Designworks Australia has taken out a coveted AGDA Judges Choice Design Award and a Distinction, for its fun, playful – and highly successful – refreshed brand identity for AMF, part of the Ardent Leisure Group.
Announced over the weekend, the AGDA (Australian Graphic Design Association) Design Awards recognised the most outstanding work produced in Australia during the past 12 months. Designworks received its Distinction and Judges Choice awards for repositioning and brand refresh for AMF, in line with the company’s plans to revitalise the brand visual assets and increase appeal.
Using the concept of ‘Rediscover Funtopia’, Designworks developed a revitalised identity for AMF that communicated a broader, more contemporary entertainment experience with bowling at its heart.
“We have families, teens, young socials and league players that know and love AMF already, so it was important to create a refreshed position that appealed to a broader audience, whilst leveraging AMF’s strong heritage,” explained AMF’s general manager marketing, Kate Gillis.
“What Designworks created was a careful balance of these needs, but also an incredibly strong, creative and playful brand that has worked on broadening our appeal and brought the concept of ‘Funtopia’ to life.”
Designworks’ creative director Clinton Duncan, said the brand refresh created something “completely different, yet still familiar to AMF’s loyal customer base”.
“In developing the revitalised AMF brand, we wanted to keep what people knew and loved about AMF but make it more relevant and engaging for today. To remind people that AMF is the place for good, old fashioned fun. That thought guided a reimagining of their brand organised around a simple yet joy-filled idea; Rediscover Funtopia,” he said.
“Working with AMF to re-imagine their brand presented our creative teams with an all too rare opportunity to let go, and embrace all the energy, joy and fun that each center offers. It’s not often you get to present an idea with a hot-dog air balloon in it and the client says yes!”
The Rediscover Funtopia positioning is now being utilized across a multitude of channels and platforms, expressed through an updated logo mark and colour palette – often used in eye-popping combinations. The key to the refreshed brand is a new suite of imagery in the form of 3D illustrations to create a series of playful, eye-catching dioramas depicting the world of fun available within every AMF centre.
Each element speaks to a part of the offer from the hero bowling landscape to the food, laser and arcade games.
The new brand elements have been developed in line with AMF’s overall revitalisation program, which includes building on the already successful arcade games area, improved food and beverage menus and new website and online booking facility.
The AMF project team:
Creative Director: Clinton Duncan
Designers: Jerome Lousick, Ali Ozden
Strategist: Amanda Syzlo-Duncan
Client Service: Kate Ryder, Alison Tanudisastro
