A Bold, Cohesive Brand to Unite Sport Across Manitoba

Usually, when you’re a leader in amateur sports with ties to more than 60 partner organizations, brand recognition isn’t the problem. But for Sport Manitoba, something wasn’t connecting. Despite its reach and impact, only 8% of Manitobans recognized the organization. The name lacked weight, and even internally there was confusion. People were unclear on what Sport Manitoba did, how its programs and services fit together, and why the public wasn’t seeing it.

Sport Manitoba had a strong mandate and deep community ties, but its identity was buried under complex naming agreements, a fragmented brand hierarchy, and inconsistent messaging. Even those working closely with the organization struggled to explain its role. If Sport Manitoba couldn’t clearly communicate its purpose, the public couldn’t connect with it.

To get to the heart of the issue, interviews were conducted, surveys were run, and every corner of the organization’s internal and external communications was examined. A clear pattern emerged: Sport Manitoba was doing the work, but its story wasn’t being told. The organization was everywhere, yet invisible.

The solution was approached in three phases. First, the organization was reimagined from the ground up, with a new visual identity, brand architecture, strategy, platform, and messaging framework. This included developing sub-brands that brought clarity and cohesion to Sport Manitoba’s many programs and services.

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Next, the strategy was rolled out through a series of education sessions with internal stakeholders and ambassadors, ensuring the people closest to the organization felt ownership of the new direction. Finally, the Sport Manitoba website was redesigned and a practical toolkit created to help the team build on the brand going forward, with assets like ad templates, newsletters, posters, and more.

The results were immediate. Manitobans already believed in the importance of what Sport Manitoba stood for, but they didn’t know an organization was behind it. Now, with clear, consistent messaging and a bold new identity, people could see Sport Manitoba’s presence in their communities and lives. The organization was no longer in the background. It was front and centre, ready to lead amateur sport in Manitoba into its next era.

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