I'm so glad you asked. If you're anything like me, you were already wondering whether or not the Guardians' new brand platform marks a significant step in the team’s evolution of the Guardians brand, designed to deepen fan engagement, ignite excitement, and unite the club under a unified brand vision for seasons to come. Thanks to a press release (via Craig Calcaterra), we can stop wondering:
The Cleveland Guardians, in collaboration with Landor, the world leading brand consultants, today announced the launch of “Outplay Ordinary” – a bold new brand platform and refreshed visual identity set to debut in the 2025 baseball season. This initiative marks a significant step in the team’s evolution of the Guardians brand, designed to deepen fan engagement, ignite excitement, and unite the club under a unified brand vision for seasons to come.
Now I know what you're saying: This holistic brand platform can't possibly speak to both lifelong fans and the next generation of Guardians supporters. Well, buddy, better start eating some humble pie:
Harnessing its expertise in sports branding and brand experience, Landor collaborated with the Cleveland Guardians and Contempo Design + Communications to craft a holistic brand platform that speaks to both lifelong fans and the next generation of Guardians supporters. The process included immersive workshops, creative exploration, and fan-driven testing to ensure the platform reflects the spirit of Cleveland and the passion of its baseball community.
Of course we all know what all this means. Only a dullard wouldn't understand what they're talking about when they promise "a brand platform that reflects our relentless drive." You'd have to be a real ignoramus not to grasp, when the Guardians promise the "infusing [of] character, energy and novelty into every aspect of the brand and welcoming fans before, during and after a game," what exactly is being discussed here. I won't waste my time or yours explicating the concrete actions that have been taken and are being laid out in this concise, plainspoken document describing a process that was surely undertaken by a very small team at minimal expense, resulting in an announcement with all the enviable clarity of the Pepsi logo redesign brand manual.
Frankly, it would be an insult to everyone involved were I to elucidate, in practical terms, what it means that "the new identity ensures the Guardians brand is felt as much as it is seen."
But I understand you still may have questions; you're only human. Most obviously, the question on everyone's lips: Is "Outplay Ordinary" just a tagline?
"'Outplay Ordinary' is more than a tagline. It’s a call to action, a mindset, and a commitment to making every moment extraordinary," says Jordan Taylor, creative director at Landor.
That answers that.
[MLB.com]
