The Hundred
- View other case studies related to - Visual Identity
- View other case studies related to - Sport
- View other case studies related to - London
Creating a disruptive competition for the digital era
Energising the game of cricket for a new generation of players with the creation of a new competition, "The Hundred" to ensure the future of the game. The ECB’s cricket portfolio was struggling to recruit the next generation of fans and players in England and Wales. Kids were not being as exposed to cricket as they once were and the sport was rated well outside of the top ten by teenagers. Despite maintaining an enthusiastic core following, cricket in England and Wales faced an uncertain future. The new competition needed to be better aligned with the entertainment needs of the market, with the potential to drive radical reappraisal of the game as younger, more inclusive and diverse. It had to be disruptive, engaging, and unlike anything that had come before: a vibrant, dramatic, fast-paced cricket competition. The Hundred was the first of its kind in the world, a disruptive sports competition, fit for the digital era. This shift was reflected in visual choices; striking colours, graphic imagery and expressive typography all align to capture the attention of cricket fans.
Its brand identity emerged from a combination of vibrant, inclusive positivity and contemporary urban grit. The key graphic device was a hazard-style chevron, selected to signal action, risk and drama – the essence of the new tournament. An unexpected and striking pink and green colour palette enabled the identity to stand out across all touchpoints. Eight-team identities were created to reflect the character and values of the individual hometown regions they represented. From colours and fonts to graphics and motion, the design choices were selected to resonate with a younger, broader audience. The driving idea behind The Hundred was to create a form of cricket that had mass appeal built into its DNA, drawing in more diverse audiences than ever before. The opportunity to redefine the sport cannot be underestimated, the impact The Hundred has had on women’s cricket has been touted as transformational by both the players themselves and the England and Wales Cricket Board.
"We have to maximise our window, because if we maximise our window and we engage people in a different way, the rest of cricket will benefit - and that's the whole point. This doesn't work in isolation; it works alongside the rest of the game. If The Hundred does its job, the whole game grows, and that's what we're trying to do."
Sanjay Patel, Managing Director - England and Wales Cricket Board.
“The Hundred is very clear in saying ‘we exist to throw crickets doors open to all’. That absolutely has a role to play in helping transform how cricket is seen in this country, and beyond.”
Nick Sykes, Global CEO - FutureBrand.
