folow
sport brand
Brief
Folow is a sports start-up based in London. The company is divided into two main parts: a sportswear manufacturer and a sports agency. The owner asked me to design the corporate identity. During the interviews, we agreed on a dynamic, easily recognizable, simple but expressive image. We felt it was important that the brand reflected the energy and competitive spirit of the sport, but above all, the spirit of playing together. The name itself is playful, as it is a mirror image of the African language Wolof (the CEO’s original language). The current form of the brand name suggests dynamism (similar to follow), and I saw many ideas in it.
platforms
Textil
Paper
Plastic
Metal
Ceramic
Digital
process
Brief
Research
Brainstorming
Sketching
Logo concept
Typography
Colour System
Brand project
Testing
Mockups
Presentation
platforms
Textil
Paper
Plastic
Metal
Ceramic
Digital
process
Brief
Research
Brainstorming
Sketching
Logo concept
Typography
Colour System
Brand project
Testing
Mockups
Presentation
process
Brief
Research
Brainstorming
Sketching
Logo concept
Typography
my role
Colour System
Brand project
Testing
Mockups
Presentation
using:
problem solving
Challenge
Creating an energetic, easily recognizable identity across all sizes and material types. As the company has two profiles, I had to take their differences into account when designing.
thinking and brainstorming
Strategy
I noticed in the interviews the owner has a deep emotional and cultural attachment to the name. Therefore I wanted the brandmark to express the name, not just the wordmark.
result
Final Visuals
The brandmark embodies the whole spirit of Folow and the name. All the letters of the name can be found in the brandmark in some form. The reflection motif is also present in the symbol as well as in the brand name.
The working process
(non-exhaustive list)
Styling and Branding
Dynamism, impulsivity, and balance. Equality and togetherness are also an essential part of the brand. I started designing with these aspects in mind: the brand name, a reflection of the name of the African Wolof language. The formal similarity in the F and the W shapes and the ‘symmetry’ of the word gave me the initial idea. I kneaded the letters into soft shapes, following the rules of gold etching. They are giving the brand a calming, harmonic look. At the same time, the circular repetition of the leaves/Fs/Ws gives a sense of energy. They form a circle, a wreath, the winner’s prize in the ancient Olympics (Europe, earth element). In the negative space is a shooting star or flame. It symbolizes the fighting spirit and will to fight (Asia, fire element). The motif also resembles a whirlwind, the momentum of sport, which once you get a taste of it, you never let go (America, air element). The splashing of the waves reflects harmony and balance (Australia and Oceania, water element). The symbols represent the five continents and the four vital elements in the spirit of togetherness. The result is a distinctive shape easily recognizable in all sizes and on all materials and surfaces, reflecting the Folow feeling.
Folow Sport Agency
The logo design had to take into account that the brand would enter the market in two areas. As well as a sports brand, it would also help young talent achieve their dreams with their sports agency. The agency’s logo should also convey confidence, alongside the already familiar philosophies. The colour of confidence is blue. So the brandmark was given the brand’s primary blue colour. The basic wordmark was supplemented with the inscription ‘agency’, which suggests trust and balance due to the Serif typeface.
