News - 09/02/2003

Major League Baseball / American League - Toronto Blue Jays

Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club Offers Sneak Preview of New Look for 2004

Toronto Blue Jays New Logo Toronto, ON (September 2, 2003) - A new team. A new approach to the game. A new identity.

The Toronto Blue Jays will enter the 2004 Major League Baseball season with a fresh new look to reflect the energy, enthusiasm and confidence of both a talented young team on the rise and the dynamic world-class city in which it plays. A dramatic re-branding includes the unveiling today of the Club's new 2004 logo and sneak preview of select, limited availability merchandise.

"The Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club has set out in a new direction in more recent years with a strong belief in a plan that's already generating positive results on and off the field," says President & CEO Paul V. Godfrey. "We felt an exciting new look for the organization was a logical step in that plan as we continue to attract a new wave of fans."

Godfrey entrusted Lisa Novak, Senior Vice President, Business Affairs & Administration, with responsibility for updating the team's look and feel, working with an extensive team of Club Marketing and Communications personnel, research consultants, brand design firm Brandid and the Club's advertising agency, MacLaren McCann.

"When we first began this process, research indicated both fans and the public perceived our marks to be tired and dated," says Novak. "This Club has undergone something of a major revival in the last two years. We have dedicated Canadian ownership and new management now in place, a strong commitment to making both personnel and players accessible to fans and the media and a solid long-term on-field plan that takes a cutting edge approach to statistical analysis and player development. We have renewed confidence in our future and wanted this conveyed in a brand essence that reflects our vision and the vision of our fans for the Club."

Brandid, a Toronto-based firm, was selected in early 2002 from competing design teams to create a new primary mark, that would form the launching point for the rebranding process. Randy Redford, Vice-President, Creative Director of Brandid, says, "We knew the new look would have to mirror the vibrancy of today's Toronto Blue Jays and today's Toronto, an up-and-coming team and an exciting and diverse city."

The end result is a newly styled blue jay extending to the left from "Jays" lettering based on traditional baseball script with three-dimensional metallic letters. "Our fans like to call us the Jays', and the fans are the most important stakeholders in everything we do", says Novak. "We felt it would only be right to acknowledge them by giving recognition to this in the primary logo. Of course, the Club name remains the 'Toronto Blue Jays' as it is an important and cherished part of the team's identity and history."

The headwear mark incorporates the blue jay and the three-dimensional letter 'J." "It's a powerful, engaging and contemporary graphic", says Redford, "but remains true to the traditional roots of baseball." The marks incorporates three core colours; blue, metallic silver and metallic graphite, with black and white accents.

That colour scheme extends to new uniforms developed by Majestic Athletic and caps by New Era Cap Company, sanctioned by Major League Baseball Properties. Faust E. Capobianco IV, President of Majestic Athletic says, "The development of the uniforms has been an exciting experience. The creative process amongst our team and representatives of the Blue Jays and MLB Properties has allowed to use some exciting new materials and features in the uniforms, that we expect to be a big hit."

The Club will begin making full use of the striking new logo in the New Year, with new uniforms to match for the 2004 season. Beginning January 1, 2004, the new mark will be used in all of the Club's signage, correspondence, advertising and collateral. At that time, sales of merchandise at regular retail through Major League Baseball Properties will commence. However, a limited line of items has been prepared by the Club in conjunction with MLB licensees including Roots and Majestic Athletic, for immediate sale in September only. Fans can purchase apparel, headwear and other select items bearing the new brand at Club games, the SkyDome Bullpen Store at Gate 2, and select Roots locations in Toronto. Merchandise can also be ordered by calling 1-800-646-6407.

The change represents a major development in the Club's legacy of marks. The original design from 1977 that featured the side profile of a bird's head emblazoned on a baseball was changed in 1997 to incorporate a red maple leaf as a background. In 2000, an existing alternate logo was introduced for Spring Training and batting practice caps featuring an animated Blue Jay with a bat reaching around a letter "T" to toss a ball in the air. The so-called "T-Bird" logo was used during the 2003 season on the Club's regular season uniforms.

Digital files of the new primary and headwear marks can be obtained by contacting the Toronto Blue Jays Communications Department at (416) 341-1303.

The Toronto Blue Jays were established in 1976 and began play in 1977 in Major League Baseball's American League. In 1985, the Blue Jays won the first of five American League East Division Titles and in 1992 and 1993 won back-to-back World Series titles, becoming the first team from outside the United States of America to capture Major League Baseball's World Championship. In September of 2000, Rogers Communications Inc. purchased controlling interest of the franchise with Labatt (Interbrew), one of the club's original owners, maintaining a stake in the club's ownership.