Interbrand develops the brand identity for PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics

For the past three weeks, people from around the globe cheered on their teams during the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics. Prior to the Winter Games, Interbrand Seoul made its mark on this historic event in its home-country. The team conducted research of local and global perceptions of sports, festivals, Korean identity, and “harmony,” working closely with the PyeongChang organizing committee and International Olympics Committee to create the identity for this year’s Olympics.

Held in South Korea for the first time since the 1988 Seoul Games, the 2018 Winter Olympics represented a huge opportunity to expose South Korea’s vibrant culture while cultivating national pride—and build international buzz around the Games. This intimate understanding of the the games and their host country gave rise to a thematic driver: the Hangeul alphabet, which was created in the 15th century by Sejong the Great to promote widespread literacy.

“The geometric grid and composition of the keywords written in Hangeul represent the harmony and interaction between the people from the world at PyeongChang 2018,” said Uzin Hwang, Chief Creative Officer, Interbrand Seoul. “The shapes and colors created by the overlap of letters signify the new possibilities to be opened up in PyeongChang.”

The PyeongChang 2018 identity has been rolled out across banners, billboards, and signage at the event, and is reaching audiences far and wide. Implicit in all this is the “Passion.Connected.” tagline, created to convey the spirit shared by all those connected to the Games. The outpouring of both national pride and international camaraderie is expected to boost the nation brand, leading to new leaps in terms of politics, economy, science, and culture for South Korea.

“Interbrand Seoul’s work for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games is the perfect example of connecting the unique culture of Korea with the celebration of human achievement and potential for the future,” said Andy Payne, Global Chief Creative Officer, Interbrand.