Liverpool FC won the Premier League for the second consecutive time. Add this to the 18 titles they won before the Premier League was formed, and Liverpool FC is now on par with Manchester United in terms of having been crowned English champions a total 20 times.
Anfield has had a lot of big stories this year. Brand agency Bulletproof recently partnered up with Liverpool in order to create something unique: The first football brand powered by the fans. This was more than just a brand rebrand. It was about capturing energy, voice, and unshakeable belief, which define the club as well as the city.
David Beare is the executive creative director of Bulletproof.
Bird in flight
David explains that this was Bulletproof’s first time working with the legendary club. “It was both a huge honour and a significant responsibility,” He recalls. “LFC is more than a football club: it’s an identity and a global symbol of resilience and belief.”
This rebrand was unique because it had a strong connection with the fans who are the essence of the club. “Fans were at the heart of this project,” David emphasizes. “We engaged with supporter advisory groups early in the process to better understand the spirit, value and personality of the club from the perspective of those who live and breathe it. Their insight helped shape the strategic foundations of the identity; grounding it in pride, energy and local character.”
The new logo was designed in collaboration with fans from around the world to ensure that it would not only represent the club, but also make them feel like they were part of the team.
Heritage and innovation
Liverpool is a city with a rich history. Respecting the past while looking to the future was proving incredibly difficult for an institution. “Balancing heritage and innovation were at the heart of the project,” David. “We started by deeply understanding LFC’s history; its defining moments, and its unique role in the city and beyond. The Liver Bird, as a symbol, became our anchor.”
Unknown to the general public, the Liver Bird represents both Liverpool and a mythical creature. The Liver Bird appears on Liverpool’s coat-of arms and the Royal Liver Building – a prominent waterfront building.
“The Liver Bird is more than a logo: it’s the heartbeat of the city,” David stresses. “We studied its history and symbolism, focusing on its role as a sign of defiance, passion and heritage.” Bulletproof, rather than changing the iconic Liver Bird crest, used its DNA–its curves, shapes and, especially, the wing expression –as an inspiration for the whole visual system.
“The ‘wing expression’ became a core creative device, one that visually channels the energy of Anfield: sometimes calm and composed, other times dynamic and boundary-breaking,” David explains. “Just like the stadium itself, the system responds to its surroundings; powered by the sounds, emotions and atmosphere unique to Liverpool.”
The Scouse Soul
The rebranding goes beyond the aesthetic to capture Liverpool’s unique spirit”. Capturing the Scouse soul meant bottling the city’s attitude, resilience and sense of togetherness,” David notes. “The strategic phase of the project landed us in a space that felt proudly Scouse, with a new promise: ‘Inspiring belief on and off the pitch’.”
Bulletproof defined a set of characteristics–graft, faith, togetherness, and ‘our way’–that could only be true of Liverpool, the city and, by extension, the football club. “Anfield itself is a huge part of this,” Adds David “The stadium is unique: it’s the home of this atmosphere, a place feared by other clubs, and a fortress where the crowd’s energy is palpable.”
“Typography is central to the evolved identity,” David continues. We developed a signature that will, with time, become synonymous with the Liver Bird Crest. Alistair McCready, of Monolith, helped us create a type set that featured both custom serifs and sans-serifs. The Liver Bird inspired both styles.
“Every character across both serif and sans was drawn individually,” He adds. “No shortcuts, mirroring or stretching. Each width and style received bespoke treatment to maintain balance and optical integrity. LFC Sans’ reduced contrast ensures accessibility and legibility, even at smaller sizes or in long-form text. The type system was rigorously tested at various sizes to achieve the right optical balance, with the serif primarily for headlines but flexible enough for body text.”
Typography is variable and responsive. “It can animate and shift in real-time, responding to goals, silences, or the songs sung by fans, making the brand feel alive and deeply connected to the matchday experience.” The colour of the paint is important. “We distilled the multitude of reds used by the club down to one iconic Liverpool red, supported by a limited palette of red tones for clarity and consistency.”
Flexible system for global brands
Liverpool FC has a global identity, not just a matchday look. “A big part of the job wasn’t just to give the LFC design team more but to clear the noise and clutter, providing a simplified set of distinctive assets with the flexibility and variability to allow for cohesive work at pace,” David explains.
“The new identity is designed to be incredibly flexible, serving a diverse range of audiences and contexts. On digital platforms, the responsive type and wing expression animate in sync with fan sentiment and match moments, creating a truly immersive experience. In the stadium, the visuals adapt to Anfield’s unique energy. Whether it’s calm anticipation or explosive celebrations, the brand moves with the crowd.”
The flexibility of commercial partnership is also included. “The identity now stands shoulder-to-shoulder with partner brands like Adidas, Standard Chartered and EA Sports, allowing for seamless collaborations while maintaining a distinct LFC presence.”
Measurement of success
The emotional bond that is built with the supporters will serve as a meaningful measure of success. Bulletproof’s goal was to make something that would resonate on a human level. “What matters most is that sense of pride; when fans say, ‘This feels like us,’ that’s when we know it’s landed in the right place,” David.
This fan-powered evolution is more than a simple visual update. This is a sign that the club understands the importance of the relationship between the team and the fans in today’s football.
“Our approach was never about changing LFC but amplifying what makes it unique; bringing out the ‘more-ness’ that’s always been there,” David concludes his speech. “Ultimately, this wasn’t about what LFC looks like but what LFC feels like.”