How do you hone a brand to emulate the prestige of an international Hall of Fame?

Elevating the IVHF to match the fervor of its fandom required a sharp rebranding and visual identity. 

CASE STUDY  /  INTERNATIONAL VOLLEYBALL HALL OF FAME

Services

Discovery + Market Research

Brand Strategy

Visual Identity Design

Application + Extentison

Multi-Channel Marketing

The International Volleyball Hall of Fame is just feet from where the sport was founded, and just down the street from the Basketball Hall of Fame. While volleyball is an international sport played by millions and enjoyed by even more fans, it has historically seen far less excitement and engagement than its neighbor.

Our work to elevate the IVHF had us dive deep into the fans, markets, patrons, and experiences, to reshape the brand. The eminence and importance of this historic institution is now reflected in a brand that is poised to grow with one of the world’s most enduring and beloved sports.

A women's volleyball match with players jumping to block and hit the ball at the net in an indoor stadium filled with spectators.
Women's volleyball match with players jumping to hit and block the ball at the net, with spectators in the background. 
BRAND STRATEGY

A multi-day workshop with the IVHF's Board of Directors brought together the Hall's stewards and champions. The guidance of our Brand Workshop codified purpose, vision and values, ensuring that all the spoke for the Hall did so with a unified voice.

Applied Services

Brand Strategy

Competitive Analysis

Branding Workshop

Stakeholder Mapping

Brand Positioning

A colorful infographic with three sections: red, yellow, and blue. The red section states: 'Honor the legends, recognize the greats, and preserve the history of volleyball.' The yellow section states: 'To be recognized as the authority on the history and excellence of volleyball.' The blue section lists core values: Prestigious, Accessible, Inclusive, Stewards, Trustworthy. 
VISUAL IDENTITY DESIGN

“This rebrand process allowed the IVHF to reflect on the history and mission of the organization while also looking forward to where we want to be strategically in the global volleyball family. This was an important project that will help to highlight the IVHF and honor this great sport well into the future.”

- Steve Bishop, IVHF Board of Directors President

Applied Services

Naming

Logo Design

Visual Identity Design

Iconography Library

Photographic Style

Three variations of the IVHF logo for the International Volleyball Hall of Fame, including one with volleyball athletes in action.
Logo featuring a globe with a stylized wave design in blue and orange colors on a background divided into white and blue sections.
Repeating pattern of the IVHF logo and a globe with a curved line, on a blue gradient background.
Color palette with labeled swatches for IVHF Light Blue, Cold Gradient, Dark Blue, Gold, Warm Gradient, Red, Black, and Warm White. Adjacent text explaining various fonts, including primary and secondary typefaces, with examples like Massilia Light and Source Serif.
A collage of images depicting various sports and volleyball-related events including a speech at an awards ceremony, autograph signing, group photos of athletes, volleyball matches at the Olympics, a volleyball match with players jumping to hit the ball, an indoor volleyball game with a player spiking, and an exhibit showcasing volleyball memorabilia and history. 
APPLICATION + EXTENSION

A successful rebrand requires an effective rollout. Every touchpoint from web to merch at the IVHF had to reflect the new visual identity to serve as effective entry points for fans to recognize and be excited by the Hall's evolution.

Applied Services

Signage

Mearchandise

Business Stationary

Presentation Design

Hall of Fame Interiors Showing New Branding on Signage.
A scanned letter from International Volleyball Hall of Fame with the IVHF logo, contact information, and a signature at the bottom. The letter mentions font styles and the purpose of placeholder text.
Informational presentation slide about the International Volleyball Hall of Fame's Beach Volleyball exhibit, including a timeline of construction, team details, exhibition highlights, goals, and a photo of a beach volleyball game.
A silver induction pin with the IVHF logo and the year 2024 on it, placed above a second back side of the pin. To the right, a clear glass with the IVHF logo printed on it.
A blue jacket with the IVHF logo and text 'International Volleyball Hall of Fame' on it, displayed on a mannequin, and a man wearing a similar blue IVHF jacket standing next to an exhibition display featuring a large portrait and information about a person, in an indoor setting. 
MULTI-CHANNEL MARKETING

The IVHF serves an international audience, and the vast majority of fans have far greater opportunities to interact with the Hall digitally than in-person. Developing a concise, highly-achievable digital strategy, and designing components that consistently iterate the brand is critical to driving engagement.

Series of eight social media posts from the International Volleyball Federation (IVF). The first post discusses coaches communicating with players during gameplay and a rule change in 2002. The second highlights Chaumont's victory in the playoffs. The third features a vintage volleyball and a quote about reliving history. The fourth shows two athletes with a message to stay connected through news and moments. The fifth promotes IVHF Windbreaker apparel for sale. The sixth lists reasons why Holyoke is a volleyball city. The seventh shares a video celebrating a team’s achievement, and the eighth displays a tweet congratulating a team for winning a third consecutive state title.
A digital illustration of a volleyball match with players celebrating near the net, displayed on both a printed page and a smartphone screen, with the IVHF logo at the top of both.
Group of six people standing together at a volleyball induction event, some wearing blue jackets with the IVVF logo, in front of a backdrop with the IVVF logo and induction text, with one person holding a microphone.
IVHF banner with the slogan 'Preserve History. Support the Hall of Fame.' and a black-and-white photo of a sports team celebrating in a stadium.
IVHF logo with text "Recognize the greats. Support the Hall of Fame" and a man celebrating.

Applied Services

Content Strategy

Messaging

Graphic Design

Email Newsletter

Social Media

Press + Media Management

Digital Advertisements

Screenshot of an article titled "Mulry leads the way as International Volleyball Hall of Fame moves forward" on VolleyballMag website, dated August 16, 2023, by Tom Feuer.
IVHF logo with a volleyball player and a teammate, promoting the history of volleyball, on a blue background.
Logo and text for the International Volleyball Hall of Fame, promoting the history of volleyball.