Antler Up

Integrated Awards: Branding Programs & Element Awards: Logo/Wordmark

DBD Canada

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (Client: Edmonton Football Club)

DDB was tasked with retiring the Edmonton Football Club’s well-known yet controversial name and facilitating a rebranding process that included introducing a new name. Focusing on fan engagement was crucial to gain acceptance for the new name. Preserving the club’s heritage was also a key consideration, which involved selecting a name that started with “E” to maintain the iconic EE emblem. After soliciting suggestions from the public and creating names internally, around 15,000 options were generated. From a shortlist of seven names, over 40,000 fans participated in ranking the names online, leading to the selection of “Edmonton Elks.” After a 10-month rebranding process, the new name was introduced with an exceptionally positive response on social media and triple-digit merchandise sales growth. The ‘Antler Up’ video gained widespread attention, solidifying the community’s support.