Tell us a little bit about WiteKite and what you do?

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We are a strategic brand consultancy who innovate through creativity to keep global sport brands at the top of their game and build event brands for commercial success to excel on the world’s biggest stages. We’ve proudly been the creative force behind countless brands and rebrands, including over 30 world cups in the last 20 years. 

 

We work with many different types of brand owners, from teams and clubs to leagues, to national and international governing bodies, to cities and governments to celebrities, even royalty. We are long term partners with most and therefore the range of projects we get to work on is vast and incredible – from brand strategy and positioning to guidelining and implementation. Defining and elevating corporate brands, bidding for future major events, developing engaging grassroots and community programs, all the way up to delivering major event properties such as tourism platforms, cultural and sporting festivals and world cups . 

 

 

What is an event brand and why does it matter?

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Brand is one of those words that gets used by many which can be confusing. 

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For us, it’s the sum of all expressions by which the entity (an event in this case), intends to be recognised. So, for example, the sum of the logos, colours, fonts, sounds, tone and messaging, image and illustration styles and how they come together, projected across all printed and digital collateral, uniforms, venues, vehicles, social channels and broadcast, actions and communications of staff and volunteers, the experiences created and so on.

 

It essentially helps to define what the event is, how we interact with, and remember it. So, it’s critical for differentiation and connection. 

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When delivered cohesively across every touchpoint from stadium to broadcast, a successful event brand provides huge value to stakeholders, enhancing engagement, reputation, perception and loyalty. 

 

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What does it take to create a great event brand?

 

It’s certainly not a cookie cutter approach and needs a clear vision, careful planning, a deep understanding of all stakeholders and audiences, and then equal measures of experience and creative magic.

 

It takes a great commitment and team – with diverse backgrounds and expertise. An ability to think big picture as well as fixate over the smallest details, across every output the brand touches. It takes passion and a genuine desire to do the best possible job and challenge the status quo, every time.

 

At WiteKite, we have a few creative principles and filters which act as guidance to elevate every project … it’s never just a matter of ‘like’ or subjective opinion, but rather, always designing strategically with a distinct purpose and outcome in mind. 

 

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Can you give us some inside knowledge or some tips and tricks to ensure an event brand will thrive (without giving away your secret sauce)?

 

The factors that make any one event brand a success will always vary but here’s a few tips and things to think about….

 

Knowing your Market: 

• Careful research and engagement is vital in defining who the audience is, and what drives them, especially in a converging and cluttered sports and entertainment landscape.

 

Setting the Stage:

• A strong strategic platform and authentic and unique narrative provides the foundations for a powerful brand idea that unifies, inspires and brings everything to life – for the event, fans and potential sponsors.

 

Creating a World-Class Brand:

• Considered from every channel and use – from the smallest pin badge or embroidery, to wrapping vehicles and stadiums, to marketing, merchandise, social and broadcast – and every perspective (the organisers, governments and governing bodies, local and international fans, athletes, teams and performers, partners, broadcasters, licensees, and more).

 

Building a True Partnership:

• Major events require many teams to work in unison, so building a truly aligned, passionate and supported community with the brand at its heart is vital. We believe in developing iconic brands that fans, athletes, performers, the workforce, volunteers and commercial partners want to be associated with. Some components of event brands are delivered by the owner but many are brought to life by others like licensees, broadcasters and partners so a shared vision and strong partnership is critical.

 

Delivering an Unforgettable Experience:

• A carefully composed implementation plan ensures shareable moments of surprise and delight along the way. We’ve always operated as more than a supplier, almost as a secret weapon within our client’s team. We're committed to their success, constantly raising the bar because we love developing brands that move the world.  

 

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How can you differentiate an event brand in such a crowded marketplace when everyone is vying to stand out, especially in the world of social media?

 

We try to ensure that every brand we create provides a relevant and new outcome that differentiates.

 

We are all global citizens and know how important it is to be aware of what else is out there, who is doing what, and who is doing it well, to ensure we are ahead of the curve, have clear air and are constantly learning! Brands and technology are always evolving which is all part of what makes our work exciting – we intentionally create brands that are designed to launch, build incrementally and peak at event time. 

 

Whilst social media can be a minefield, both positive and negative, if your event brand is truly reflective of what your event stands for - and is flexible enough to work across every channel, it should achieve cut-through, and provide the resolve to stand strong against any negative commentary on social but also leverage the amazing opportunities social provides.

 

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What has been one of your most successful event brand projects and why?

 

I’m not sure if we really want to pick a favourite child! There are, of course, many measures of success – from ticket sales to viewing streams, social impressions to media feedback, profitability to unprecedented partner integration, and many more. We love to just sit in the crowd and listen to how fans react to the brand. The most rewarding projects are generally those that are fun, challenging, and still far exceed every metric. We strive for the best possible outcome every single time, and always learn from every project to elevate every next one. 

 

 

What’s the most challenging brand you’ve worked on and why?

 

Every project presents unique challenges! It’s generally time that is our biggest enemy … sometimes we are fortunate enough to begin brand development years out from the event, other times, it’s months or even weeks. Whilst it is possible to create a brand in a short period of time, every really successful delivery comes from careful planning, clever strategy, evolved creative and experienced delivery – all of which take time! 

 

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In your experience, what do brands often get wrong?

 

For a brand to have cut-through, it’s critical to have focus and consistency. So often we see brands that lack cohesion in execution, and so any halo effect is greatly diluted, resulting in less impact and fewer benefits for the event and commercial partners. This silo-ed approach to implementation can be overcome by ensuring all user groups are educated about, and can advocate for the brand, and have a thorough understanding of how to execute powerfully, whatever the channel. 

 

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What is the biggest misconception about the work that you do?

 

That it’s just about the logo. A brand is so much more, and whilst the logo for a successful event might be people’s first encounter with the brand, it’s the other elements that can deliver the magic … the look, the colour palette, the font, the tone of voice, how it behaves digitally, how it comes to life in venue and on broadcast - the application principles and consideration for how commercial partners can truly integrate and activate is where the value lies. 

 

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How can you transfer your learnings from working in events to the brand of a business not in major events?

 

We also have a lot of clients who do not work in major events! We apply all the same thinking and principles to the creation of non-event brands… it’s about questioning, challenging, and ultimately discovering the exceptional and distinctive proposition that can be translated into a visual identity. Then bringing that to life in a compelling way.

 

Our team is our greatest asset. We carefully curate the teams that work on our projects to ensure the best results. Some are based here in Sydney, some strategically located across the country and across the globe. Many have deep experience in well-known global agencies, specialists in strategy, writing and designing for corporate branding, packaging, environmental graphics, wayfinding, advertising, fashion and more – all of those skills, ideas, opinions and experiences are so valuable and used every day on every project.

 

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How is the rise of AI affecting and/or complementing your business?

 

To be honest, whilst we are using AI to facilitate efficiency on certain tasks and see greater future opportunity, we do feel there is a strong human element to our work that cannot be automated or replaced. The craft, insight and nuance that’s required is just not something we’ve seen delivered by AI… not yet, anyhow!

 

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How do you measure the success of your work when it could be seen as 'intangible'?

 

Whilst there are many metrics and measurables across valuation, engagement, viewership etc., we tend to measure our success through client satisfaction and their very tangible results. We are independent and treasure the relationships we develop with our clients. We aim to be attentive, responsive, add value far beyond our fees, deliver brands that excite and inspire and perform exceptionally, such that the relationship remains ongoing.

 

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Olympic brands have typically been quite controlled, but LA28 has introduced a very agile logo compared to Paris or Tokyo, what are your thoughts?

 

We think it’s a reflection of how brands operate today, the vision they’ve set, their culture and personality, the technology available and like any brand, the importance of remaining relevant. We don’t know how the rest of the LA28 brand will be delivered but the initial components are strong and youthful - and the agility ensures brand fatigue is unlikely.

 

The IOC, its partners and every Olympics provides a huge amount of knowledge and insight that helps to shape the next, and the LA organisers will no doubt have spent a lot of time in Paris gaining invaluable insights and learnings.

 

 

Where can our audience find out more about WiteKite?

 

To learn more about WiteKite and the great work we undertake in sport, event and place, visit https://wk.studio/ and feel free to drop us a line.

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