tsuko

A new identity for sport and leisure in Aberdeen

Posted on Friday, June 24, 2011 By Tsuko

First published Friday 24th June 2011 in Aberdeen's 'The Press and Journal'

 

Ellon girl Fiona Burnett has headed home to deliver a new identity for Sport Aberdeen.

The 35-year-old, an Edinburgh based design director for leading brand agency Tsuko, has returned north to deliver a new brand for swimming pools and leisure facilities across Aberdeen.

Since graduating with a BDes (Hons) in 1997 from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, Fiona has enjoyed an impressive career. She spent her early working life with Nike at its European HQ in Amsterdam, before going on to work for high-profile clients including Pringle of Scotland, Oxford Brookes University and French Connection. She returned to Scotland in 2008 to take up her current role with Tsuko.

She said: "It is an honour for me to bring home some home-grown talent to the Sport Aberdeen project. I think what we have developed demonstrates the dynamism and personality of the trust, which took over the Aberdeen City Council-run sports facilities in July 2010.''

The brief given to Tsuko was to make Sport Aberdeen accessible, vibrant and appealing to a broad cross-section of Aberdonians, and encourage those less inclined to take up sport and activity to give it a try.

Fiona said: ''We have considered the presentation of this new organisation's structure to demonstrate the variety of the facilities and activities on offer to citizens and visitors to the city''.

Tsuko has introduced the strapline ''Your Local Leisure Network'' into the brand identity of Sport Aberdeen, reflecting the fact that its venues are now part of a single leisure scheme.

And reflecting Aberdeen's coastal location, the main element of its new design motif features the variety of sports and activities on offer and identifies Sport Aberdeen facilities across the city. Fiona and her colleagues have also designed a range of activity icons.

Steve Russell, managing director of Sport Aberdeen said: "I am delighted to see our new look branding rolled out across the city''.

''Tsuko's creative design concepts have brought our brand to life so it is a very exciting time as the public gets the first glimpse of what has come from all the hard work that has gone on behind the scenes to get our new look just right''.

"As the city's new sports trust, Sport Aberdeen is striving to demonstrate to the public that we are a separate entity from Aberdeen City Council, with a new, fresh and modern image. Tsuko has presented a really strong brand identity for Sport Aberdeen which I am sure will become intrinsic into every local community across Aberdeen."

Fiona said her career had provided plenty of job satisfaction.

She added: ''Being creative as part of an everyday job is a real privilege. Looking at how something can be made better, more inspiring, more powerful or more effective through a new or evolved visual approach is extremely rewarding.''

''Our approach as a brand agency is always to look at the wider strategic impact, to get inside a brand. When engaging with a new client we have a period of evaluation, research and collaborative discussion, allowing us to focus on the key objectives. This exploratory and consultative process involves defining and articulating brand attribute, rational and emotional benefits, personality, tone of voice, vision and values, all of which inform and drive the creative process and any strategic decision-making.''