ESL is the world’s largest esports company, with 350 million fans in over 200 countries. But they didn’t have a world-leading identity to match their status as founders. ESL were more or less invisible, drowned by the dozens of lookalike blue brands that had blatantly copied their look.

ESL faced a stark choice: take everyone to court or stand and fight and just outplay the intruders. Gamers to the bone, they chose to play.

They needed a new identity. It would have would have to be instantly recognizable and put ESL on the map as the category leader. It needed to work with any type of game, from card strategy to battle royal. And it needed to speak to 15-20 year old gamers.

Gamers love ‘easter eggs’: secrets, codes and hidden messages. The visual identity is based on the idea of ‘Hidden Worlds’, using subverted camouflage to embed iconic moments from classic games in esports. Don’t be surprised if you can’t see them but hardcore gamers have no trouble. To everyone else, it’s unusual camouflage.

The design language has to cover a huge range of games, from geeky strategy right across to violent action. This graphic technique allows ESL to speak directly to different audiences and fans, in their own language. It allows them to ‘brand’ content from other games. But its searing, intense camo is always instantly recognizable as ESL.

The identity speaks directly to the target audience of 15- 20 year old gamers. It’s a world of secrets, codes and hidden stories. It’s all there – if you know what to look for.

The refreshed identity includes:

• Camouflage graphics with concealed gaming moments

• A bespoke typeface, cut to be sympathetic with the camo forms

• A hi-vis colour palette, inspired by military camouflage pumped all the way up

• Achievement badges; symbols representing gamer status

• A new tone of voice, using coded references to games and characters, that echos the cryptic visual identity

Together these elements work together to create an intense and recognizable identity, optimized for screen. In digital content, hidden worlds really come to life- switching from 2D flat graphics to 3D worlds in animations and AR posters.

The identity is used across ESL gaming tournaments, from the main stage graphics to wayfinding and collateral.

The new identity is still being rolled out across all of the ESL websites and over 150 social media channels.

The goal was brand dominance through visual impact. ESL had to stake a claim as the people who share the passion for gaming, and can do it better than anyone in the world. ESL had the facts on their side, but in this post-factual age what they needed was credibility.

By using images from games and competitions – and making them incomprehensible to outsiders – we reclaimed the territory that was rightfully theirs. Recognition was instant.

230 million unique viewers - up 820%. An unbelievable, but audited, figure. 242 million social media impressions. 25% more ticket sales. 3X more merchandise sold.

Not that we had any doubts but event the focus group data supports the rebrand:

• Cool, modern, younger

• More digital, more ‘technological'

• Shows ESL ‘backs their digital passion’ are not just about ‘the suits'

• Accommodates ordinary gamers, not just the elite professional (more mass market)