Squash Australia has announced a major rebranding campaign as part of the National Federation’s long-term strategy.
The campaign, symbolised by a new logo built around the ideas of dynamism and unity, will aim to raise the profile of squash, support participation campaigns and establish a coordinated visual identity across all stakeholders and levels of the sport in the country.
Explaining the rebrand, Squash Australia CEO Robert Donaghue said: “We want to make squash more relevant and visible, changing the misplaced perception of squash as a sport that only rewards the fully dedicated and fit athletes, and presenting it as a healthy and accessible option for anyone who wants to maintain an active lifestyle and enjoy sport socially.”
He added: “We want the logo to represent the fast-paced and fun attributes of our sport, but also the shared commitment, across all stakeholders at national level, to raise its profile.
“The idea of unity was particularly important for us. A rebranding is a significant change for an organisation and we’re proud and grateful that Squash Australia will embark on this journey with the support of all State and Territory Associations.”
As part of Squash Australia’s long-term strategy, the campaign will include five branches, each serving a different need within the sport.
- ‘Squash for ALL’ will demonstrate the benefits of squash, from the very youngest to the very oldest.
- ‘Junior participation program’ is a racquetball style program will be implemented that is easier for children to play. It will be rolled out as both a program that can be implemented in the school and club environment.
- ‘Get Active’ will highlight squash’s status as one of the best aerobic exercises to target novice players who are looking to ‘Get Active’ by returning to sport.
- An annual flagship event will combine competition for all age groups to bring the entire squash community together.
- A marketing toolkit will assist centre operators and State/Territory associations.
Speaking about the increased cohesion between the associations, Squash NSW President John Small said: “We’re very much looking to go forward together now. The new brand identity will make it clear that we are all part of the same organisation, even though we maintain our individual state and territory identities & traditions within it.”
Matt Schmidt, Squash Australia Board member and Chair of the Profile Working Team, added that the rebrand would strengthen squash’s hand in its bid for Olympic program inclusion. He said: “A stronger squash community, which includes court owners and court operators, will also provide a solid platform to advocate for the inclusion of Squash in the Olympic program in the lead up to Brisbane 2032.”
For more information on Squash Australia, click here.
To read the Marketing and Communications plan in full, click here.
