The World Cup has become one of the most anticipated and celebrated sporting competitions on the planet, watched by about half of the world’s population. Countries spend years and billions of dollars preparing to compete—not to mention hosting the Cup. Brazil spent $14 billion this year. Clearly, this is a branding success story of phenomenal proportions. How has the World Cup brand evolved over time? Every four years, FIFA selects a host nation and they design the event in their vision, revealing not just how the host country views itself, but how our world has changed—and design along with it. Believe it or not, the World Cup had no logo until the 1950s; by 2014, the logo was created with animation in mind demonstrating the kinetic nature of brands today. What stories do these graphic identities tell about their moments in time and our shared global experience? We reached back in branding history to find out.

1. 1LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
THEWORLDCUP:
AGRAPHICHISTORY

2. 2LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
The World Cup has become one of the most anticipated and celebrated
sporting competitions on the planet, watched by about half of the world’s
population. Countries spend years and billions of dollars preparing to
compete—not to mention hosting the Cup. Brazil spent $14 billion this year.
Clearly, this is a branding success story of phenomenal proportions.
How has the World Cup brand evolved over time?
Every four years, FIFA selects a host nation and they design the event in their
vision, revealing not just how the host country views itself, but how our world
has changed—and design along with it. Believe it or not, the World Cup had
no logo until the 1950s; by 2014, the logo was created with animation in mind
demonstrating the kinetic nature of brands today. What stories do these
graphic identities tell about their moments in time and our shared global
experience? We reached back in branding history to find out.

3. 3LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
The logo is titled “Inspiration.” Its colors symbolize the ecology of the host nation; tropics (green) and
beaches (gold). They are also colors of the Brazilian flag. The five fingers can represent Brazil’s five World
Cup victories. Three hands are raised to form the trophy and animate together for interstitial broadcast
elements. The hands are meant to welcome everyone to the tournament but also evoke cheering and
coming together of people. This is the first World Cup logo designed with kinetics in mind. The official
poster was presented conceptually by Brazilian agency Crama as “an entire country at football’s
service—Brazil and football: one shared identity.”
2014BRAZIL
TOURNAMENT BALL
Brazuca
POSTER
Karen Haidinger
Crama
LOGO
Africa Agency
MASCOT
Fuleco

4. 4LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
The slogan for the 2010 World Cup was “Ke Nako. Celebrate Africa's Humanity.” The graphic identity
features a black silhouette of a bicycle kick with African colors throughout. Ke Nako simply means
'it's time.' And indeed Africa's time had come to use the 2010 FIFA World Cup to change perceptions
of Africa and reposition the continent in a positive light with South Africa as the theatre and Africa the
stage. Having successfully campaigned for South Africa to be granted host status, an emotional
Nelson Mandela raised the FIFA World Cup Trophy.
2010SOUTHAFRICA
TOURNAMENT BALL
Jabulani
POSTER
Paul Dale
Switch Design
LOGO
Gaby de Abreu
Switch Design
MASCOT
Zakumi

5. 5LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
The slogan “time to make friends” is articulated graphically in an identity portraying emotions of
joy and exuberance. Two of the faces are formed from a “06.” The theme reflects our increasingly
connected planet and embodies the higher aspirations of the game to bring people together.
2006GERMANY
TOURNAMENT BALL
Teamgeist
POSTER
WE DO Communication
LOGO
Whitestone Agency
MASCOT
Goleo VI/Sidekick Pille

6. 6LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
Contemporary graphic articulation of the World Cup trophy itself evokes multiple meanings; unity
between host nations, forward movement, the literal inbounding of a ball. The poster evokes all
of these themes with the additional urgency of Asian calligraphic brush strokes. The 2002 symbol
makes appearances in 2006 and 2010.
2002JAPAN/KOREA
TOURNAMENT BALL
Fevernova
POSTER
Byun Choo Suk/Hirano Sogen
LOGO
Interbrand
MASCOT
Ato/Kaz/Nik

7. 7LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
This logo is rendered in French national colors and shows the football rising over the France on the
Earth’s horizon as if it is the sun. The poster is more gestural and celebratory, suggesting the festive
blending together of many nations and football fans.
1998FRANCE
TOURNAMENT BALL
Tricolore
POSTER
Natalie le Gall
LOGO
ADSA Company
MASCOT
Footix

8. 8LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
This bold, graphic logo represents both the host nation and the movement and energy of the sport
simultaneously. The poster is a more emotional evocation of the spirit and joy of football. The selection
of Pentagram for the logo and Peter Max for the poster demonstrates clear strategic communications
planning: graphically targeting both the heart and mind.
1994UNITEDSTATES
TOURNAMENT BALL
Questra
POSTER
Peter Max
LOGO
Pentagram
MASCOT
Striker

9. 9LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
The logo utilizes the colors of the Italian flag in relation to custom stencil typography to create an implied
three dimensional graphic field. Italian painter and sculptor Alberto Burri connects modern sport to the
heritage of the Roman Coliseum.
1990ITALY
TOURNAMENT BALL
Etrusco
POSTER
Alberto Burri
LOGO
Artist Unknown
MASCOT
Ciao

10. 10LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
The mark visualizes “the world united by ball" slogan by featuring both sides of the globe. The inline
typography references the famous Lance Wyman 1968 Olympic identity, as well as the 1970 World Cup
typography, also both hosted by Mexico. Although the articulation is different, Wyman’s seminal work
cannot be ignored. The poster features a compelling photographic interplay between Aztec architectural
heritage and contemporary human forms by Annie Liebovitz, the first woman commissioned to create a
poster in the series.
1986MEXICO
TOURNAMENT BALL
Azteca
POSTER
Annie Leibovitz
LOGO
Artist Unknown
MASCOT
Pique

11. 11LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
The central portion of the logo is simplified into two fundamental elements: the Spanish flag and a
football. This communicates with no letters and was pulled out as a signature in the poster. The full
version of the logo is a celebration of the flags of participating nations. The poster, created by national
treasure Joan Miró, depicts a celebratory somersault filled with Spanish colors and the declarative
statement of home “España!”
1982SPAIN
TOURNAMENT BALL
Tango España
POSTER
Joan Miró
LOGO
Artist Unknown
MASCOT
Naranjito

12. 12LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
The logo contains a simple graphic football depicted within vertical striping in the colors of the host
nation which can represent a jersey, goal, or cupped hands. The poster utilizes a stylized halftone
screen capturing a both an emotional game moment and the media of the era.
1978ARGENTINA
TOURNAMENT BALL
Tango
POSTER
Mandatos Internacionales Agency
LOGO
Artist Unknown
MASCOT
Gauchito

13. 13LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
The logo is very much a product of minimalist industrial age graphic design. The bold, simple forms are
evocative of a ball, the point of contact, motion, the shape of a goal. WM is short for Weltmeisterschaft
which means World Cup in German. The explicit need for a global kind of inclusiveness is evident in the
mark, however, when contextualized on other elements such as the textural poster, multicultural globalism
comes through.
1974WESTGERMANY
TOURNAMENT BALL
Durlast
POSTER
Fritz Genkinger
LOGO
Artist Unknown
MASCOT
Tip/Tap

14. 14LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
The logo and the poster are embodiments of simplicity. They both utilize simple positive and negative
forms to graphically depict a football. The inline typography was clearly an extension of Lance Wyman’s
1968 Olympic identity, which has been hailed as a pinnacle of branding and wayfinding. Taken together,
the 1968 Olympics and 1970 World Cup branded Mexico itself. The bold use of color is not directly
related to host nation's national colors, however, it could be thought of as an exemplification of the
richness of color in the country itself. Brazil takes home the Jules Rimet trophy permanently.
1970MEXICO
TOURNAMENT BALL
Telstar
POSTER
Lance Wyman
LOGO
Lance Wyman
MASCOT
Juanito

15. 15LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
A literal depiction of the world superimposed upon a soccer ball with Jules Rimet trophy and an English
coat of arms in the foreground. Everything is symmetrically aligned within the iconic British flag design.
Includes name of cup. Poster playfully features “Willie,” the 1966 mascot playfully booting the football
into the sky.
1966ENGLAND
TOURNAMENT BALL
Slazenger Ball
POSTER
Carvosso
LOGO
Artist Unknown
MASCOT
Willie

16. 16LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
The logo positions Chile's national flag on the ground within a stadium, symbolizing that the World Cup
is taking place on their ground. Behind the stadium is both a globe and football. In the poster the earth
and a football are conjoined in space. The globe is turned to reveal Chile highlighted in red with the ball is
perhaps headed that direction. Translation: Football World Championship.
1962CHILE
TOURNAMENT BALL
The Crack
POSTER
Galvarino Ponce
LOGO
Artist Unknown

17. 17LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
VM is an abbreviation for Varldsmasterskapet, Swedish for “World Championship.” Although it is referred
to as a “logo,” the illustration is hardly what we think of as a trademark today. Regardless, the expression
of the World Cup brand shines through very clearly: A celebration of global community through
competitive football.
1958SWEDEN
TOURNAMENT BALL
Top Star
POSTER
Saul Bass
LOGO
Saul Bass

18. 18LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
The trademark is a bi-product of its era: Simple, utilitarian, and official. This is Swiss design following
Modernism in the industrial revolution. The text translates to “World Football Championship” in three
languages: French, German, and Italian—the three languages most closely related to Switzerland.
The poster captures the game’s penultimate moment: The goal. It does not utilize the trademark.
1954SWITZERLAND
TOURNAMENT BALL
Swiss Zig-Zag
POSTER
Paul Werner Weisskönig
LOGO
Artist Unknown

19. 19LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
A return to friendly competition after the horrors of World War II. Although this was the first competition
to use an actual logo, it was still very poster-like. In fact, it’s hard at first glance to tell the difference.
The “logo” incorporates Brazil’s national colors into the design, while the poster brings the flags of
participating nations into the illustration, literally on the leg of the footballer.
1950BRAZIL
TOURNAMENT BALL
Tossolini Superball
POSTER
J. Ney
LOGO
Artist Unknown

20. 20LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
A powerful articulation of confidence: A victorious figure with the world is at his feet. There may also
be some pre-WWII posturing here. The poster embodies many characteristics of Modernism from the
condensed, decorative typography to a graphical embodiment of Romanticism and a recapitulation of
Expressionism in color.
1938FRANCE
TOURNAMENT BALL
French Allen
POSTER
Henri Desmé

21. 21LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
Deco-era sans serif typography anchors a strong symmetrical illustration featuring an Italian player with
white and green socks crossed by the flags of competing countries. Prefiguring (or perhaps informing)
Hitler’s use of the Olympics to promote his Nazi agenda, Mussolini used the World Cup to promote
fascism with propaganda and media control.
1934ITALY
TOURNAMENT BALL
Federale
POSTER
Gino Boccasile

22. 22LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
Guillermo Laborde’s poster for the inaugural World Cup is an elegant expression of Art Deco design.
The outstretched arms of the goalie have caught the ball at the pinnacle of the goal frame. He is dressed
in Uruguay's national colors. In contrast to the typography in 1934’s poster, the type here is on the more
decorative side of Deco.
1930URUGUAY
TOURNAMENT BALL
T-Model
POSTER
Guillermo Laborde

23. 23LIQUID AGENCY
THE WORLD CUP: A GRAPHIC HISTORY
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