On the back of our award-winning identity work for Eurovision 2011, the 2012 team briefed us to capture the essence of Baku, this year’s iconic host city. We developed a celebratory look and feel inspired by the energy and passion of Eurovision and reflecting the unique culture and heritage of Azerbaijan’s historic capital.
An iconic annual song contest demands an iconic identity. Designed to reflect the distinct qualities of the host city, it must represent the entire event and be rolled out across every touchpoint – from the look and feel of the television coverage to the venue crew’s ID tags.
Known as The Land of Fire, Azerbaijan’s nickname refers to its rich natural oil and gas deposits. This evocative nickname provided all the inspiration we needed; not only did this help tell the story of the host city but captured the passion and energy Eurovision fans expect from the contest.
Our playful visual identity captures the energy and vibrancy of a blazing bonfire. A flame flower sits as the central marque with playful human figures dancing within its petals, reflecting the celebratory spirit of the event.
From CD packaging, brochures, backstage passes and t-shirts to taxi-wraps, buses and building-sized banners, the Baku flames could be seen dancing across every aspect of the event. The identity was brought to life beautifully on screen with animated graphics, including the opening title sequence, stings and a dynamic voting table.
