Norwich City unveil their new club crest and it causes quite a mixed opinion with fans across various social media platforms.
The Press Association first reported on Friday that plans to launch the new crest during the past fortnight had been pushed back due to the club’s disappointing start to the Premier League season.
It was already stated that the new design would be set to feature on shirts from the 2022-23 season.
We’re delighted to launch our new club crest! 💛#NCFC | https://t.co/BCwFPnd7C5 pic.twitter.com/vO9pjEfgmN
— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) November 23, 2021
CLUB STATEMENT:
Norwich City Football Club is delighted to reveal its new crest which will be used across all club branding from June 2022.
Together with industry-leading agency SomeOne, whose work includes similar projects at Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers, the club has created a modernised, evolved crest which will ensure consistency across all digital, print and physical branding.
The club has recently undergone a review of its brand, which confirmed a number of technical challenges and accessibility issues centred around the main club crest. There were also inconsistencies with the versions of crests used, with different iterations around our own stadium and incorrect crests easily accessible online.
The new crest features a redesigned lion, castle and canary, each of which have been redrawn to overcome the technical issues found. By simplifying the elements and removing a lot of the unnecessary detail, the crest now renders strongly in both small and large scale.
The black keyline around the crest has also been removed, with the balance improved by positioning the ball in the centre of the crest.
Whilst the crest is at the heart of the project, it will be supported by a bespoke club font and new brand property, both of which will be revealed in the summer of 2022.
The entire process incorporated both internal feedback within the business and external feedback from the club’s supporters.
The crest will be introduced and formally used from June 17, 2022. Our 2022/23 kits will be revealed shortly after, which will feature the evolved crest for the first time.
For more information on the background, timeline, technical challenges and process, please head to norwichproject50.co.uk.
Commercial director Sam Jeffery said: “This is a huge moment in the history of Norwich City Football Club and a real statement of intent for the future. For the first time in 50 years the club will adopt a newly evolved crest, fit for digital purpose, iconic and most importantly accessible for all.
“It’s a project two years in the making and one that has been treated with the utmost sensitivity and care by those lucky enough to have been involved within the club’s working group.
“Having garnered feedback from numerous stakeholders, both internally and externally, it was always going to be an evolution and not a revolution. We’re extremely proud of the outcome.”
Executive creative director of SomeOne agency Rich Rhodes said: “When we started the project, we knew it was going to be something really interesting for us.
“Speaking to everyone from the owners and the board, players, fans and staff, we could tell that there’s something really special at Norwich; this real sense of community, pride and passion. It’s something that we really wanted to bring to the fore in the work that we’ve done.
“It’s really important to keep those historic, distinctive elements of the crest. It wasn’t a case of going in and making a fundamental change. It was about taking all of the best bits and making them even better and fit for purpose for a digital age.”
Norwich City said prior to the reveal: “We are proud of our history and heritage, but Norwich City is also a symbol of progression, ambition and aspiration. Our target is to be an established Premier League club – achieving it by staying true to our traditions and core values by playing the Norwich City way.
“However, when we reviewed our brand property, it quickly became apparent that there were some issues with consistency, as well as technical and accessibility challenges that we needed to correct.
“Everywhere you look – from stadium concourses to club stationery, and from merchandise to online searches – there are multiple variations and interpretations of the current design.”
When Premier League clubs last unveiled a new crest
NORWICH CITY’S APPROACH:
Canvassing opinion – more than 50 internal interviews were conducted with directors, staff, first team and academy players. A questionnaire was circulated to our supporters and received more than 5,000 responses.
Working group – we brought in club legend Jeremy Goss to sit alongside directors, supporters and staff from all areas of Carrow Road and the Lotus Training Centre to discuss every area of the design process.
Focus groups – these took place at Carrow Road with representatives from the club, official supporters’ groups and participants from the questionnaire.
Design process – we collaborated with experienced professionals who have a history of working on successful sporting brand evolutions.
Presentation – we discussed the final designs with fan group representatives and the official supporters’ panel to take on board their views before the final design was unveiled.
“They’ll never make a better badge” is what the designer of Norwich City’s badge original crest said, Andrew Anderson, after coming up with the classic Canaries logo back in 1972.
The architect created the winning design after entering a competition in the Norwich Evening News and went on to bag himself £10 for the creation.
And for almost 50 years his logo has been proudly emblazoned on the club’s kit as well as the many other places you are expected to see it, the ground, match programme, tickets, merchandise, the list is endless.
However now it looks like the green and yellow design is set to be given a reboot, with the club feeling that they need to play catch-up with a whole host of Premier League clubs modernising there logos.
But Mr Anderson, who now lives in Yorkshire, is confident that any new design won’t top his work.
He said: “There’s no way they’ll design a better badge. If they do I’ll hand back the £10 I won.”
The current logo shows a Canary standing atop a ball with a lion and castle standing in the background.
He went on: “It’s simple, it’s easily recognisable. It can be blown up big on the side of a stadium or reduced right down to a pin badge.
“I didn’t know the badge was getting a redesign but I know they won’t be able to top it.”
Norwich reportedly undertook an extensive consultation on the badge to modernise it – however after a bumpy time in the Premier League – their plans were put on hold.
However, now they have brought in Dean Smith, got a win against Southampton, they want to take advantage of the fresh start – seeing this as a good opportunity to unveil the new crest.
Mr Anderson ends: “My family are avid Norwich City fans – my son frequently goes to the games.
“I’m pleased they’re playing better under their new manager after a disappointing few games but it’s a shame they won’t be wearing my crest.”
As mentioned, Norwich City unveil a new crest but it causes a mixed opinion…
Oooh yes, that ball looks pretty centralised lads 😍 pic.twitter.com/KW8ghawQFP
— Callum (@postedbycallum) November 23, 2021
It’s not a total disaster pic.twitter.com/rF5ft8E4t7
— Peeky🔰 (@PeekyNCFC) November 23, 2021
— Theo (@lufctheoo) November 23, 2021
Like it. 👏👏
— Jake Humphrey (@mrjakehumphrey) November 23, 2021
Oh that was meant to be a lion! pic.twitter.com/gTMqJU7T00
— Shane McGeary (@humanmale1984) November 23, 2021
Disappointed that you never chose this pic.twitter.com/AFA9fatnB6
— Austin (@bluemoonV0) November 23, 2021
@nathandinho_: Minimalist isn’t always better. Not a great attempt.
@swindonshirts: Superb upgrade. Minimal but cleaner
@Thomski_: That’s hideous
@JField97: I like it. Kept the same layout, just modernised it!
@fmbase: You’ve made the same badge awful.
@TheRealJonteNR1: Thats actuelly good
@Baxterj89: Absolutely awful
@JoelPattrick: Superb job! Looks a lot cleaner and more modern without completely binning it 👍🏻
@PhilHenry1962: That definitely has a more modern look about it. That’ll do nicely 👍
@RealMattSears: Normally redesigns are terrible but I think this one is better. I’d have kept the border though.
@RE_Norwich: no thanks bring back the old one
@wwfcscott: It’s actually very nice tbh, modernised it and looks slick. Not usually a fan of teams playing with badges but i rate it.
@DevoGeorge: This is a weird thing to say but they’ve erm… taken all the personality out of the canary.
@simonjmitton: Good enough, lads, good enough. Traditional enough that old boys like me won’t riot, new enough to fit the brief. Solid, if unspectacular. #ncfc
@LouisWoodrow2: Contrary to initial reactions, I think this is decent. #ncfc
@1874dan: fuck me this was well overdue
@Ginger_Canary: Guess I’m in the minority considering the comments, but I actually dont mind it. Effectively the same as the old one just with no black outline and a lion that actually looks like a lion. Not everyone will be pleased and it’ll take some getting used to, but I’m okay with it #ncfc
@ForeverAYellow: Im just glad it aint another circle crest
@1874dan: Really like this to be honest. Well overdue and they haven’t simplified it too much like how Inter Milan did. Inter’s new badge is significantly worse than the one they changed. This is made up of much subtler simplifications. Got rid of the god awful outlines too
@cknnr: You see, this is how you improve a badge. By modernising it and making it look very neat
@Jamorushton: Buzzing that this isn’t a roundal tbf
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