Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Identity System
In the heart of Atlanta, Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a destination for both sports + entertainment. The stadium is the home of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC, and plays host to annual events such as the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, SEC Championship and Peach Bowl. The stadium also played host to the 2018 NCAA Football Championship, 2018 MLS All-Star Match and Super Bowl LIII (2019).
Roles: Art Director + Lead Identity Designer
Designing the identity for a $1.6B venue in seven days
Several months after New Atlanta Stadium's groundbreaking, a long-term naming rights deal for the new sports + entertainment venue in downtown Atlanta was secured with Mercedes-Benz signing on as the naming rights partner.
Challenge:
Things move fast in the sports + entertainment world. Really fast. Both parties were excited to celebrate the long-term deal with an official announcement and reveal of the new co-branded identity system one week after signing.
Solution:
Our team developed a modern and easily recognizable identity system that showcased the building’s unique architecture while also maintaining the minimal and premium design aesthetic familiar to Mercedes-Benz.
Research
Our process began with a deep dive into current sports + entertainment venues and architectural icons.
Design Trends
Our research identified two distinct design solutions for professional sports + entertainment venues with naming rights partnerships.
Generic Approach:
This approach utilizes the naming partner’s primary or typographic brand mark and affixes “Stadium,” “Arena,” “Center” or “Field” to it.
Co-Branded Approach:
This approach marries the naming partner’s brand mark with a visual representation of the stadium or iconic architectural feature of the venue.
Benchmarking
Berlin, Germany
Shanghai, China
Stuttgart, Germany
New Orleans, United States
Iconic. Innovative. Inspiring.
These common attributes made for a perfect marriage between Mercedes-Benz and the New Atlanta Stadium. We wanted to reflect these shared characteristics through the identity of this state-of-the-art venue.
Three Distinct Approaches
Leverage the current New Atlanta Stadium Logo
Refine and simplify the geometry of the New Atlanta Stadium mark to complement the sleek and sharp lines of the Mercedes-Benz 3-point-star logo.
Breakdown the architecture to its basic geometry
Develop a minimalistic mark that draws inspiration from the international Mercedes-Benz venues and others associated with luxury brands.
Shift the Perspective to the roof of the Building
Highlight one of the most distinct stadium features – the oculus and video halo board – from an aerial perspective.
