Sussex Cricket
CLIENT
Sussex Cricket has a claim as one of the (if not the) oldest professional sports clubs in the world. They have a long and proud history of innovation and success. Sussex approached Jard Studio as they began to write the next chapter in their story. The club were on the verge of promotion and looking to the future with big ambitions for growth. The brief was one of evolution. A respect for the past but a desire for a brand fit for the future of a club that wants to exist at the top of the sport and in the heart of its community. It was also clear that the brand we created needed to marry together the various entities that live under the ’Sussex Cricket’ umbrella. Creating visual consistency between everything, from the Ground and the Foundation to the red ball and white ball teams that play here.
Type
Art Direction
,
Packaging
Year
2026
Strategy
We started by immersing ourselves in the history of the club and the county. The team spent hours in Hove Library, at The Keep Archive Centre and at the Sussex Cricket Club Museum. Here we found imagery and information going back hundreds of years. We got to grips with the history behind Sussex’s ‘six martlets’ and saw the many variations of the Sussex Cricket emblem. We also undertook a number of sessions with the client to understand their plans for growth and the value proposition of the business moving forwards. This is a club making big strides, a club proud of its roots and of its locality. They do things in their own way, with personality and pride. All of these insights were central to the work we produced.
Voice
We wanted to allow for flexibility between the various entities to allow for more formality with the Foundation and a more approachable tone when it came to the Sharks, for example. The quirky and creative nature of the local area was clearly a part of the club’s identity. This particularly came to life when we saw the long list of ‘firsts’ that the club has achieved in its history. From the first Women’s ODI to the first Pride match. This is a club of innovation. With all of this in mind, we landed on the lead messaging of ‘Cricket, but different.’ This opens the door for exciting messaging and campaigns but also allows for flexibility in different settings – we can dress this up or dress it down, essentially.
Identity
The brief, as mentioned, was one of evolution. We weren’t starting from scratch, but rather evolving the existing crest to create something more modern and something that could live on for years to come. The previous crest is ornate, not fit for digital and slightly apologetic in its use of space and lack of boldness. What we have created is much clearer and more confident. We have also created sub-brands that marry together the various Sussex Cricket entities. We now have a core creative that is consistently applied to all elements. An instantly recognisable brand for all. From the main crest to Sharks and even a single martlet iteration for an ultra-bold, highly own-able asset that is uniquely Sussex Cricket.
