LONDON INTERNATIONAL AWARDS – Bronze, 2017

ANDY AWARDS – Bronze, 2017

GRAPHIS DESIGN – Silver, 2017

 ADDYs – Gold, 2017

COMMUNICATIONS ART – Packaging redesign, 2018

CLIOS – Film Technique (editing), Shortlist CLIO award, 2018

there’s a champion in here

How do you take a 100-year-old iconic brand that has been known for just spark plugs, most notably in motorsports, and turn it into a global brand with all kinds of new products for a broader market? 

It started with the belief that within everyone beats the heart of a champion. Led by that idea, we set out to evolve a classic American product into a modern lifestyle-brand.

The first thing we did was rebrand the Champion logo and give it meaning beyond just automotive after-market parts. The new logo now reminds people that “THERE’S A CHAMPION IN HERE,” in both their machines and in their hearts.

Next, we updated Champion’s existing packaging with a new design system that can be applied across a growing range of automotive and lifestyle products. As Champion ventured into new categories such as lighting, batteries, wiper blades and filters, it needed a comprehensive package design system that would unify the brand. Given that these were new products for Champion, we needed to instantly ignite brand recognition among consumers, technicians and retailers alike.

Instead of using the typical product photography used by every automotive after-market brand, we commissioned the famed hot-rod artist, Coop (an icon in hot rod culture) to celebrate each Champion product in his distinctive pen and ink graphic style. Using craft paper, a 6-color palette, a graphic illustration and an old-school font, we created a nostalgic but modernized look.

The brand’s packaging is now striking and recognizable in all contexts: on shelf, in garage, signage, digital and broadcast. It provides a singularity of focus, enabling Champion to express its point of view in a crowded category. In addition, it has picked up numerous awards including Gold at the National Addy’s, The London International Awards, Andy Awards, and Graphis.

Through the purposeful use of sound design, we created a :60 TV commercial that brings our tagline, “THERE’S A CHAMPION IN HERE” to life. The sounds of shop tools and starting engines begin, small and sparse. They quickly build to create a recognizable rhythm to the iconic chant,"I believe that we will win." Chainsaws, motorcycles, rally cars, leaf blowers, go-karts, RC cars and more all join in the chant. The chant then blends with the voices of people from all walks of motoring life, racers, stunt riders, welders, mechanics, drivers and more – a visceral demonstration that the infectious spark of Champion products can ignite the will to win in all of us. 

join the chant

password: join the chant

behind the sounds

password: behind the sounds