Australian Institute of Sport defends cost of new logo

The Australian Institute of Sport's recently introduced new brand image, consisting of five golden lines, cost in excess of $500,000 to design and roll out.

Introduced at the beginning of February, the cost of the new logo has attracted considerable criticism in a year when the Federal Government is scrutinising all areas of spending and amid fears that sport funding will not be immune from cuts in Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey's May budget.

However, Australian Sports Commission Chief Executive Simon Hollingsworth has defended the cost of the new logo, saying it would generate more commercial investment in the long term.

Suggesting that the upfront cost had to be weighed against future corporate benefits, Hollingsworth told The Guardian Australia "we believe that in the medium and long term that this investment is going to generate significantly more revenue for the AIS, which will then be invested back into sport."

The new logo consists of five golden lines resembling tracks, sleekly curved into the shape of Australia. It replaced the original Australian Institute of Sport logo designed by a student from Bendigo in a nationwide competition in 1981, which portrayed a red and blue athlete holding their hands above their head in victory.

Hollingsworth added "the feedback from our commercial analysis was that the current brand, whilst it had a great place in our history, was slightly one dimensional in its nature.

"So we wanted something more dynamic."

Hollingsworth said the logo had so far cost $500,000 over two stages, adding "first of all we've spent about $300,000 focusing on the commercial analysis and the creative side of this

"Then in terms of the rollout, we've spent about $200,000 refitting."

"In the scheme of total investment in Australian sport, this cost is quite a small one."

4th February 2014 - NEW AIS BRANDING TO FIT WITH NEW DIRECTION FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE SPORT