THE BACKSTORY
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With the United States Tennis Association of New England taking over the Massachusetts state championships for high school tennis, BXS was tasked with creating a whole new brand for the annual tournament.

In order to live up to the significance of competing at “States,” the new identity needed to be memorable, draw a connection to Massachusetts, and generate excitement for the community, competitors, and all those involved.

Before kicking off the design, we researched several tennis tournaments that take place around the world to see which signature brand traits helped separate them from others. We wanted to see how we could create a mark that could help provide opportunities in elevating the tournament experience for these high school players.

While an obvious difference between events was the trophy that is presented to the winners, we took a closer look at what it was that actually made them all different. We found that some tournaments leaned into their rich history through the use of ornate detail, such as the Cup and “Rosewater Dish” of Wimbledon, the Tiffany & Co. created trophies of the US Open, and the Davis and Fed Cups (now the Billie Jean King Cup).

Others capitalized on their event names such as the Orange Bowl, which presents a large crystal bowl filled with oranges to their victors. A similarity we found across most tournaments was the inclusion of flowers and floral arrangements as part of the prize and also the decor and experience at the physical events.

It’s through these details that the sport emotes a feeling of competitive elegance and rarity in its events. These were important characteristics that we wanted to portray in the new brand.

With this particular tournament taking place in May, we knew we needed to focus on the Massachusetts state flower: the Mayflower.

Growing in the spring and rooted in the rich history of New England, it was the perfect icon for the new brand. Having five petals and points, this flower was the perfect mix of elegance and symmetry. While it draws similarities to a star, its curvy edges make it unique and keeps it from feeling too formal.

The last touch of the icon was figuring out how to integrate tennis into the Mayflower, which was ultimately solved by using the seams of a tennis ball. The seams are a bit exaggerated to help present the illusion of movement and motion within the mark, giving the icon a little more depth overall.

Like the trophies we researched, we found that seals could also act as a device in generating a sense of rarity. This is why we chose to enclose the primary logos in circles, which help make them appear as official stamps of authenticity. When looking at the primary lockup below (top left), the seal looks like it could be minted as a coin.

Finally, the color palette was selected as a tie back to the flower itself, which can range from pinks and purples to white once it has fully bloomed. Grouping this primary purple-magenta with black and white helps give this identity a crisp pop of color.

Some ideas that we presented to the client for the experience of their event included nicknaming the tournament, “The Mayflower.” Imagine… “I’m going to be playing at The Mayflower this spring!” We also had a conversation around the tournament’s trophy and whether or not it would be possible to present an arrangement of Mayflowers as part of the prize. Regardless, the new brand presents plenty of opportunity for growth and brand equity.

This is a new brand that is for sure classy AND fun.