LoveGunn redesigns visual identity of match-worn and autographed football shirts company

MatchWornShirt, who sells football shirts which have been worn and autographed by professional players from around the world, had its brand identity, brand strategy, packaging design and brand guidelines reimagined by the London-based branding and design agency. The company sells the shirts via online auctions, with much of the proceeds going to charities, including Mind and the Royal British Legion.

LoveGunn’s primary goal in this branding project was to highlight the excitement that only live sport can bring. It also aimed to capture fandom and authenticity in its rebranding, which is crucial to the MatchWornShirt’s reputation.

Creative director of LoveGunn, Tom Love, says, “Working with MatchWornShirt allowed the studio to combine two passions: football and supporting good causes. Through our workshops, we identified a brand truth that isn't typically shared with clients who are looking to rebrand – that the MatchWornShirt identity needed to be confident enough to take a backseat and put their partners, whether that be football clubs, charities or foundations, into the limelight.

To do this successfully, we concentrated on developing a wider brand system, one that could work with any football club, sports team or charity and still feel premium, memorable and authentic.”

The agency created the brand’s new tagline, ‘The fabric of the game,’ which was based on the premise that wearing your football club’s crest and colours is a display of emotions, including legacy, nostalgia, pride and loyalty.

MatchWornShirt’s new logo was designed specifically to be positioned next to the football club’s badge without detracting from its stature. This was achieved by the utilisation of a simple monochromatic colour palette – the subtle messaging being that, while sport is colourful, trust is black and white.

A framing device is used throughout the brand’s new identity, which makes use of the concept of nostalgic sticker collecting. Meanwhile, montage grids and annotated details are thought to add to the overall passion and emotion of the brand.

LoveGunn’s work was underpinned by the desire to build on MatchWornShirt’s vision of capturing the moments that make sporting memories.