The world’s third biggest sports brand, Decathlon, partnered with global brand consultancy Wolff Olins - founded by Design Indaba alums Michael Wolff and Wally Olins - to unveil a holistic brand transformation that includes the brand’s original logo.
The rebrand comes from a two year collaboration between Decathlon and Wolff Olins which began after the appointment of Barbara Martin Coppola as Global Chief Executive Officer in 2022 with the intention to shift Decathlon from a French retailer into a ‘future-fit’ global sports brand. Spanning strategy, design, internal culture and brand experience, the rebrand revitalises Decathlon at every point.
Guided by Decathlon's inclusive approach to sport, which aspires to cater to professionals and beginners alike, ‘a simple question sat at the heart of our approach: what role does sport play in our lives?’ explains Olins. ‘From playgrounds to podiums, we heard the same thing: when people stop enjoying sport, they stop playing it. Research revealed that people's love for sport is not rooted in winning but in the enjoyment and wellness it brings.’
This major insight, combined with Decathlon’s proud legacy of accessibility, led to the development of its brand strategy which is anchored around the idea of wonder. ‘It is the promise of amplifying all the emotions of sport: enjoyment, connection, adventure, the ups, the downs and everything in between. It’s an invitation for people to play their way, on their terms,’ says the global brand consultancy.
To transform Decathlon from a simple retailer into a industry-leader, Wolff Olins streamlined its portfolio of 85 brands into one unified brand with an expressive visual identity. This included introducing a new brand icon named L’Orbit.
Decathlon says L'Orbit is an expression of the brand's purpose, conveying movement and circularity, with a strong angle inspired by the iconic wordmark. Representing a mountain, a sail, a wave - or even a heartbeat - the peak at the end of L’Orbit closes the movement towards new heights. It will now feature prominently on all products. The rebrand features a new bespoke typeface called Decathlon Sans that was inspired by the original wordmark of the 1970s.
To launch the new brand to the world, Wolff Olins’s sister creative agency AMV BBDO developed a 360-degree advertising campaign centred on the concept of play.
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