London Marathon refreshes brand identity

London Marathon Events (LME), the organiser of thirteen mass participation events each year, has worked with the Manchester division of international digital agency Dept to launch a fresh look for the London Marathon and its newly developed website.

The first phase of the project involved its flagship event, the London Marathon. . Inspired by the achievements of elite athletes and general participants alike, Dept crafted a refreshed brand for the London Marathon that celebrates their moments of emotion and achievement; from embarking on their first training runs to the intensity of crossing the finishing line.

The most valuable brand asset, the logo, is a collaborative one, always partnered with that of its lead sponros. A set of rules were defined to place the two brand marks harmoniously side-by-side, including zones separated by a key line, following formulas for clear space and scale.

Dept took a headless approach to the architecture, ensuring LME has the flexibility to change how its websites look, where content is placed, and how it appears on different devices, all without needing any development support.

“Dept set out to deliver a solution that not only meets the needs of LME today, but will also integrate with new technologies and continuously evolve and scale as the organisation grows. The future-ready solution delivers an exceptional digital experience, while offering the scalability that LME needs,” says UK managing director at Dept, Brian Robinson.

Dept designed custom patterns inspired by the marathon; a unique set of geometric designs to represent the ground the athletes run on, the landmarks they see en-route, and the thousands of steps they take to the finish line. Lines are placed at a precise 26.2-degree angle, exactly matching the mileage of the marathon.

The distinctive red colour remains core to London Marathon, while a vibrant and versatile secondary palette has been introduced. Bringing high-energy, these secondary colours are to be used sparingly and are best placed in pairs for full effect. 

Dept defined a tone of voice for the London Marathon to ensure its identity shone through in written and verbal form. Its use of language is community-centric, often using ‘we,’ and encouraging its audience to be the best they can be. It uses positive adjectives to inject enthusiasm and carries a conversational tone that’s easily understood.