FASTER Forward.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why did Speed Skating Canada develop a new brand?

  Speed Skating Canada’s 2018-2023 Strategic Plan identified a number of priorities that will contribute to our objective of achieving Organizational Excellence. One of the main strategies was to “build the profile of speed skating in Canada through enhanced marketing practices that raise awareness of the sport and inspire participation and retention.” The key tactic identified to help accomplish this was to conduct a brand audit and redesign.
  
  As part of the Canadian Olympic Committee’s National Sport Federation Enhancement initiative, our organization secured funding to complete a brand audit and has been able to invest significantly in the development of a new brand identity to help meet our strategic objectives. This work has allowed us to create a more defined brand story and visual identity, one that re-energizes our internal stakeholders and ignites a passion for our sport among the general public and potential sponsors.

• What was the process to develop the new brand?

  Speed Skating Canada has been working on this transformational project for nearly 10 months, with plenty of work still remaining in order to successfully roll out the brand across all our platforms and touchpoints. Below is an overview of the project phases and timelines:
  
  • In February 2019, over 2,750 stakeholders – including athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers and more – participated in an online survey or one-on-one interviews to tell us about their perceptions of our organization and our current brand.
  
  • In March 2019, a dozen members of our community took part in a workshop to help define our brand strategy – a set of internal guidelines that outline our brand promise, purpose, spirit and attributes.
  
  • In April 2019, based on the findings from the brand audit and strategy session, we moved forward with a comprehensive brand redesign. An internal working group, representing a cross-section of our membership, began working on the development of our new visual identity.
  
  • In June 2019, the new brand was unveiled to our internal stakeholders at the SSC AGM and Congress, with the public launch taking place a few months later in November 2019.

• Who was involved in developing the new brand?

  The development of Speed Skating Canada’s new brand was a true team effort! The individuals involved throughout the various stages of the project represented our entire sport community - short track and long track, grassroots and high performance, young and old, from all areas of the country and speaking both official languages. The process was led by an award-winning agency, with the Speed Skating Canada staff taking the lead on bringing everyone to the table and managing it all.

• Was a new brand necessary? What was wrong with the old logo?

  Consultations with our stakeholders determined that the old brand did not resonate with everyone in our community and that our organization could use a refresh. The brand audit process identified that there was a gap between where the Speed Skating Canada brand was and where the members of our community thought it could (and should) be.
  
  We are proud of our past and what we accomplished with the old logo, but it was difficult to market and the external community did not instinctively associate it with speed skating. The new brand provides greater clarity of who we are and what we represent. And the new visual identity (logo, colours, typography, imagery, etc.) will look great on all touchpoints and platforms, which was not always the case with our old look.

• What are the benefits of launching a new brand?

  The growth and promotion of our sport starts with a brand that is both recognizable and memorable. This simple, bold and iconically Canadian new visual identity is a critical component in our efforts to not only re-energize our current stakeholders, but to build the profile of our sport in a way that increases participation and attracts new fans. This new brand will better position Speed Skating Canada in the amateur sport marketplace and it’s something we are quite proud of!

• When will the new brand and logo start being used?

  As of today, the new logo and brand will begin to roll out across various Speed Skating Canada touchpoints, including our social media channels, documents and stationery, national team uniforms and newly launched merchandising program. The brand will also be on full display at this year’s ISU World Cup Short Track and ISU Four Continents Short Track Championships in Montreal, the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Calgary, and at various other national championships throughout the season.
  
  We have adopted a phased implementation approach, with full rollout of the brand expected to take approximately one year. The process will culminate with the launch of a dramatically improved website, scheduled for Summer 2020.

• Are we expected to remove all items containing the old logo?

  We understand that there will be a transition period, but we ask that the new logo and brand elements be used in all applications moving forward. We will be in contact with our various stakeholder groups to introduce them to the new brand and assist them with the implementation process.

• What design firm did you engage?

  We partnered with Will Creative Inc. to lead us through the brand audit and rebrand process. They were selected among a dozen agencies across Canada following an RFP process. Will Creative Inc. impressed us with their NSO rebrand experience (Freestyle Canada, Canada Artistic Swimming), marketing expertise (Lululemon, Canada Games, HSBC Rugby Sevens) and passion for sport.

• Where can I find the new logo and the brand guidelines?

  If you need access to our new brand assets, please send your request to communications@speedskating.ca.