NTU, the Ukrainian national broadcaster aka UA:PBC and Re Design Team (Republique and Banda agency) revealed the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 creative concept and branding last week. Let’s check out how the concept and city branding will be implemented in Kyiv come May.

The countdown to the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest has begun, with around 90 odd days to go the clock is ticking as both the Ukrainian national broadcaster and the City of Kyiv are gearing up in full steam for the upcoming competition.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2017 logo and slogan were developed by Ukraine’s top creative agencies Republique and Banda also known as Re Design Team . The main idea of the Song Contest’s artwork is portrayed in the slogan Celebrate Diversity and backed by the logo inspired on the traditional Ukrainian bead necklace  Namysto.

Not only the logo and slogan have been developed by the agencies, but a full set of graphic communication as well. They developed the overall idea and slogan, brand book, dressing for the host city transport (buses, vehicles, and metro cars), promotional products, corporate materials design, as well as the design for arrival areas at the airports, recreation areas for guests throughout the city, metro stations, info points, and out-of-home promotion.

Denys Herasko (Republique co-founder) says:

The choice of the idea and graphic style of Namysto is a brave step for the organizers. This year the graphic communication will be implemented by the world’s graphic design leaders. The main point, though, is that the Eurovision Song Contest is based on a crucial idea of tolerance and respect for the diversity of life.

The 2017 Eurovision Song Contest creative concept by Republique and Banda was selected based on the results of the creative pitch held by UA:PBC (then NTU) launched on October 20th, 2016.

You can see the different ways the 2017 Eurovision creative concept will be showcased and portrayed in the special video presentation below:

UA:PBC made the list of companies that were offered participation in the pitch for the Eurovision 2017 best creative concept based on, among other, the ratings provided by the All-Ukrainian Advertising Coalition (UAC). The UAC is the largest Ukrainian non-governmental organization in the sphere of advertising composed of 142 companies operating on the advertising market. The All-Ukrainian Advertising Coalition provided the NTU with the ratings of creativity and proficiency of creative, branding and design agencies. Designers of creative concept ideas for the ESC 2017 could apply directly to the agencies, the list of which was available on UA: PBC’s website, and propose their options. The decision to take or dismiss those ideas was made at the agencies’ sole discretion.

11 creative agencies took part in the selection of creative ideas, offering the organizers 23 concepts in total. Based on the results of the ESC Reference Group meeting, 5 ideas of the Eurovision 2017 artwork made it to the short list of the creative pitch.

All those agencies were given recommendations to improve their concepts. The works of Republique and Banda were among them. Republique’s idea eventually brought them victory. That is how Republique and Banda agency united their efforts for further development of the logo and slogan idea.

Re Design Team, which entered into the contract available in a public domain on the public procurements website called ProZorro, is a legal entity composed of the creative agencies Republique and Banda that are not incorporated as separate legal entities.

The winner of the creative pitch was chosen by the ESC Reference Group composed of the representatives of the EBU, participating broadcasters and UA:PBC.

The 2017 Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled to be held on 9, 11 and 13 May at the IEC in Kyiv, Ukraine.