(Curling Canada) A new name, a new logo and new branding will take Canada’s governing body for the sport of curling into the future, it was announced today.
Curling Canada is the new title for the world’s largest domestic curling association, replacing the title of Canadian Curling Association, which had been in place since 1990.
As well, a new, simple and elegant emblem has been unveiled that requires no explanation about its origin — the emblem features a curling rock placed on top of a Red Maple Leaf inside a shield.
Go to curling.ca/brand to see more information about our new look and branding. To download more information on our new name and emblem, click here.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to launch a new era and a new look for the sport of curling in Canada,” said Curling Canada Chief Executive Officer Greg Stremlaw. “The logo instantly identifies the sport and its role in Canada, and has an iconic, bold feel to it that at once looks modern and yet respectful of the game’s rich history and roots in Canada.”
The new Curling Canada emblem is inspired by the shield iconography that is unique to curling in Canada, appearing over the years on provincial badges, club patches, trophies and banners, and was the centrepiece of this organization’s emblem for more than half a century.
“I love the way the new emblem speaks to the history of our great sport but also takes us to the future,” said 2014 Olympic gold-medallist Jennifer Jones. “It’s always wonderful to wear the Maple Leaf and represent your country, and the new Curling Canada brand will be instantly identifiable and talked about for all of the right reasons.”
The Curling Canada brand redesign, which was undertaken with collaboration and significant support from the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), was conducted by the firm of Hulse & Durrell, which has put together numerous brand launches over the years, most notably that of the COC as well as the branding for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
“Our goal was to create a brand that draws from the past, is rooted in the present, and reimagines the future of this sport — a brand that stands the test of time,” said Ben Hulse, partner with Hulse & Durrell. “We searched for timeless values and aesthetics in Curling Canada’s extraordinary history and brought these qualities to every aspect of the new brand.”
Over the coming months, the comprehensive rebranding will show up in all that Curling Canada does, both on and off the ice. A new-look website (curling.ca) that features the new identity will launch on Saturday, and the new logos and colours will be part of the in-ice markings on display for the 2015 Tim Hortons Brier, presented by SecurTek Monitoring Solutions, which begins on Saturday at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
“The process to get us to this point where we can unveil our new branding and emblem was a long one, but the end result shows that it was worth it,” said Marilyn Neily, Chair of the Curling Canada Board of Governors. “The work put in by Hulse & Durrell should be commended as they created the ideal blend of tradition and modern impact that will keep moving our sport forward.”
The new logos and Curling Canada style will be a significant part of the Team Canada uniform going forward for future World Championships as well as the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Additionally, through a new partnership with TSN and Mustang Products, clothing featuring the new Curling Canada logos, as well as retro-style items, will be on sale as of Saturday through TSN Shop (tsnshop.ca).
Curling Canada’s social media channels also will take on the new brand: twitter.com/curlingcanada, Facebook.com/curlingcanada, youtube.com/curlingcanada and instagram.com/curlingcanada.
The Dominion Curling Association was the first name of Canada’s curling governing body. Formed in 1935, it was renamed the Canadian Curling Association in 1967, with the development program Curl Canada formed in 1974. Meanwhile, the Canadian Ladies Curling Association came into existence in 1961, and upon merging with the CCA and Curl Canada in 1990, the Canadian Curling Association left as the lone brand for the sport’s governance in Canada.
Now, Curling Canada will become the brand of record for curling in this country, covering all aspects of the sport with comprehensive guidelines that align the brand with Curling Canada’s extensive network of partners, sponsors, broadcasters and curling stakeholders. The new name and look also will apply to a myriad of other branded assets that include but are not limited to Curling Canada’s Hall of Fame, Curling Canada’s philanthropic program For The Love of Curling and the Season of Champions series of events. A complete over-arching brand architecture has been created through Curling Canada’s first systematic brand overhaul in all facets of its business operations.
In addition to being a shorter title, Curling Canada has the added benefit that it’s the same title in French and English.