Bid brand leads Liverpool to secure World Artistic Gymnastics Championships

Founded in 1903, the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships (AGWC) have celebrated the talent of over forty different countries. In 2022, Liverpool will host the AGWC for the first time in history.

Edinburgh-based branding agency Brand Oath created a modern, fluid brand for Liverpool's bid to host the event, resulting in Liverpool being awarded the 2022 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships.

The UK’s sports minister Tracey Crouch says, “This is fantastic news for Liverpool and the whole country. The UK has a brilliant track record for putting on the biggest sporting events and showcasing the best of Britain to the world. I know that Liverpool will put on an excellent World Championships."

Brand Oath's bid design was presented to the Federation of International Gymnastics (FIG) at its council meeting in Istanbul, where Liverpool won the bid to host the championships.

The agency’s idea for the bid brand is based around a modern portrayal of one of the pair of ‘liver birds’ that sit on top of the ‘liver building,’ on the city’s waterfront. According to a local legend, the pair of liver birds are male and female, with the female facing the sea, waiting for seamen to return and the male facing the city, guarding the seamen’s families. The legend also suggests that the birds face different directions because if they mate and fly away together, the city will stop to exist.  
 
The 2022 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships will be one of the biggest and most impactful global sporting events that Liverpool has ever hosted, expected to generate an average of £5.1m. The championship will take place across 10 days is expected to attract roughly 600 gymnasts from 90 countries.

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