Cercle Brugge Koninklijke Sportvereniging, the Belgian football club from Bruges, unveiled a completely new logo in June 2022 as part of a wider rebranding. The redesign was created by SKINN Branding Agency, a Bruges-based branding firm, and replaced a crest that had been in use for over 50 years.[1][2]
Design and History
The 2022 logo marks a significant departure from the club’s previous identity. The old crest, which had been used for more than five decades, featured a green background, a stylised letter “C” and a crown.[1][3] The new emblem abandons the traditional badge shape and the crown, instead placing the word “CERCLE” in bright green letters within a circle on a black background.[4] A small pentagonal form sits at the centre, a reference to the football panel motif from the previous crest.[5]
According to SKINN, the new logo honours its predecessor by retaining recognisable elements such as the letter C, the circle and the pentagon, but presents them with a more energetic look and feel.[6] The club described the rebranding as the result of a year of brainstorming, creating and refining, and said it was designed to reflect the ambitions and playing style of its young team.[7] The club announced the new identity under the slogan “Unleash the green!”[7]
The new logo was met with mixed reactions on social media, with some supporters criticising the departure from the traditional crest.[8][7]
Meaning and Symbolism
Green and black are the club’s traditional colours and were placed at the heart of the rebranding.[4] The club stated that green represents innovation, youth and energy, and described it as “a complete way of thinking” both on and off the pitch. The green was updated as part of the rebrand to reflect the ambitions of the young squad.[4] SKINN similarly stated the new logo is intended to radiate green, as the colour of youth and renewal, and energy.[2]
SKINN also notes that the club’s matricule number, 12, is referenced in the visual identity through elements placed at an angle of twelve degrees.[6]
Typography and Design
The 2022 logo features the word “CERCLE” in bright green letters, set within a circle on a black background.[4] The wordmark is written as a calligram, with the text following the circular form.[5] The design allows the logo to be placed on different coloured backgrounds, most likely black or white, rather than being locked to a green background as in the previous crest.[3]
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