The Wolves Brand (pt 2)

[Wandsworth Wolf]

There was a thread a while ago discussing the Wolves brand - particularly the visual identity. Some very strong views about our typeface as I remember.

Well, it seems we've just had an update:

The Pack is Back

Great choice of design agency, I've had professional dealings with SomeOne and they're a very talented outfit.

 

[MobNet Wolf]

Good read.

My first thought when seeing the new design of the season tickets was "looks like Batman". Still can't escape that view of the stylised 3D image.

The typefaces look terrific though. The Neves lettering and numbering on the back of that kit is out of this world, shame we can't use it in real life.

 

[Sammy Chungs Tracksuit]

Just corporate *******s if you ask me. Sorry but I cant get excited in a fancy font face that some design agency have flogged the club at an OTT price. It almost sounds like you have an interest in the agency and are advertising/promoting it as most ordinary fans couldnt give a toss about design agencies used by the club just so long as the club have a professional image. I've no idea what typeface Man City use but they have a ****ing good team. I see you are from down in Landan. There is a lot of corporate *******s down your way. All in a friendly way of course. Some of my mates are Landaners and I have worked down there myself in the the past.

 

[MobNet Wolf]

I disagree. I think we have an unbelievably strong brand with huge potential if used right.

 

[Padraig]

Sorely needed and they’ve done a great job with it.

 

[Padraig]

Just corporate *******s if you ask me. Sorry but I cant get excited in a fancy font face that some design agency have flogged the club at an OTT price. It almost sounds like you have an interest in the agency and are advertising/promoting it as most ordinary fans couldnt give a toss about design agencies used by the club just so long as the club have a professional image. I've no idea what typeface Man City use but they have a ****ing good team. I see you are from down in Landan. There is a lot of corporate *******s down your way. All in a friendly way of course. Some of my mates are Landaners and I have worked down there myself in the the past.

Apple also make the best mobile phones in the world but they don’t only sell because of that.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

While what is more important on the pitch, its important to look at this side too. Whether people like it or not, we are trying to sell a product and a project on the international market and this is part and parcel of it. Not unlike social media.

We are clearly trying to tap into the chinese market and if anything switches on just 1% of that population onto the wolves, there is a serious revenue stream.

 

[Wolvesfcneil]

Apple also make the best mobile phones in the world but they don’t only sell because of that.

 

[reanswolf]

I like the idea of maximising the town's history with iron.
Wolverhampton was once known as the "Centre of the Iron Trade" - and nicknamed "Ironopolis" by the Manchester press.

 

[Golden Moth]

There was a thread a while ago discussing the Wolves brand - particularly the visual identity. Some very strong views about our typeface as I remember.

Well, it seems we've just had an update:

The Pack is Back

Great choice of design agency, I've had professional dealings with SomeOne and they're a very talented outfit.

Our strongest visual identity feature is the old gold (look at any thread on why people were first attracted to Wolves) so I can't understand why we unnecessarily throw that out the window by wearing nondescript white against Leicester, particularly as now we're back in the top league all our games are widely watched around the world.

(I'm not keen on cutting bits out of the letters.... looks disharmonious. Feels like an advertising agency is desperate to find some gimmick to justify being paid.... probably a lot.)

 

[Sammy Chungs Tracksuit]

Apple also make the best mobile phones in the world but they don’t only sell because of that.

The iphone is OK. Well apart from its tendency to allow apps to listen in on conversations to target ads. You can stick the mac abominations that the trendy camdenites and "design agency people" use where the sun dont shine though. PCs are needed for proper tech work. Wolves are a football club. Nobody gives a **** about the font.

 

[Deleted member 4456]

I think that the font is awful and difficult to read.

 

[Sammy Chungs Tracksuit]

I like the idea of maximising the town's history with iron.
Wolverhampton was once known as the "Centre of the Iron Trade" - and nicknamed "Ironopolis" by the Manchester press.

Thought that was West Ham.

 

[reanswolf]

Thought that was West Ham.

I appreciate they are nick-named the Irons, but that is as far as it goes with them.

 

[Stafford]

yeh can't help but be a skeptic about branding value in football, how much is this costing the club?

I suppose it'll only be costing the club a couple of weeks wages for someone, but some easy money for someone with barely any a levels based down in London. Step up from those working for charities down there though.

 

[Sammy Chungs Tracksuit]

I appreciate they are nick-named the Irons, but that is as far as it goes with them.

They were originally Thames Ironworks Football Club. Basically the works team. I'd say they have a stronger link to using iron for branding purposes than we do. But hey we did have a lot of foundries around Wolvo and the Black Country. Not sure how many are left these days.

 

[Deleted member 4456]

Thought that was West Ham.

I thought Middlesbrough was known as Ironopolis. In fact, didn't it once have a football team called Ironopolis Middlesbrough?

 

[Bangla Wolf]

1877

 

[Chungster]

Just corporate *******s if you ask me. Sorry but I cant get excited in a fancy font face that some design agency have flogged the club at an OTT price. It almost sounds like you have an interest in the agency and are advertising/promoting it as most ordinary fans couldnt give a toss about design agencies used by the club just so long as the club have a professional image. I've no idea what typeface Man City use but they have a ****ing good team. I see you are from down in Landan. There is a lot of corporate *******s down your way. All in a friendly way of course. Some of my mates are Landaners and I have worked down there myself in the the past.

“… a new, distinctive personality, narrative and BrandWorld…”

“…the strategy, values, and ethos encompasses everything the club stands for…”

“The depth of the 3D wolf (particularly the version with lit eyes) adds a dynamic, competitive spirit that can’t be reflected in flat vector forms.”

“This dynamic, exciting future needed to be re-positioned to fans through our narrative and identity…”

“….re-define our messaging and produce a set of modern assets that have refreshed our brand.”

“Moving forward, this allows the club to speak in a distinctive and ownable voice….”

I worked (may God forgive me) for over 30 years in advertising and marketing and it was the constant peddling of just this sort of empty, flatulent bilge that saw me eventually hose myself down and find a proper job.

In my experience, the whole industry is almost exclusively populated with dreary, self-aggrandising, greasy-pole climbing half-wits who justify their bulbous salaries by spinning a cloak of jargon-encrusted mystique around the obvious and/or unnecessary.

In simple terms, it is horse **** and expensive horse **** at that.

I can guarantee you that a six figure cheque will already be nestling nicely in the bank account of these shameless charlatans and that in a chic, expensively upholstered, canapé and Krug laden boardroom somewhere in the capital, a bunch of sockless squirts will be laughing and back slapping themselves into a stupor all afternoon

...

 

[Stafford]

Apple also make the best mobile phones in the world but they don’t only sell because of that.

I'm pretty sure Apples iconic image is more to do with their own industrial designers than a design agency.

 

[Wonder Boyo]

I like the idea of maximising the town's history with iron.
Wolverhampton was once known as the "Centre of the Iron Trade" - and nicknamed "Ironopolis" by the Manchester press.

Interestingly I'm reading a book called Ironopolis, but it's about Middlesbrough, as apparently that it what it was called during its heyday of iron making. Seems like lots of places used that nickname.

 

[Sammy Chungs Tracksuit]

I thought Middlesbrough was known as Ironopolis. In fact, didn't it once have a football team called Ironopolis Middlesbrough?

Yep you're right according to Wiki. Never knew that.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middlesbrough_Ironopolis_F.C.

 

[Wonder Boyo]

There was a thread a while ago discussing the Wolves brand - particularly the visual identity. Some very strong views about our typeface as I remember.

Well, it seems we've just had an update:

The Pack is Back

Great choice of design agency, I've had professional dealings with SomeOne and they're a very talented outfit.

I like the designs but I was really put off by their button to accept cookies when I first went on the website, which said 'Sure Thing'

 

[Wonder Boyo]

I

I thought Middlesbrough was known as Ironopolis. In fact, didn't it once have a football team called Ironopolis Middlesbrough?

I just said the same thing as I'm reading a book about Middlesbrough called Ironopolis.

 

[reanswolf]

They were originally Thames Ironworks Football Club. Basically the works team. I'd say they have a stronger link to using iron for branding purposes than we do. But hey we did have a lot of foundries around Wolvo and the Black Country. Not sure how many are left these days.

I agree about the origins of the football club. I didn't suggest we nickname ourselves "Irons".
I just like the fundamental link of iron and the forge, as it was fundamental for the people of the town. Just as West Ham could probably name themselves after the east end docks if they wanted to do so.

Wolverhampton's link with Iron is obvious - infact the area was often called "The Iron country".

 

[reanswolf]

I

I just said the same thing as I'm reading a book about Middlesbrough called Ironopolis.

It may have done as well. Middlesbrough and Teeside, Wolverhampton and the area, and South Wales around Mythr Tydfil were the 3 great centres of iron during the Industrial revolution.

It was the Manchester-press who nicknamed Wolverhampton "Ironopolis" in 1866. I didn't know about the Middlesbrough football club named that, but anyway that was some 25 years after the creation of the nickname given to Wolverhampton. Not that that really matters.

 

[Wandsworth Wolf]

Just corporate *******s if you ask me. Sorry but I cant get excited in a fancy font face that some design agency have flogged the club at an OTT price. It almost sounds like you have an interest in the agency and are advertising/promoting it as most ordinary fans couldnt give a toss about design agencies used by the club just so long as the club have a professional image. I've no idea what typeface Man City use but they have a ****ing good team. I see you are from down in Landan. There is a lot of corporate *******s down your way. All in a friendly way of course. Some of my mates are Landaners and I have worked down there myself in the the past.

Born in Shifnal. First Wolves game was in '76. Season ticket holder over 25 years.
I work in London as a creative in the advertising industry - so yeah, I have a professional interest in branding and brands.

But funnily enough, the whole reason I pursued this as a career was because of the Wolf head badge. When I was about 10 we switched from the three leaping Wolves to the Wolf head, which I fell in love with at first sight. I drew it on everything. Then I became curious as to why it had changed, and I became obsessed with 'before and after' logos. Then I started to learn about design and identity and branding.

My destiny was sealed all because of the Wolf head badge I saw for the very first time on John Barnwell's tracksuit in a black and white photo in the Express and Star when I was a child.

 

[Wonder Boyo]

It may have done as well. Middlesbrough and Teeside, Wolverhampton and the area, and South Wales around Mythr Tydfil were the 3 great centres of iron during the Industrial revolution.

Thanks for mentioning Merthyr Tydfil (my home town)! I was taught in school that Merthyr was once the iron making capital of the world. I've never heard it referred to as Ironopolis though. In fact I'd never heard the term until I started reading the book of the same name. I was on a train from Newcastle to Manchester, reading a book, and some random guy tapped me on the shoulder and said "If you like reading, you'll love a book called Ironopolis!" Turns out his son wrote it (a bit of dad marketing) and it's actually very good!

 

[Sedgley Gold N Black]

I've no idea what typeface Man City use but they have a ****ing good team

Man City have put a tonne of effort (and presumably money) into this kind of thing.

Like the fonts.

Not sure on the 3D wolf head but it’s hard to improve what it’s, imv, the best badge/logo in football.

Even with just the eyes lit up or as they are on the Neves ‘8’ shows just how powerful the wolf head is, it’s instantly recognisable.

 

[pucewarrior]

Apple also make the best mobile phones in the world but they don’t only sell because of that.

No they don't

 

[Ginger Chimp]

No they don't

It’s the power of branding, marketing and customer loyalty

 

[Phitsanulok (Poole) Wolf]

Thanks for mentioning Merthyr Tydfil (my home town)! I was taught in school that Merthyr was once the iron making capital of the world. I've never heard it referred to as Ironopolis though. In fact I'd never heard the term until I started reading the book of the same name. I was on a train from Newcastle to Manchester, reading a book, and some random guy tapped me on the shoulder and said "If you like reading, you'll love a book called Ironopolis!" Turns out his son wrote it (a bit of dad marketing) and it's actually very good!

My dad was born in Merthyr

 

[Flaneur]

Apple also make the best mobile phones in the world but they don’t only sell because of that.

I know this is off topic but as someone who is very into technology, Apple do not make the best phones. Apple rip you off so, so much for their products. There are much better substitutes out there, and that goes for phones, laptops, computers, headphones, basically anything Apple make.

 

[Bill S Preston Esq.]

Just corporate *******s if you ask me. Sorry but I cant get excited in a fancy font face that some design agency have flogged the club at an OTT price. It almost sounds like you have an interest in the agency and are advertising/promoting it as most ordinary fans couldnt give a toss about design agencies used by the club just so long as the club have a professional image. I've no idea what typeface Man City use but they have a ****ing good team. I see you are from down in Landan. There is a lot of corporate *******s down your way. All in a friendly way of course. Some of my mates are Landaners and I have worked down there myself in the the past.

No likes for this comment. Not hard to understand why.
The agency are worthy of a mention in my opinion. Rather clever to incorporate the angular notches in the bespoke font. The notches tie in with the iconic Wolf head. Wolves can copyright this typeface. It shows a level of professionalism by the club that has been lacking forever

 

[Direwolf]

Some of you will not remember the blast furnaces in Bilston at Stewarts and Lloyds. My grandfather was a foundryman their working for British steel. I miss the boiler suits and the filthy black faces of the working men who used to pour into the social club for a pint and a game of snooker. Used to put on a smashing Christmas party for us kids too! Their used to be adverts on the old black and white telly about not banking your fires because of the smog, as some days in winter daylight never seemed to quite emerge from the gloom. Those were the days....

'Samuel Griffiths was a Bilston born man who after many trails and tribulations achieved some fame and respectability in later life as an authority on the iron and steel trade. In 1873 he published his “Guide to the Iron Trade of Great Britain”.
In this he describes the iron processing works in and around Bilston and provides a snapshot of the producers of the time. He observes that “Bilston is surrounded on all sides by ironworks, collieries, iron foundries and coal mines.

Having mentioned Thomas Perry and Sons of Highfields, he goes on: “Messrs Thompson and Hatton’s tin-plate works are situated here. Groucott’s, Bradley Bridge; Messrs Hampton, Breiton and Cole, the Bilston Sheet Iron Company, George Hickman’s works, Mr. Alfred Hickman’s furnaces, and Mr. G. Merrimans’s Lanesfield Iron Works are all in a group, beneath the curtain of black smoke which forms the normal canopy of Bilston. Here too the iron works of W and S Sparrow are situated, one of the oldest and wealthiest concerns in the Black Country. Turleys’ and Fowler’s blast furnaces, and also the famous Capponfield furnaces, belonging to James Bagnall and Sons, emit their smoke and flame, and produce iron of their well known brands. All the above works are situated within the radius of the Bilston group”.'

 

[Big Nosed Wolf]

Like part 1 more horse****. Pretentious bile which is/has killing/killed a noble game and sport. The big downside to being owned by a huge outfit. How anyone can think this is good for club and game is beyond me. All this kind of babble does is move club and game away from the reason for it's existence. That which made it into something so these parasites can now suck from its lifeblood and earn huge amounts while they do so.

 

[Chungster]

No likes for this comment. Not hard to understand why.
The agency are worthy of a mention in my opinion. Rather clever to incorporate the angular notches in the bespoke font. The notches tie in with the iconic Wolf head. Wolves can copyright this typeface. It shows a level of professionalism by the club that has been lacking forever

Bernabeu boardroom, Madrid


Florentino Perez: I’ve just had Sheikh Mansour on the phone. He’s a worried man.

Julen Lopetegui: What’s on his mind?

Perez: Notches.

Lopetegui: Nachos?

Perez: No. Notches. Angular notches.

Lopetegui: You’re going to have to help me out here gov….

Perez: Wolverhampton have refreshed their branding to incorporate a bespoke, I repeat a bespoke, typeface complete with angular notches. You should see them. I’ve been in this business a fair few years and I’ve seen more rebrands than you’ve seen patatas bravas but I’ve never seen anything like this. The angles on those notches are going to take some matching let me tell you…..

Lopetegui: Sounds serious.

Perez: They’re upping their game Jules. They’re coming for us.

Lopetegui: Don’t panic. You get the Macbook out and I’ll get Mbappe’s agent on the phone….this ain’t over. Not by a long way.

 

[Arky_R]

Bernabeu boardroom, Madrid


Florentino Perez: I’ve just had Sheikh Mansour on the phone. He’s a worried man.

Julen Lopetegui: What’s on his mind?

Perez: Notches.

Lopetegui: Nachos?

Perez: No. Notches. Angular notches.

Lopetegui: You’re going to have to help me out here gov….

Perez: Wolverhampton have refreshed their branding to incorporate a bespoke, I repeat a bespoke, typeface complete with angular notches. You should see them. I’ve been in this business a fair few years and I’ve seen more rebrands than you’ve seen patatas bravas but I’ve never seen anything like this. The angles on those notches are going to take some matching let me tell you…..

Lopetegui: Sounds serious.

Perez: They’re upping their game Jules. They’re coming for us.

Lopetegui: Don’t panic. You get the Macbook out and I’ll get Mbappe’s agent on the phone….this ain’t over. Not by a long way.

Neanderthals - Try seeing the bigger picture.
There are lots of areas which Wolves can improve and this is one of them - just be thankful we are making progress.

 

[Chungster]

Neanderthals - Try seeing the bigger picture.
There are lots of areas which Wolves can improve and this is one of them - just be thankful we are making progress.

You want to talk big picture?

 

[Big Nosed Wolf]

No likes for this comment. Not hard to understand why.
The agency are worthy of a mention in my opinion. Rather clever to incorporate the angular notches in the bespoke font. The notches tie in with the iconic Wolf head. Wolves can copyright this typeface. It shows a level of professionalism by the club that has been lacking forever

It surely shows along with the improved situation on the pitch there's a huge price being paid which will make the club something it never was and turn it into fotball's version of McDonald's.