British Automobile Racing Club celebrates 100+ years with new brand identity

The British Automobile Racing Club (BARC) will enter the 2014 motor sport campaign with a dynamic new brand identity as it celebrates more than 100 years of history and looks ahead with confidence to the next century.

Founded in 1912 as the Cyclecar Club, the
BARC is one of the country's oldest and most respected automotive organisations, and its functions today are wide and varied.

Aside from running three busy racing circuits - Thruxton, Croft and Pembrey - and the Gurston Down and Harewood hillclimbs, the Club operates more than 30 high-profile national championships.

These include the hugely popular Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship and its associated manufacturer support series - the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Ginetta Junior Championship, Renault UK Clio Cup and Porsche Carrera Cup GB.

The BARC also plays a leading role in the operation of the British F3 Championship, the British Truck Racing Association Championship, the Protyre Formula Renault Championship, the Michelin Clio Cup Race and Road Series', the legendary Goodwood Festival of Speed, Revival and Members' Meeting, the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power, the MSA British Hillclimb Championship and the British Schools Karting Championship.

With a number of prominent anniversaries in the pipeline - not least of which Croft's 50th birthday and the 300th meeting at Gurston Down - the Club is celebrating its past, present and future with a striking new look that has been thoroughly refreshed for the 21st century.

"The BARC is proud to launch its new identity, which embraces the first 100 years and will help enhance the Club for the next century," said Simon Clark, Club Chairman. "We at the BARC are very proud of our 100-year-plus history and many of the achievements made during that period - and as our new century starts, we thought it appropriate to look again at our image and commissioned leading brand identity experts On-Three to guide us through the process."

That work was spearheaded by On-Three Founder Geoff Nicol, who has previously lent his branding and marketing expertise to big-name clients of the ilk of London 2012, the World Olympians Association, Sport England, ParalympicsGB, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa.

Nicol explained the thought process, ethos and inspiration behind the symbolic new design, which pays tribute to the iconic 1958 version whilst focussing very much on the most important era yet - the one still to come.

"There was an overwhelming desire from the BARC to modernise its brand identity, paving the way towards the future whilst respecting the past," Nicol revealed. "There were a great number of considerations to take into account, including the Club's 100-plus year heritage as a member-oriented organisation, filled with passionate racing enthusiasts, but who are committed to commercialising their proposition and enhancing the customer experience at BARC events and venues."

"We wanted to create a brand identity toolkit that would allow the BARC to increase its visibility and build consumer understanding of who they are, and what they bring to the table. That means when racing fans go to Thruxton, Croft or Pembrey, or to one of the hillclimbing venues, they immediately know it is BARC, both by the branding but also the standard of the event itself," he further added.

"There are three tenets that run through everything the BARC does - passion, performance and participation – all of which are synonymous with the British Automobile Racing Club."

Posted in: 100th Anniversary,Anniversary,BARC,British Automobile Racing Club,Clubs,Europe,Geoff Nicol,Motor Sports,Simon Clark