The EWE Baskets Oldenburg are a German professional basketball club based in Oldenburg, competing in the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL). The club’s visual identity centers on the “Donnervogel” (thunderbird) mascot Hubird, which has been the core element of the club logo since a major brand relaunch in 2018.
Design and History
In August 2018, the EWE Baskets Oldenburg presented a new club logo as part of a comprehensive brand relaunch. The project had been in development since 2014, involving fan surveys, workshops, and analysis with support from main sponsor EWE.[1] The new mark was described by managing director Hermann Schüller with the words “the thunderbird has grown up,” reflecting the club’s ambition to present a more mature and confident image after nearly two decades in the top tier of German basketball.[1]
The 2018 logo was designed by the agency deepblue networks.[2] Key changes included a less detailed, more dominant composition featuring the Hubird mascot with a “heroic and proud” gaze. Instead of reproducing the sponsor’s corporate logo one-to-one as before, the new club logo integrated only the wordmark “EWE.” A basketball was also incorporated into the design in a comparatively restrained manner.[2]
In June 2022, the club introduced another new logo. This change coincided with a redesign of the EWE company’s own corporate identity, in which the energy company replaced its blue with a gray tone. The connection to the new Baskets logo was described as obvious, with the gray appearing in the inner circle of the club mark.[3] The redesign drew criticism from some fans, with one fan group protesting what they saw as increasing commercialization and the loss of blue from the logo.[4]
Meaning and Symbolism
The club’s official colors have consistently been yellow and blue. In the 2018 relaunch, marketing director Daniel Pleines stated: “Our colors remain yellow and blue.”[1] The brand relaunch also introduced three brand values: “Echt” (genuine), “Engagiert” (committed), and “Energiegeladen” (energetic), which were intended to reflect the club’s regional roots, social responsibility, and the atmosphere in the arena.[1]
The Hubird mascot, described as a thunderbird, has been a recurring figure in the club’s identity. In 2021, for the club’s 20th anniversary, fans were invited to submit photos that were assembled into a large mosaic logo displayed at the arena, described as the largest logo in club history.[5]
Typography and Design
Following the 2018 relaunch, the club logo was described as less fragmented, with fewer elements providing a clearer structure and statement. The design was intended to be more dominant yet lighter than the previous mark.[1] The official brand brochure from 2018 noted that the yellow tone received a minimally adjusted radiance, while the blue was transitioned “from playful to grown-up blue.”[6]
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