Overview

The Hull City AFC crest redesign was a strategically critical brand and governance initiative, undertaken to protect long-term brand equity, restore supporter trust and deliver a future-proof identity capable of supporting commercial growth, retail performance and investor confidence.

Following sustained backlash to the 2013 crest change, the Club recognised that its visual identity had become a reputational risk. The challenge was not simply creative - it was structural, emotional and commercial. The project required a disciplined, supporter-led process that could reconcile heritage, modern brand requirements and stakeholder legitimacy, while delivering an identity fit for contemporary football, retail and global distribution.

The project culminated in the successful launch of a new Club crest in 2019, formally approved by supporters and embedded across all on- and off-pitch environments.

The Challenge

The crest redesign needed to solve multiple, competing pressures:

Rebuild trust with a highly engaged and vocal supporter base
Address reputational damage caused by the previous redesign
Deliver a crest that could function across modern digital, retail and broadcast environments
Protect long-term brand value and commercial flexibility
Ensure the process itself was credible, transparent and defensible

This required a governance-led approach, not a traditional design-led one.

Strategy

I framed the crest redesign as a brand risk and value-protection programme, rather than a cosmetic update.

Key strategic principles included:

Supporter legitimacy first: process credibility was as important as the final outcome
Heritage with intent: honouring Club history while designing for modern use cases
Commercial readiness: ensuring the crest worked across licensing, retail, sponsorship and international markets
Long-term governance: avoiding future volatility by establishing clear decision criteria and ownership

Leadership & Governance

Operating at Club stakeholder level, I led the end-to-end strategy, governance and delivery, acting as the central point between supporters, executive leadership, creative partners and commercial teams.

Responsibilities included:

Designing the governance framework to guide decision-making and manage reputational risk
Leading a structured, supporter-led consultation programme, combining broad fan input with focused working groups
Establishing clear evaluation criteria balancing heritage, usability, scalability and brand clarity
Managing executive alignment and approvals across football, commercial, retail, media and marketing functions
Overseeing final sign-off and cross-Club rollout

Delivery & Execution

The redesign followed a multi-phase, evidence-led process designed to ensure adoption and long-term stability:

Conducted extensive supporter research to understand emotional attachment, failure points and expectations
Facilitated structured workshops with a representative supporter panel to co-create and validate design principles
Worked closely with design partners to optimise the crest for retail, licensing, digital reproduction and broadcast clarity
Coordinated internal alignment across departments to ensure seamless implementation
Delivered a controlled launch strategy designed to maximise acceptance and minimise reputational risk

Impact & Legacy

Supporter Trust Restored
Successfully reversed negative sentiment from the 2013 redesign, delivering strong supporter approval and renewed confidence in Club decision-making.

Future-Proof Brand Asset
Delivered a crest designed for longevity across kits, merchandise, digital platforms and international markets.

Commercial & Retail Enablement
Created a scalable identity that supports licensing, merchandising and sponsorship activation without compromise.

Governance-Led Brand Change
Established a repeatable framework for managing high-risk brand decisions involving deeply invested stakeholder groups.

Strategic Significance

This project demonstrated how disciplined brand governance, stakeholder alignment and strategic restraint can protect brand equity while enabling sustainable commercial growth. It reinforced the importance of process credibility in sport, where brand identity carries emotional, cultural and financial weight well beyond aesthetics.