2006/7 introduced a photocopied punk inspired graphic style. 2007/8 evolved to a hand-made DIY, protest banner inspired language. 2008/9 builds on the established counter-culture themes and goes back to basics with early computer graphics. Bitmapped images and crude line art create an anti-design authenticity. Graphics retain the simplicity of 07/8 painted and scratched type, whilst acknowledging the growing interest in 80’s technology and it’s inherent aesthetic. The communication signature for 2008/9 is a smashed version of the core design of the 07/08 signature. It references broken windows and shop/factory display lettering and signs.
Bitmap Graphics -
Graphics and layouts followed the SuperSuper nu-rave counter culture anti-design aesthetic. We combined crude pixelated hand drawn elements with low-res photography in bold colour combinations to create a distinctive tribal aesthetic.
Layout Style -
Type was stacked and arranged in unusual blocks, supported by a pixelated graphic device.
Smashed Typography -
A serif display font was smashed up. Occasional characters were removed or turned upside down adding emphasis to slogans and messages. The process alludes to urban decay, vandalism and the irreverence of youth.
Following the completion of the football visual language, the Reebok brand underwent a fundamental repositioning resulting in a new corporate identity and signature. Apropos- consequently modified the visual language to come in line with the new identity. This involved creating a custom “smashed” version of the new Reebok Cachet font.
Advertising -
A campaign to promote Reebok’s football collection at Intersport stores across Europe.
YOUR MOVE advertising campaign by McGarry Bowen, incorporating elements from the football visual language.
Web -
Reebok Football web site following the visual language guidelines.
© Apropos 2009
Working with Gareth on this project was really rewarding. Not only did he gives us great creativity but it was in the context of a practical framework that could really work as ‘glue’ across the project and be expressed in multiple consumer touchpoints which significantly enhanced its impact in the marketplace. On top of that his unassuming style meant that he was a pleasure to work with as a client and critically also ensured he could inhabit the world of multi agency egos and produce a collaborative result.
Roy Gardner – VP Brand Marketing EMEA Reebok
We asked Apropos to develop a visual language that would allow us to connect all of our Reebok football activity throughout product and marketing communications regardless of channel and allow us to communicate in a distinct tone of voice whilst expressing our brand personality. The visual language that Apropos developed delivered this perfectly. It enabled us to bring to life our positioning of ‘More than just the 90 minutes’ by referencing typographic, graphic, colour and language trends emerging in the lifestyle arena and applied them to sport. This gave us a completely different look and feel from other major brands and enabled us to achieve greater cut through with consumers. The visual language also connected communication to product by supplying a product style guide that featured similar attributes such as logo styles, fonts and colour references. This meant that the attitude that we communicated via advertising and digital was translated in some way onto product enabling consumers to make a clearer connection between the brand they saw/heard and ultimately wore. All in all a great job.
John Zaheer-Flaherty – European Marketing Director for Lifestyle at Reebok
The visual language that Gareth created was the inspiration behind the design of the product range – It was the starting point, the catalyst, and in the end it was what made the product relevant to it’s target consumer. Apropos ability to break down the brief into the raw elements of design provided me with ‘ingredients’ necessary to build the product range. It was fun too.
Roddy D’Arcy – Freelance Product Designer