrant flora and fauna of the Maldivian Marine Ecosystem. By aligning the branding with the spirit of the event, a truly immersive and memorable football festival experience was created for both participants and spectators. We take pride in our contribution to the success of the SAFF Championship 2021 and the lasting impression it left on everyone involved.
As the main Branding Agency, our creatives kicked off the project to deliver a full solution to the challenge that was to bring to life the true colors of Maldives, with a splash of football festivities. We prepared our game with serious precision to make SAFF Championship 2021 one of the most memorable football events hosted in the country to date.
The Main Visual
Understanding the importance of incorporating culture and traditions into the branding as the host country, we ended up linking all our visuals to the Maldivian marine life—arguably one of the best representations for a tropical paradise like Maldives. The main visual aimed to depict the colorful tapestry of the region's marine life, wonderfully incorporated into our design perspective, resulting in a visually captivating masterpiece.
A football event demands vibrancy and attention to detail, so our team's primary focus was to infuse the visual with explosive colours to bring out the festivity. Hence the brand theme for this project were:
Tropical • Underwater • Marine Life • Culture
VISUAL OBJECTIVE
Depicting the colorful tropical marine life of Maldives heritage embedded into its core. Our team's key focus was to bring life to a visual with exploding vibrancy and visual detail in order to achieve the final crops. A football festival calls for color and vividness, this was the root of us experimenting with flavours. Keeping the visual dynamic was a key focus when developing the main visual graphic.
Flexible Visual System:
The Main Visual served as the cornerstone of the branding, deployed in various iterations and zoomed crops by partners and fans throughout the Football Festival. Each unique crop breathed new life into the visual, infusing vibrancy wherever it appeared. Moreover, the Main Visual was wonderfully adapted into a duotone style, allowing its application across a spectrum of light and dark tournament-themed colors. This versatility ensured the brand's festive colors radiated in every scenario, providing a consistent and captivating visual experience.
The SAFF logo was revisited to compliment the main visual this was done to achieve a brand coherence, which was challenging considering the tight timeframe.
Balancing the preservation of its original form with a modern touch, the logo embraced the vibrant color palette of the classic SAFF Championship branding. Furthermore, the logo incorporated elements from the main visual, most notably the depiction of tropical fish. This addition not only infused the logo with a touch of exotic charm but also served as a representation of Maldivian culture, with the fish taking the shape of a lacquer vase. The result was a visually compelling and harmonious logo that formed a strong and unified identity for the championship.
This brand set the beginning of the regional football tournaments in South Asia. Bringing the festival to the football stadium, and beyond.
Consistent Branding:
Guidelines & Assets Distribution
Maintaining brand consistency was an important objective throughout the tournament. As pioneers in the field, we recognized the importance of providing comprehensive brand guidelines and assets to ensure cohesive and accurate brand representation. By setting the benchmark for branding on different scales, we empowered stakeholders to utilize the brand effectively. The formulation of meticulous brand guidelines, coupled with accessible creative materials, facilitated the proper and consistent utilization of the brand throughout the tournament and its accompanying campaigns.
“This branding was a magnificent reflection of the Maldives' distinctiveness, capturing the essence of our nation and the unparalleled charm it holds. The SAFF championship's branding is carefully crafted to be adaptable, allowing everyone to embrace it and infuse it with their own creativity. Let's join hands and utilize this branding to amplify our national team's journey towards triumph in SAFF 2021!”
Bassam Adeel Jaleel
— President of Football Association of Maldives
The Result
The SAFF Championship 2021, hosted by the Football Association of Maldives, stands as a testament to the importance of strategic branding and creative design. Through a close collaboration between FAM and Nova Associates, a visually captivating and immersive football festival experience was brought to life. From the vibrant main visual to the harmonious SAFF Championship logo, every element contributed to the overall success of the event. With a commitment to consistency and a well-defined brand identity, the SAFF Championship 2021 set a new standard for regional football tournaments in South Asia.
