Rowing Canada Aviron – Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA) announced today a bold new emblem that honours the past and prepares for the future. The new RCA brand is inspired by a proud nation of rowers, united by water.
 
The development of the new brand and visual identity, led by world-class design agency They Integrated, repositions rowing in a more relatable way to the Canadian sport community.
 
“This foundational work is critical to grow and sustain our sport through the creation of marketing campaigns and the development of new partnerships and corporate sponsorships”, said Jennifer Fitzpatrick, RCA Director of Partnerships and Sport Development. “It is well-timed because we know that as we lead into the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, rowing will gain increased media exposure and will be on the minds of Canadians from coast to coast. Ensuring we are prepared to capture that interest through a brand that is understood, relatable and memorable should translate into more Canadians joining rowing for the first time.” 
 
The heritage leaf logo was designed to pay homage to the history of the sport while also looking towards the future with a more consumer-friendly brand mark.  The logo has a single, powerful colour that is readily identifiable as a stand-alone element. A strong, timeless, heavy-weighted typeface was created to balance and complement the icon.

The emblem will be extended into a series of exclusive shields and applied in a variety of distinct ways that will unite and instill pride within our rowing community.
 
“We couldn’t be more honoured to partner with Rowing Canada Aviron on this milestone project,” said THEY Integrated Project Manager, Andrew Williamson.  “Our goal was to develop a brand as rich as the history of the sport in Canada while providing a foundation for the next chapter of the organization. We are looking forward to seeing the brand coming to life on the new website set to launch this fall and other branded elements of Rowing Canada Aviron in the near future.”
 
The launch of the new logo is a stepping stone towards achieving one of RCA’s strategic priorities of defining a national rowing brand that reflects the best of what the sport represents while cultivating continuous growth.
 
 “We’ve committed to raising the profile of rowing in Canada and elevating our international influence,” said Peter McClelland, Alumni, RCA Board member (Athlete Director). “Augmenting our brand’s value to ensure it recognizes and complements everything that makes us great- our history, our community, and our performances- is one of the first steps in staying true to that commitment”.
 
Over the coming months, the new brand will gradually come to life in numerous ways both on and off the water. The new emblem will be featured on RCA social media and on Team Canada uniforms at the World Rowing Championships this month. Rowing Canada Aviron will be in touch with stakeholder groups to support them through the implementation process.
 
Learn more about Rowing Canada Aviron’s brand at rca2018.ca. 
 
Rowing Canada Aviron will contact each stakeholder group outlining the implementation process and timelines. For further information, please contact Jennifer Fitzpatrick.
 
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About Rowing Canada Aviron
Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA) is a non-profit organization recognized by the Government of Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee as the national governing body for rowing in Canada.

RCA is a member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and the Fédération internationale des sociétés d’aviron (FISA), the international federation for rowing. For more information about Rowing Canada Aviron, please visit rowingcanada.org and follow on social @rowingcanada.