We Rebranded Ourselves, Here’s Why

During 2019, we took ourselves as a client and set about rebranding The Original Champions of Design. When kicking off any branding project—startup or refresh—the first question we ask is: Why now? The answer here is a hard truth. Over the course of ten years, we’ve been through a lot. We’ve learned a lot. And we’ve done a lot of growing up.
 
Change has been a long time coming. In late 2017, we stopped using the acronym OCD. It carries potentially hurtful implications we chose to ignore at the time of our founding, and that was wrong. Now, as we head into our second decade, we are rebranding. 
We are not changing our offerings. We are not changing our leadership. We are changing the brand because a brand has meaning and consequences. In our work, we are eager and optimistic. We are purpose-built to challenge biases. We want to make things better tomorrow than they are today. And today, with apologies and acknowledgment, it is time for change. Time to bring what we believe in alignment with how we behave. 


We are
Champions
Design. 


In tackling our rebrand, we had the opportunity to experience and assess our research, strategy, design, and implementation processes. Over the course of one full calendar year, we did open-heart surgery on ourselves and called in life support when necessary. 
Almost more difficult than doing this work was the challenge we gave ourselves of publicly retelling it. Rebrandings dredge up some sensitive stuff. 
Due in late March, Champions is self-publishing the full story and process behind the rebrand. Some insight can be found here and in the case study; every detail and artifact will be made available in print. 
We often say we work best with brands that have a lot to lose. Today, it’s us that are putting it all on the line.