Visual Traffic – an Australian agency specialising in marketing, creative brand identity and design – has been chosen to develop the brand of American cricket team, the San Francisco Unicorns.
Australian creative brand identity, design, and marketing agency, Visual Traffic, has clinched the gig to brand the San Francisco Unicorns, part of a ground-breaking initiative bringing cricket to new American audiences.
The start-up is privately owned by two cricket aficionados in Silicon Valley, visionary entrepreneurs Anand Rajaraman and Venky Harinarayan. The Unicorns arrived with a name and logo in hand, entrusting Visual Traffic with the task of defining the brand and infusing it with vitality and community spirit. The work includes delivering the organisation’s definitive style guide to ensure a cohesive picture across its website, digital advertising, social media, billboard, print media and press, player uniforms, sponsorship programs, and promotional merchandise.
Driven by MLC (Major League Cricket), the San Francisco Unicorns stand as one of six state teams poised to captivate audiences in the Twenty20 series, set to kick off in the USA this July. The annual competition, being held for the second time, spans two months and boasts top players recruited from across the globe. Led by esteemed head coach, former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson, the San Francisco Unicorns boast a roster of world-class players from every corner of the globe. From explosive batsmen to crafty bowlers and agile fielders, the team showcases the finest talents in the sport, to captivate audiences with their skill, flair, and tenacity on the field.
Melbourne-based agency creative director, Beau Cummin, and communications strategist, Kerry Schӧnfelder, travelled to California to immerse themselves in the local culture, engaging with fans, players, media, and stakeholders alike. Part of the discovery included bearing in mind that a Unicorn is the term used in the venture capital industry to describe a US$1billion plus start-up company. So, the challenge includes ensuring that the San Francisco Unicorns be positioned to resonate at a grass root level, to be a fun family-friendly identity underpinned by ‘magic’ to bring the sport of cricket to the people. Their insights, coupled with an exploration of the American sports landscape, informed the development of a compelling brand story for the new team.
David White, SFU general manager, praised the agency’s expertise, citing their track record in delivering innovative brand designs. “This is a fantastic era for cricket in the US, and we engaged Visual Traffic based on their successful collaboration with Cricket Victoria,” White commented. “Their work is breathing life into our brand, igniting excitement and engagement among fans.”
Beau Cummin said “We’ve been tasked with injecting high energy into the brand in a way that will appeal to the American audience. We’re thrilled to partner with the San Francisco Unicorns on this pioneering venture and to create an immersive and engaging experience on field and online for Unicorn fans worldwide.”
Kerry Schӧnfelder, strategist at Visual Traffic, underscored the significance of positioning the sport in alignment with the local vernacular and expectations of American audiences. “The Bay Area shares Melbourne’s passion for sport and, being ‘loyal to the soil’, we must deliver marketing tools for all the relevant stakeholders, including the fan club’s important ‘Sparkle Army’ influencers in how they create their own brand assets such as the team mascot, chants, and merchandise.
As cricket continues to gain traction globally, Visual Traffic’s collaboration with the Unicorns seeks to capitalize on this momentum, positioning cricket as a premier sporting attraction in the American landscape.