Branding refresh for Australian Life Saving Championships

The Australian Life Saving Championships has undergone a branding refresh in the lead up to this year’s competition with a new tagline - United, Inspired, Iconic - paying homage to club culture, community, inspirational athleticism, and the ‘iconic’ sporting nature of the event.

The brand’s colour palette of red, yellow, and blue is reflective of the Surf Life Saving Australia colours, albeit slightly altered to reflect the individual brand of the Championships. The secondary elements are a subtle nod to the club cap patterns; the cap worn by all competitors as they represent their Surf Life Saving Club.

While the colloquial term ‘the Aussies’ will still be permissible for use, particularly in casual contexts and among the surf lifesaving community where it carries a sense of familiarity and tradition (and a logo suite has been created for this context); the preferred naming convention is the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships.

Surf Life Saving Australia advises “the full name reflects the gravity and historical importance of the championships as the pinnacle of surf lifesaving in Australia. The formal title highlights the event’s legacy and underscores the high level of competition and skill required to win such a coveted title. It also aligns with other major national and international sporting events, reinforcing its status as a cornerstone of the Australian sporting calendar and a critical and iconic part of the country’s cultural identity.”

The historic surf lifesaving event holds a storied place in Australian sporting history as one of the nation’s most prestigious and enduring sporting events.

Now in its 109th year, the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships are more than just a competition; they represent the rich tradition of volunteer surf lifesaving, an Australian movement dedicated to beach safety and rescue services.

To win an Australian Surf Life Saving title is a highly coveted achievement, symbolising elite athleticism and mastery of lifesaving skills, and the new branding reflects the rich prestige, heritage, and significance of the event.

The Australian Surf Life Saving Championships - with Youth, Open, Masters, and the newly introduced Adaptive Events - brings 315 Surf Life Saving Clubs from across Australia together to compete in more than 480 events, ranging from traditional lifesaving and surf boat events to ocean and beach events.

This year, the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships will run for nine days between North Kirra SLSC and Tugun SLSC from 29th March through to 6th April. The Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Nipper and Youth Championships will be held from 29th – 30th March.

Each day of the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Nipper and Youth Championships and the Australian Open Championships will be livestreamed on the SLSA YouTube Channel. Results for all competitions and categories will be available through LiveHeats.

Images centre and below. Credit: Tourism and Events Queensland